Mike Norvell admits Florida State has not been ‘anywhere near good enough’ amid nine-game ACC losing streak

Florida State’s downturn under Mike Norvell continued Saturday night with another unexplainable setback amid a coaching tenure that’s quickly unraveling. This time, it came as a 17.5-point road favorite against Stanford, a team that was previously winless in ACC play.

A goal line stop on the game’s final play resulted in the Seminoles’ ninth consecutive conference loss, a miserable ending for a team light years removed from a season-opening win over Alabama that turned out to be smoke and mirrors for Norvell and staff.

The Seminoles were penalized 13 times against Stanford and needed an untimed down from the 2-yard line after an improbable completion and pass interference gift to set up the game’s final play, a failed burst from Gavin Sawchuk near the goal line.

With one of college football’s largest buyouts and bowl eligibility now in jeopardy, Norvell was asked in the aftermath where he thinks he stands with Florida State’s decision-makers and administration.

“I’m pouring everything I have into this university with every bit of the work, the focus, the absolute edge and urgency to get this better,” Norvell said. “And at the end of the day, it’s about the on-the-field results, and we’ve come up short and we’ve not done it. We’ve not done anywhere near good enough job in being able to finish games and to do things and for it to look the way that I want it to look and that I believe that what we’re capable of. And so, I’ve always said, this administration, it’s a great and aligned group of people that are leading this university, our athletic department and our football team.

“I believe in all the things that we stand for, what it needs to be and how we need to do it. But the last results have not been good enough, and they have to get better. And that’s something that I’m going to continue to put everything I have into making sure that that gets done.

“And that gets done as fast as possible. And going to a bye week, you have an opportunity to heal up, get some guys back to full-time in practice and make sure that we do the things that we need to do as a football program so that when we step on the field, you know, it looks like Florida State football.” 

Florida State is open next week before hosting Wake Forest on Nov. 1.