Florida State’s preseason outlook just hit a new low.
The Seminoles were picked to finish 11th in the ACC preseason poll, their lowest preseason projection in conference history. Even so, FSU did collect three first-place votes, which was the fifth-most in the league.
The number lines up with where the program has been lately. Florida State is coming off a 7-17 stretch over the last two seasons and has not won a road game in that span, so the conference’s skepticism is hardly a shock. Miami was the clear favorite to win the ACC, pulling in 165 first-place votes, while SMU and Louisville landed behind the Hurricanes in the top three.
Mike Norvell is heading into year seven in Tallahassee, and the pressure is obvious. Preseason camp begins July 29, and this season carries real weight for the program. Florida State would owe Norvell more than $50 million if it decides to move on, and he’s back calling plays with Ashton Daniels at quarterback and Duce Robinson returning at wide receiver.
The Seminoles open the year on Aug. 29 against New Mexico State at Doak Campbell Stadium in week 0.
ACC predicted order of finish
Miami (165) 3159
SMU (6) 2794
Louisville (4) 2569
Clemson (7) 2520
Georgia Tech (2) 2006
Virginia 1981
NC State 1964
Virginia Tech 1962
Pitt 1740
Duke 1452
Florida State (3) 1439
California 1392
Wake Forest 1103
Syracuse 878
North Carolina 831
Boston College 491
Stanford (1) 483
Florida State football schedule 2026
vs. New Mexico State | Aug. 29
vs. SMU* | Sept. 7
Bye
at Alabama | Sept. 19
vs. Central Arkansas | Sept. 26
vs. Virginia* | Oct. 3
at Louisville* | Oct. 9
at Miami* | Oct. 17
Bye
vs. Clemson* | Oct. 31
at Boston College* | Nov. 7
at Pittsburgh* | Nov. 13
vs. NC State* | Nov. 21
vs. Florida | Nov. 27
In Other News...
Florida State Boosters Just Sent A Powerful Message About This Program
Florida States latest fundraising update reads like a clear sign that the programs off-field momentum is matching the investment being poured into it. Athletics and Seminole Boosters announced a record-breaking year, fueled by a wave of pledges and cash contributions that arrived alongside recent facility renovations and broader spending across football and the rest of the department.
The scale of the support also showed up in the donor base, with the Bowden Society continuing to grow and the Coaches Club seeing a major jump in contributions. For a program trying to keep pace in a sharper financial arms race, the message from boosters was simple enough: the appetite to push Florida State forward is not just holding steady, it is expanding. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Just Added A Veteran Piece Mike Norvell Needed
Florida State added a veteran pass-catching option in Desirrio Riles, bringing in the East Carolina tight end as the Seminoles continue reshaping the roster around Mike Norvells first season handling playcalling duties. Riles arrives with game experience from 37 appearances at East Carolina and a track record that should give Florida State a steadier presence at a position group that needed another proven body.
His addition matters even more because the Seminoles did not bring in another portal tight end this cycle, leaving Riles to join a room that already includes Landen Thomas and Chase Loftin as the competition for snaps sorts itself out. For a program in the middle of significant roster turnover, landing a player with Riles experience gives Norvell at least one more reliable piece to work with as spring and summer battles take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Just Made A Defensive Hire That Fans Needed
Florida State added a familiar kind of fix after the 2024 season, bringing Nick Williams onto the staff as a defensive specialist with the hope that his background can help steady a unit that needs it. Williams has coached at Syracuse and Texas A&M, and his resume also includes recruiting ties in Georgia, a useful lane for a program that has to keep winning battles in talent-rich territory while it reshapes the defense.
The Seminoles are looking at Williams as more than just another name on the staff sheet, especially with the defensive line in need of a boost. His experience working in major programs and around productive fronts gives Florida State a reason to believe this hire can translate quickly, even if the bigger question is how much of an impact he can make once the offseason work turns into actual on-field results. [Read more 🡒]