Florida State fans react to announcement of Mike Norvell returning for 2026 season
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
After two sub.-500 seasons to start his tenure at Florida State, Mike Norvell went 23-4 over his next two seasons. That included a 13-1 mark in 2023 that saw the Seminoles controversially snubbed from College Football Playoff consideration.
That gave way to a disastrous 2024 and a 2-10 record. And while things looked up for 2025 after a season-opening win against Alabama touched off a 3-0 start, the Noles have gone 2-6 since then.
Nevertheless, Norvell will be back in 2026. That’s with a promise from FSU officials that proper investments will be made to help the program “compete at an elite level.”
Under Bobby Bowden, Florida State was a college football blueblood. Jimbo Fisher took the reins and led the program to 83 wins, a national championship, and four Top 10 finishes.
Those days seem like distant memories. Since Fisher left for Texas A&M, FSU has struggled to remain relevant nationally. Norvell, though, has been given a vote of confidence by his bosses, along with the assurance that boosting the school’s NIL war chest will be a priority.
But Sunday’s news has proven a tough pill to swallow for Seminoles fans. Here’s what some of the reaction looked like on social media after the announcement:
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
