Florida State Seminoles football head coach Mike Norvell has been named The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week for his team’s performance in their 31-17 upset victory of Alabama at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.

“This was a statement win for Coach Norvell and his program, taking down a top-10 opponent to open the season and ending one of the longest streaks in college football,” Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation, said via release. “What stood out was not just the victory, but the toughness and resilience the Seminoles showed in all three phases of the game.”

Norvell won The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year honors after the 2023 season.

The full release for his weekly honor is below:

Officials from the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. today announced that Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell has been selected as The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Presented by PNC Bank.

The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a football coach who led his team to a significant victory during the previous week, while also embodying the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.

Norvell guided the Seminoles to one of the most shocking results of college football’s opening weekend, as Florida State knocked off No. 8 Alabama 31-17, at Doak Campbell Stadium. The victory snapped Alabama’s streak of 23 consecutive season-opening wins and gave Florida State its first ranked win since 2023.

Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos, a Boston College transfer, sparked the Seminoles’ offense with 78 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carriers, while also throwing for 152 yards. The Seminoles piled up 230 rushing yards under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and wore down an Alabama defense that allowed just 89.9 yards per game on the ground last season. Four different Seminoles scored rushing touchdowns, including Castellanos, Micahi Danzy, Caziah Holmes and Gavin Sawchuk.

Florida State’s defense also rose up to the challenge, holding the Crimson Tide to just 87 rushing yards on 29 carries – their lowest rushing total in a season opener since 1975. The Seminoles came up with three fourth-down stops, including a key stand in the fourth quarter that helped seal the victory.

“This was a statement win for Coach Norvell and his program, taking down a top-10 opponent to open the season and ending one of the longest streaks in college football,” said Jim Terry, Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation. “What stood out was not just the victory, but the toughness and resilience the Seminoles showed in all three phases of the game.”

Now in his sixth season at Florida State, Norvell has rebuilt the Seminoles football program, highlighted by an ACC Championship in 2023 and his recognition as the 2023 Dodd Trophy winner. Saturday’s triumph marked his fifth career non-conference win over an SEC team, the second-most by any head coach since 2016.

Off the field, Norvell has instilled a culture of accountability and academic success in Tallahassee. The Seminoles posted a 997 Academic Progress Rate and a 69 Graduation Success Rate last season, continuing to rank among the best in ACC.

In the community, Norvell and his wife Maria have established the Keep Climbing Family Foundation as an action-based organization built on faith and service, focused on meeting the needs of others.

“This was a huge moment for Florida State and the 2023 Dodd Trophy winner Mike Norvell,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President. “Coach Norvell’s leadership has been instrumental in the program’s resurgence, and Saturday’s win over Alabama shows how far the Seminoles have come under his guidance.”

The Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank – along with the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week Award – celebrates the head coach of a FBS team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity. Now celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, the award was established to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field.

A panel consisting of all previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The winner of the 2025 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.