Florida State’s first bye week arrives with plenty for Mike Norvell to sort through.
The Seminoles are 1-1 after a Labor Day loss to SMU at Doak Campbell Stadium, and the break gives Norvell a chance to reset a team that has already taken an early ACC hit. FSU is 0-1 in league play, and the next stop on the schedule is a major one: a road trip to face No. 12 Alabama.
Norvell is set to speak to reporters Tuesday, offering his final public thoughts on the SMU defeat while also laying out what Florida State wants to clean up during the open week. The focus will be on the lessons from that loss, the development work available during the pause, and the buildup to the Seminoles’ first road game of the year.
The upcoming trip takes FSU to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 19.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at Bryant-Denny Stadium, and ABC will carry the game nationally.
Florida State’s 2026 slate has already started to take shape around the bye. The Seminoles opened with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State on Aug. 29, then fell 27-24 to SMU on Sept. 7 before the open date on Sept. 13.
After Alabama, FSU returns home to play Central Arkansas on Sept. 26 and Virginia on Oct. 3.
The schedule then turns to a Friday night trip to Louisville on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. on ESPN, followed by a visit to Miami on Oct. 17.
Another bye comes on Oct. 24, then Clemson visits Doak Campbell on Oct. 31. The rest of the regular season includes trips to Boston College on Nov. 7 and Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, a home game against NC State on Nov. 21, and the regular-season finale against Florida on Nov. 27 at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
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After the criticism piled up, Desir went to social media with a dismissive response, while defensive coordinator Tony White moved to calm things down from the football side. White said no disciplinary action would be taken and framed the sequence as part of Desirs style, leaving the bigger question less about punishment and more about how quickly the Seminoles can turn the conversation back to play on the field. [Read more 🡒]
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Johnson recently said Miami has been his dream school, and he is set to visit Hard Rock Stadium for a Hurricanes game, which only sharpens the concern for Florida State. A flip would sting not just because of the player involved, but because it would give Miami a major victory in a head-to-head battle for a coveted prospect, putting added scrutiny on the Seminoles' coaching staff and the rest of the class. [Read more 🡒]