Florida State’s season could turn into a referendum on Mike Norvell long before the calendar gets deep into the fall, and the Miami game sits right in the middle of that conversation.
It’s easy to picture the Seminoles walking into that matchup as a double-digit underdog, and it’s even easier to see how the aftermath could get loud if things go sideways. FSU has a bye week after the Hurricanes, which means the noise around the program would have time to build. If the early results don’t break the Seminoles’ way, the discussion after Miami may not be about the game itself so much as what comes next for Norvell.
That’s the tension hanging over a season that needs to feel different in Tallahassee. A win over a heavily hyped rival would do a lot to change the tone. A loss, especially a lopsided one, could push the focus straight to Norvell’s future.
The broader outlook isn’t exactly comforting. Brad Crawford’s ACC schedule prediction has Florida State finishing 6-6, with wins over New Mexico State, Central Arkansas, Virginia, Boston College, Pitt and NC State, and losses to SMU, Alabama, Louisville, Miami, Clemson and Florida.
That kind of finish would not calm things down. If the Seminoles end up at .500 by beating the teams they’re supposed to beat and falling to every quality opponent, the bowl picture won’t be the headline.
The bigger issue would be whether the program is headed in the right direction at all. At Florida State, where ACC contention is the expectation, six wins would only keep the conversation alive for another month.
There’s also the reminder of what this program has been at its best. CBSSports ranked the greatest program of each decade and had Florida State tied with Nebraska for the 1990s.
The Seminoles never finished lower than No. 4 in the AP poll during that decade, won national titles in 1993 and 1999, and built on the larger stretch from 1987 through 2000, when they posted double-digit wins and top-five finishes every season. Nebraska’s case was built on three national championships and a top-three finish by Frank Solich in 1999, which is why the feature landed on a shared honor.
On the roster front, Link Jarrett has brought in a new arm, adding tall, lanky right-hander Alex Philpott out of South Carolina. The move comes with the hope that Jarrett can tap into the talent and get some innings out of him, even though he hasn’t performed as well as expected.
And there was also a notable update off the field: Myron Rolle will join the NFLPA as a special advisor on brain health and preventive care. The former Florida State All-American and Rhodes Scholar has gone on to become one of the country’s most respected neurosurgeons.
In Other News...
A Beloved Part Of Doak Game Day Is About To Change
For 16 years, Woody Hayes has been part of the rhythm of game day at Doak Campbell Stadium, the familiar public address voice that helped set the tone for Florida State football afternoons. His run began after succeeding Nick Menacof, and over time he became one of those steady details fans could count on whenever the Seminoles took the field.
Florida State has now confirmed that his football duties will end after the 2025 season, while also noting his long service and contributions to the program. Hayes will stay on as the announcer for the Seminoles mens and womens basketball games, leaving one of the most recognizable voices in Tallahassee still tied to the school even as a familiar part of Saturdays changes. [Read more 🡒]
New NCAA Rule Could Quietly Reshape Florida States Veteran Future
A quietly significant NCAA change could end up mattering a lot for Florida States roster planning, especially among the veterans who have already given the Seminoles proven production. Division I athletes now can have up to five years of eligibility under a new model, and players with eligibility left for the 2025-26 season can choose between the old framework and the revised one. For a team trying to balance experience, depth and long-term roster turnover, that opens the door for several familiar names to think differently about their college futures.
Florida State has multiple players who could be affected, including a group of true seniors whose decisions would shape both the present and the next step of the program. Some are established contributors, others are coming off injuries or looking for a bigger role, and the new rule gives each of them another layer to weigh before the offseason takes hold. The bigger question now is how many of those veterans decide the Seminoles are worth one more year, and which positions could look very different if they do. [Read more 🡒]