Florida’s regular-season finale just got a lot more volatile.
With Florida set to visit Florida State on Friday, Nov. 27, the Gators are now headed into a Week 13 matchup against a Seminoles team in transition after Florida State fired Mike Norvell. The move ends a seven-year run that produced a 41-39 record and comes with an estimated $50 million buyout.
Norvell arrived in Tallahassee in 2020 after his run at Memphis, and his tenure included Florida State’s memorable 2023 season. That year brought him the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award, plus Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year and ACC Coach of the Year honors. But the program’s recent slide left the school with little choice after a 3-5 start this season.
School president Richard McCullough told ESPN that Norvell was relieved of his duties after the Seminoles dropped two games under .500 in an ugly loss to Clemson. Norvell had a shot to steady things the week before in a double-overtime game against No.
1 Miami, but Florida State couldn’t pull it off. Clemson then handled the Seminoles 36-24, and that was the end of the line.
The timing matters for Florida, which still has plenty to play for if its hopes for a College Football Playoff berth or SEC Championship appearance reach the final week. The Gators will face a Florida State team that looks very different on paper and possibly even more different by kickoff.
Florida has already beaten FSU in each of the last two meetings, and the rivalry has been split 2-2 over the last four. Zoom out a little farther and the Gators have taken five of the last seven matchups dating back to 2018, before Norvell ever arrived.
This year’s meeting will be the 70th edition of Florida vs. Florida State, and there’s no telling how much the Seminoles will have changed by late November.
For now, Florida State’s offense is led by senior quarterback Ashton Daniels, who is just shy of 2,000 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. On the sideline, director of scouting Rick Stockstill will take over as interim coach. Stockstill spent 18 years as the head coach at Middle Tennessee and went 113-111 there.
Florida State’s only notable win this season is against Virginia, and the combined record of the three teams it has beaten in 2026 is 9-17. That’s the backdrop for a rivalry game that already had plenty of weight and now carries even more uncertainty.
In Other News...
Florida Suddenly Has A Bigger Vernell Brown Problem Than Expected
Floridas offense took a hit before it ever got to Jacksonville, with wide receiver Vernell Brown III ruled out against Georgia after aggravating a knee injury in practice. He had initially been listed as probable, but the setback brought swelling that kept him from playing, leaving the Gators to adjust on the fly without one of their more important receiving options.
Jon Sumralls update made the situation sound less like a routine game-day scratch and more like an issue Florida will have to monitor closely. Browns absence was felt in an offense that struggled in the game, and for a team trying to steady itself, the bigger concern now is whether this turns into more than a one-week problem. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas No. 1 Start Gets An Immediate Test From Miami
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Miami brings its own storyline into the opener, with a rebuilt roster looking to show it can hang with one of the sports standard-bearers. The teams already know each other well after meeting twice last season, and Florida won both, but this first-night meeting offers a fresh chance to see how much has changed on both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Floridas Oklahoma Outlook Comes Down To One Huge Offensive Question
The Week 10 matchup with Oklahoma at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is shaping up as one of those games where Floridas offensive health could matter as much as the opponent across the line. A simulation-based projection lays out two very different paths for the Gators, one built around a best-case return of key pieces such as Vernell Brown III, and another that leans more heavily on what Florida has shown recently and who is available when the Sooners arrive on Nov. 7, 2026.
What makes the outlook so interesting is how much of it hinges on one big offensive question rather than a simple talent comparison. The projection digs into early-down success, third-down execution and turnover chances, all of which point to a game flow that could tilt quickly depending on whether Florida can stay on schedule and keep its playmakers on the field. For a team trying to sort out its ceiling, this one feels like a test of both depth and timing. [Read more 🡒]