FSU Football Projected To Finally End Postseason Drought In 2026

The Florida State Seminoles are on a quest to return to bowl eligibility in 2026. That will take the Seminoles posting their first non-losing season in three years.

While it sounds easy enough, the last two campaigns haven't been pretty in Tallahassee. Florida State is only a combined 7-17 overall since the beginning of 2024.

In that period, the Seminoles are winless on the road. They've upset Alabama, and fallen to programs such as Stanford, Memphis, Boston College, Duke, NC State, Florida (x2), Miami (x2), and Clemson (x2).

Nothing is certain within Doak Campbell Stadium, and definitely outside of it.

To say the very least, head coach Mike Norvell is facing a pivotal campaign. His costly buyout is the main reason he's back for another year, even if no one wants to really say it.

If the Seminoles don't at least make it to six victories, and even if they do, the public pressure may be too much to overcome.

CBS Sports Projects Florida State To Postseason, But At What Cost?

Earlier this month, CBS Sports' Brad Crawford released his record predictions for teams around the ACC.

Crawford slotted Florida State in at 6-6, the minimum mark to return to the postseason.

"If the Seminoles get to 6-6 with losses to every good team on the schedule, the conversation won't center on bowl eligibility -- it will focus on Mike Norvell's future," Crawford wrote. "Expectations in Tallahassee are far too high for another mediocre campaign, particularly given Norvell's hot seat."

"Six wins might buy another month of football, but it's not going to quiet the growing concerns surrounding the Seminoles' trajectory," Crawford added. "At a place where competing for ACC championships is the standard, a .500 regular season would leave decision-makers with a choice to make."

In the projection, Crawford has Florida State faltering in basically all of its important games. The Seminoles go winless against SMU, Louisville, Miami, Clemson, and Florida.

Two of the victories Crawford gives FSU are buy games against New Mexico State and Central Arkansas. The Seminoles are projected to go 4-4 in conference play.

At least Florida State finally ends its road winning streak against Boston College on November 7, 1,078 days since the Seminoles took down Florida in Gainesville in 2023.

This wouldn't be good enough for a proud program that is climbing down, instead of up, by the year. Remember, this is Norvell's seventh season in Tallahassee.

6-6 might've been acceptable in year one or two, but we're closer to a decade of Norvell than the beginning of his tenure.

Three-year losing streaks to Miami, Clemson, and Florida aren't acceptable. Norvell is 6-12 against the trio of rivals in his time with the Seminoles. Five of those victories came in 2022-23.

2026 will tell us a ton about Norvell and Florida State, with the program going through another series of coaching changes and a roster overhaul.

2026 Florida State Football Schedule:

Saturday, August 29 vs. New Mexico State - Tallahassee - 7:00 p.m. ET on The CW

Monday, September 7 vs. SMU – Tallahassee - 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Saturday, September 19 at Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Ala. - 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Saturday, September 26 vs. Central Arkansas – Tallahassee (Family Weekend/Hall of Fame)

Saturday, October 3 vs. Virginia – Tallahassee (Cancer Awareness)

Friday, October 9 at Louisville – Louisville, Ky. - 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

Saturday, October 17 at Miami – Miami Gardens, Fla.

Saturday, October 31 vs. Clemson – Tallahassee (Military Appreciation)

Saturday, November 7 at Boston College – Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Saturday, November 13 at Pitt – Pittsburgh, Pa. - 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

Saturday, November 21 vs. NC State – Tallahassee (Homecoming/Seminole Heritage/Athlete Alumni Reunion)

Friday, November 27 vs. Florida – Tallahassee - 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC

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