Head coach Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles are in the midst of another disappointing season. Last year, they went 2-10 after being a preseason favorite to win the ACC. This year, they appeared poised to bounce back, securing three straight wins to start the year, including handing No. 6-ranked Alabama its only loss of the year thus far. However, the team has since lost four in a row.
On Saturday, the Seminoles’ latest loss was 20-13 to Stanford. It confirmed that while there were hopes of a bounce-back season for the Seminoles, they will not be in the ACC championship picture again. Additionally, while Mike Norvell led the Seminoles to a strong season as recently as 2023, he is on the hot seat.
According to a report from On3 insider Pete Nakos, Florida State is holding informal phone calls about Norvell’s future.
“NEW: Florida State decision makers are holding informal phone calls this morning to discuss the future under Mike Norvell, sources tell Pete Nakos. Norvell’s buyout is north of $54.4M. FSU is 1-11 in ACC play during the last two seasons.”
NEW: Florida State decision makers are holding informal phone calls this morning to discuss the future under Mike Norvell, sources tell @PeteNakos_.
Norvell’s buyout is north of $54.4M. FSU is 1-11 in ACC play during the last two seasons😬
Intel: https://t.co/iq0sPw8ECL https://t.co/eX4iHcco21 pic.twitter.com/DscjMuzWXs
— On3 (@On3sports) October 19, 2025
If Mike Norvell is fired, he will not be the first coach with a high buyout to be let go by his team this season. Former Penn State head coach James Franklin was fired last week, and according to ESPN, he is owed more than $49 million.
Mike Norvell’s Buyout Would be Among the Biggest in College Football History
If Mike Norvell is fired by Florida State, his reported $54.4 million buyout would be one of the biggest in college football history. According to ESPN, James Franklin’s $49 million buyout was the second largest in history, only behind Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million buyout from Texas A&M. If Norvell is fired, his reported buyout would pass Franklin for the second biggest buyout in history.
However, it is not confirmed that Norvell will be fired yet. While Florida State has struggled the past two seasons, he took over a struggling team in 2020 and turned it into a double-digit win team by 2022. So, the team might give him more leeway than other coaches.
Read More:
Mike Norvell Salary, Contract, Net Worth, and More
James Franklin Reveals AD’s Untimely Message Announcing Penn State Firing
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