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It's pretty simple when it comes to head coach Mike Norvell and his future at Florida State. He has to win in 2026, period. The Seminoles have gone from a program that was in the national championship conversation three years ago to one that has an uncertain future under Norvell, and that has to change.
Andy Staples of On3 released a list of the coaches with the most pressure going into this season. As expected, Norvell and his $45.6 million buyout after this year made the cut.
Mike Norvell might have been the only coach in 2025 whose job was saved by the size of his buyout. Seminoles brass considered firing him but ultimately decided the week of the regular-season finale that he’d return for 2026.
But the negativity from last year’s 5-7 campaign — and a 3-13 ACC record the past two seasons — persists, and it’s fair to say that Norvell was not afforded the same resources a coach would get if his donor base/administration was more confident in him. Florida State’s roster spend falls near the middle of the ACC, putting it far below 2026 non-conference opponents Alabama and Florida and well below conference foes Miami and Clemson (and probably Louisville).
This is Norvell's seventh year in Tallahassee. He won eight games in his first two seasons, followed by 23 wins over the next two years. That leads us to the last two seasons in which FSU has won just seven games combined. As you can see, it's been a rollercoaster ride, and Norvell needs to get the Seminoles back to being a consistent winner on the field.
One thing he does have is the support of his players. Recently, quarterback Ashton Daniels and cornerback Ja'Bril Rawls expressed their confidence and belief in Norvell heading into such an important season. Now, they just have to put the results on the field.
There's no mistake about it: if Florida State has its third consecutive down year, Norvell will have to be replaced. How his team performs will be one of the hot topics in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Mike Norvell named one of the coaches under the most pressure in 2026
