Mike Norvell Says Florida State's Results Have Not Been Good Enough as Job Questions Mount Before Miami Trip

Florida State coach Mike Norvell said Monday that he has had no recent conversations with the university's administration about his job evaluation, three days after a 44-20 loss at Louisville dropped the Seminoles to 3-3 and renewed questions about his future in Tallahassee. Norvell, speaking at his weekly news conference, did not dodge the record. "Have the results been good enough? No," he said, according to ESPN. "My job as head football coach is make sure the results are better."

The timing is difficult. Florida State's next game is Saturday night at No. 3 Miami, an unbeaten rival, and the Seminoles have not won a regular-season road game in nearly three years.

What Norvell said

Norvell was asked whether the leadership change in the athletic department meant more frequent check-ins on his performance. Athletic director Michael Alford was fired last month, and Bruce Warwick, whom ESPN identified as the football program's chief of staff, was named interim athletic director.

FSU President Richard McCullough announced Alford's firing on Sept. 14, when the Seminoles were 1-1, according to FOX 13. Warwick, a senior associate athletic director who joined Florida State in 2020 after working for the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, is serving while the university conducts a national search. "Michael Alford has served the University and our student-athletes with dedication, and we thank him for his contributions to our athletics programs," McCullough said in announcing the move. Alford had hired the current head coaches in several sports, including men's and women's basketball.

Norvell said the administration is aware of what the program is doing and that nobody was happy with Friday night's result. "They're not going to be a stronger critic of what our evaluation was than what I am," he said, according to ESPN. He said his focus remains on preparing his players to be the best they can be.

He also spoke directly to fans. "I hate to go through disappointing results. But I understand the frustrations. There's rightful frustrations. I'm living in it with you," Norvell said.

How Louisville got away

Friday's loss at Louisville followed a pattern that has become familiar. Florida State led 14-0 and drove to the Cardinals 3-yard line, where Louisville defensive back Kaleb Beasley stopped receiver Jasen Lopez on fourth-and-goal. On the next snap, Isaac Brown ran 97 yards for a touchdown. Brown finished with a career-high 235 rushing yards on 17 carries, according to ESPN, and Louisville outscored the Seminoles 44-6 the rest of the way.

The Cardinals ran for 397 of their 537 yards, even with their leading rusher, Keyjuan Brown, sidelined. Quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 21 of 37 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score, but the offense managed little after the fourth-down stop. After the game Norvell called it "an extremely poor performance" and said, "it starts with me."

The numbers behind the pressure

The skid predates this season. Norvell led Florida State to an unbeaten regular season and the 2023 ACC championship, then the program went 2-10 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025. He is 10-20 since the start of 2024, and the Seminoles are 4-15 in ACC games since that title, according to ESPN.

The road record is starker. Florida State's last regular-season road win came on Nov. 25, 2023, a 24-15 victory at Florida. ESPN counts 11 straight losses in true road games and 13 straight away from Doak Campbell Stadium.

This season has followed the same split. Florida State is 3-1 at home, with the only home loss to SMU, and 0-2 away. The results, according to ESPN:

The Alabama loss in Tuscaloosa came after Florida State led 21-6, a detail noted in New York Post coverage republished by Yahoo Sports. Two big early leads on the road have now turned into double-digit losses.

The cost of a change

Any decision on Norvell would carry a large price. His contract includes one of the largest buyouts in college football. Published estimates, including from On3, have ranged from roughly $45 million to more than $50 million depending on when a firing would take effect, and reports have said the amount would be reduced if Norvell took another job. Those figures have not been confirmed by the university.

The decision would also come during a transition at the top of the athletic department. With Alford gone and Warwick serving on an interim basis, it is not yet clear who would lead a coaching search if one were opened. Norvell said Monday he understands everyone's roles and responsibilities and is keeping his attention on the team. "If there's desire to have more conversation, obviously the administration can do that," he said.

A rivalry game with little margin

Miami has gone the other way. The Hurricanes are 5-0, 3-0 in the ACC, and climbed to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll released Oct. 11 after an open week. Their most recent game was a 41-13 win at Clemson on Oct. 3. Miami has won its five games by a combined score of 248-49.

The Hurricanes have also won the last two meetings in the series: 36-14 at Hard Rock Stadium in October 2024 and 28-22 in Tallahassee on Oct. 4, 2025, when Miami was ranked No. 3 and Florida State No. 18. A third straight loss to Miami, on the road, would extend both of the streaks hanging over Norvell.

Norvell acknowledged the stakes after the Louisville loss. "We have a huge game next week," he said, according to ESPN. "A rivalry game against a very talented team. But we have to get tonight fixed."

What's next

Florida State plays at Miami on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, with kickoff at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Seminoles then have an open date before hosting Clemson at Doak Campbell Stadium on Oct. 31, followed by road games at Boston College and Pittsburgh. Of the six games left on the schedule, three are away from Tallahassee, the setting where Florida State has not won a regular-season game since 2023.