Florida State will give Mike Norvell another season in 2026 with the university’s president, athletic director and board of trustees aligned in support, the school announced. Firing the sixth-year coach would have resulted in a hefty buyout due to the significant contract extension through signed after the Seminoles’ excellent 2023 season. Norvell’s return includes a pledge to make changes in the areas of recruiting and player development.
“Our responsibility is to do what gives Florida State the strongest competitive position – not just today, but for years to come,” said Florida State athletic director Michael Alford in a statement. “Florida State has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its football program over the past few years with high expectations. Chairman Collins, President McCullough and I are aligned in partnering with Coach and improving our ability to compete for championships. Our mission is unwavering in putting Florida State football at the forefront of college athletics.”
Florida State deteriorated after a surprising 3-0 start and top-10 ranking that included a win over Alabama with six losses in its last eight games and still needs another win at Florida to avoid missing bowl eligibility for the second straight year.
Norvell is 38-33 (22-26 ACC) at Florida State, but it only 7-16 overall since going 13-1 and winning the ACC with an unbeaten league record that season.
Florida State’s overtime loss at Stanford last month was the program’s 11th setback in 12 ACC contests, a new low punctuated by 13 penalties, a confrontation between Norvell and a player on the sideline and faulty execution late as a 17.5-point road favorite.
After that overtime setback, Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said the university would reassess Norvell’s contract situation at the end of the year. A bye week followed the Stanford loss and lukewarm vote of confidence before Florida State picked up a home win over Wake Forest — its first conference victory in more than a calendar year. From there, the Seminoles lost on the road to Clemson before beating the Hokies at home in Week 12.
“This program has been built on belief, sacrifice, and putting the team first,” Norvell said in a statement. “That set of values has always guided my actions, and those of our players. The driving motivation behind this is to make certain that we are doing everything properly to obtain and retain elite players, add critical pieces, and sustain long-term success. I love Florida State, and I am fully committed to this program, and our shared goals.”
Norvell’s up-and-down tenure in Tallahassee
Norvell’s tenure opened with two losing seasons with the Seminoles before winning 10 games in 2022 and finishing No. 11 in the final AP poll following a bowl win. He carried that success into the following campaign after Florida State ran roughshod through the ACC, finished the regular season undefeated and unfortunately became the first Power conference unbeaten to be snubbed by the College Football Playoff’s selection committee.
More than a dozen players for the Seminoles opted out of the Orange Bowl that season in disgust, resulting in a 63-3 loss to Georgia. Florida State hasn’t been the same under Norvell since that embarrassing outcome outside of this season’s opening win over then-No. 8 Alabama in Tallahassee.
The Seminoles finished 2-10 and at the bottom of the conference last season before making wholesale changes to their coaching staff, including the additions of Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and Nebraska’s Tony White to lead the defense in 2025.
The changes and personnel alterations showed up roses in September before Florida State’s first loss of the season — an overtime struggle at Virginia — shifted the program in a different direction. After beating Wake Forest to snap a nine-game ACC skid, Norvell was emotional.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to coach these players,” Norvell said. “I know what we ask them to do. I know what we ask them to do on the field; I know what we ask them to do off the field, in the classroom, the challenge that they must embrace being a part of this program. When you come up short in games, when your record is not what you want it to be, the identity is going to be put on display.
“I don’t just say it because it sounds good; they’re my heart. They’re family to me, and they said yes to being a part of this program, and we said yes to them. I think it’s a team that is very capable, and just to see them continue to try to grow and to be better and to go and showcase what they’re able to do, even with a lot of challenges and probably a lot of things on the outside that make it difficult in today’s age of college athletics.”
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