Mike Norvell will return as Florida State\u2019s coach in 2026.<\/p>\n
Sources told Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger<\/a> that Norvell would be back despite 13 ACC losses over the past two seasons. The Seminoles lost 21-11 at NC State on Friday night after two muffed punts in the fourth quarter.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cFSU Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins, Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford and I are in complete agreement that changes are needed for our program to improve,\u201d Florida State president Richard McCullough said in a statement officially announcing the decision. \u201cCoach Norvell embraces our support in that process and agrees that success must be achieved. He continues to demonstrate an unwavering belief in this program\u2019s future, and so do we. This decision reflects a unified commitment to competing in the rapidly evolving landscape of college football, while maintaining continuity within the program.\u201d<\/p>\n FSU is 5-6 overall and needs a win over 3-8 Florida in Week 14 to make a bowl game. For as rough as the 2024 season has been, it\u2019s still been an improvement over a disastrous 2024 season that saw the Seminoles go 2-10 after an undefeated regular season in 2023.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n However, everything began to unravel in the next-to-last game of the season two years ago. QB Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending leg injury in a 58-13 win over FCS opponent North Alabama. Though Florida State beat Florida and Louisville by a combined score of 41-21 over the next two weeks to move to 13-0 and win the ACC title, the College Football Playoff committee wasn\u2019t impressed. The Seminoles weren\u2019t chosen for the final four-team playoff and were leapfrogged by one-loss teams Texas and Alabama in the final set of rankings.<\/p>\n The omission led to a rash of opt-outs ahead of the Orange Bowl and a shorthanded Seminoles team was smashed 63-3 by Georgia.<\/p>\n Norvell signed a massive contract extension after the 2023 season and his buyout figure could be a reason why he’s returning. Florida State would be contractually obligated to pay Norvell over $50 million if he was fired in 2025.<\/p>\n The Seminoles reshaped the roster in the offseason and added former Auburn and UCF coach Gus Malzahn as the team\u2019s offensive coordinator along with making a change at defensive coordinator. The moves had immediate dividends as FSU beat Alabama 31-17 and looked like the better team in the process.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n However, the highs of that Week 1 win didn’t last long. FSU is 2-6 in ACC play in 2025 and had a four-game losing streak in the middle of the season.<\/p>\n Had FSU moved on from Norvell, the Seminoles would have joined a crowded coaching market that already includes their in-state rival. Florida has been looking for a new head coach since firing Billy Napier during the season. The Gators have been eyeing Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, as he’s expected to decide if he is staying with the Rebels or going to coach either LSU or Florida by Saturday, Nov. 29.<\/p>\n Penn State is also looking for a new coach and the hires at Penn State, LSU and Florida are expected to set off a domino effect of vacancies across the college football landscape.<\/p>\n