Florida State Seminoles football coach Mike Norvell got past a massive test in Week 1, knocking off the Alabama Crimson Tide 31-17 at Doak S. Campbell and saving face for his program following a 2-10 season in 2024. All was well on August 30, with Gus Malzahn looking like a home run hire at offensive coordinator and the defense holding up well enough against Kalen DeBoer’s preferred play-caller, first-year Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb.
Unfortunately, Norvell and Michael Alford may have goofed with scheduling, giving them a false sense of security in tune-up games against the East Texas A&M Lions and Kent State Golden Flashes before the Noles were upset 46-38 in overtime by the Virginia Cavaliers at Scott Stadium.
Now, with the Miami Hurricanes coming to town on Saturday night, there’s a chance any goodwill from that season-opening win will be gone with two straight losses to open up ACC conference play.
Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde warned that Norvell can once again experience hot seat talk in Tallahassee if the Noles lay an egg against “The U.”
In Forde’s words, “discontent can escalate” with a loss to Miami.
“The 2–10 debacle of 2024 appeared to be put to bed with the fast start, which consisted of a great win over Alabama followed by a schedule that might have been too easy—bludgeoning an FCS opponent (East Texas A&M) and the worst FBS program (Kent State). Florida State didn’t look ready for its first road game against an improved Virginia team, giving up season highs in rushing yards (211), total yards (440), yards per play (5.24) and points (46). Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn also might have failed to fully capitalize on the Noles’ superiority in the inside running game, with a season-high 33 pass attempts and a season-low 48 rushes. The Cavaliers seemed to have little answer for Ousmane Kromah and Gavin Sawchuk between the tackles,” Forde wrote.
“Norvell can win everyone back immediately on Saturday at home against No. 3 Miami, in what was looking like a throwback monster matchup between the two until the Charlottesville, Va., flop. It will be the Hurricanes’ turn to go on the road for the first time and show what they’ve got in a hostile atmosphere. If the Hurricanes roll, discontent will escalate in Tallahassee.”
The Alabama win was supposed to be a turning point for an FSU squad that was largely overhauled from last season. While most of the players didn’t experience the most disappointing season in college football in 2024, the fanbase did, and the feeling of inescapable dread behind the scenes may well manifest on the field if they continue to undo that progress. Losing to Virginia essentially undoes what the Crimson Tide triumph was supposed to do for the program.
Losing to the Hurricanes puts the Seminoles right on the track of dread and anxiety that the team was scheduled to have if they started the season 3-2.
