FSU’s Mike Norvell Sits Atop College Football’s Hottest Seat

The Florida State Seminoles are entering a pivotal year as head coach Mike Norvell enters his seventh season at the helm. FSU has been all over the place since Norvell took charge in December 2019. The Seminoles have had four losing seasons, a 10-3 campaign in 2022, and an ACC Championship.

Most recently, the ’Noles have posted back-to-back losing seasons, finishing 2–10 and 5–7, placing Norvell back under the microscope as Florida State enters the spring. ESPN recently released its way-too-early college football coaching hot seat tiers, and the man at the helm in Tallahassee found himself atop the wrong list.

Norvell's Seat is the "Hottest of Hot"

Oct 26, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell watches from the sideline against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg placed Norvell at the very top of ESPN's "hot seat" board for the second straight year in a row and believes that his grace period could be over. The volatility of performance over the years, especially in college football, if it hasn't already, could be making the top brass nervous despite publicly backing him and promising a full assessment this past offseason.

"Norvell is atop this list for the second straight year," Rittenberg wrote. "After FSU opened the 2025 season with a rousing win against Alabama and started 3-0, the team dropped its first four ACC games and went on to finish 5-7, missing a bowl for the second straight season after a 13-0 start and a conference title in 2023."

A Contract Cushion in Tallahassee

Aug 24, 2024; Dublin, IRL; Florida State University head coach Mike Norvell walks on the sideline at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tom Maher/INPHO via Imagn Images | Tom Maher/INPHO via Imagn Images

Entering the 2026 season, Norvell has six years and $64.05 million remaining on his deal. If terminated without cause, Florida State would owe approximately $54.4 million, or 85% of that total would be approximately $54.4 million. He signed a massive contract extension ahead of the 2024 season, locking him in until 2031. With the athletic department sinking upwards of $265M in stadium renovations alongside a $165M practice facility, the financial restraints may not have made the buyout "practical".

"The lucrative contract Norvell received after Alabama pursued him in early 2024 continued to work in his favor, as did Florida State's precarious financial situation," Rittenberg continued. "But Norvell clearly must deliver better results, likely eight or more wins, to secure his position for 2027 and beyond. FSU has a challenging first half of its schedule that includes SMU (home), Alabama (road), Virginia (home), Miami (road) and Louisville (road). A poor start could lead to a midseason change."

Another strong start in 2026 would likely take him out of the hot seat for now, and a 7-6 season might take some of the edge off of boosters and administration, but an eight plus win season would definitely stablize things looking ahead at 2027.

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