Game Preview: Florida State Seminoles vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

I don't think anybody expected Mike Norvell to still be the head coach at Florida State by this point after the loss to Stanford. Even Mike Norvell, who looked like a shell of himself in his postgame press conference.

His chance to break his 9-game ACC losing streak will be against Wake Forest, which has scrapped and clawed its way to a 5-2 record, including a slugfest 13-12 win over SMU last weekend. and should've beaten Georgia Tech a few weeks ago, but there were some bad calls down the stretch of that game.

So, are we all ready for a 10th straight ACC loss? Because that's likely where we're headed based on recent performances. For those willing to suffer through this game, it will be at 7:30 p.m. EST on Saturday on the ACC Network.

Seminole Headlines

Mike Norvell to Be Re-Evaluated At End of Season

Just about everyone thought Norvell would be canned after the Stanford loss. The team was disjointed, lacked discipline, and the effort level seen was reminiscent of last year's 2-10 season. That's not a great thing, and there was a lot of talk after the loss about it possibly being the last game of his tenure.

Athletic Director Michael Alford only angered the fanbase more by releasing a statement saying that Norvell and the entire program will be re-evaluated at the end of the season. That's not a sign of confidence, but FSU may be stuck now. Florida, LSU, and Penn State are already open, and who knows what's going on with Texas and Auburn.

Would it be better for FSU to have a sitting duck head coach and save itself some money? Or do they throw their hat in a large ring that has a lot of supply and not a lot of demand?

Oct 18, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Tommy Castellanos (1) throws the football during the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Tommy Castellanos' Status

Tommy Castellanos went down late in the Stanford game after taking a vicious hit from their safety, who was called for targeting. That knocked him out for the rest of that game, and Mike Norvell said it probably would've kept him out last week, too, had they not had a BYE week.

As far as this game goes, it's still up in the air. Norvell said he was able to get some work in at the end of last week, and he wouldn't give much away before the availability reports are released, starting on Thursday.

If he can't go, true freshman Kevin Sperry would likely be making his first career start. He showed some moxy at the end of the Stanford game, but a healthy Castellanos gives them the best chance of winning.

An Over-Achieving Wake Forest Squad

Wake Forest entered the season with a projected win total of 4.5. They have five wins through seven games, beating SMU, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, and two weaker teams. VT and OSU have already fired their coaches, and FSU could be next on the docket.

The more impressive thing is that Wake Forest just went through a coaching change this offseason, as Dave Clawson stepped down in December as the head coach. Even still, they're finding a way to over-achieve. It must be nice.

Three Burning Questions

What Version of Florida State's Offense Will We Get?

Florida State's offense put up a lot of yards against Stanford, but they didn't put up many points. It was a missed field goal, some untimely penalties, and turnovers on downs that really cost them. They'll be looking to be more efficient in this game, but that will depend on health more than anything.

We've already talked about Castellanos, but Micah Pettus, Randy Pittman, and Squirrel White were far from 100% in the Stanford game (not the reason they lost), and had injury designations that week. We won't know how the Seminoles' injury report looks until Thursday night, though.

This is a great defense they're going against, as Wake is allowing just 18.6 PPG this season, and is coming off a game where they held SMU to 12 points. This will be a challenge no matter what.

Oct 4, 2025; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford (2) looks to run the ball against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the fourth quarter at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images | Brian Bishop-Imagn Images

What Will Wake Forest Do at Quarterback?

Florida State is planning for both quarterbacks at Wake Forest: Robby Ashford and Deshawn Purdie. Ashford has completed 58.6% of his passes this season, but has thrown just three touchdowns to four interceptions. Purdie has completed 52.5% of his passes and has 5 touchdowns to 2 INTs despite throwing about 30% of the amount of passes as Ashford.

Ashford is a much better runner, though, gaining 228 yards on the ground this year. That provides a different aspect to prepare for, even if Wake's offense really hasn't been impressive this year. Granted, they're going against this Florida State defense that has been even less impressive.

Will Florida State Respond?

Yes, this is a jab at Mike Norvell constantly saying the word "respond" in seemingly every press conference after a loss. At this point, Florida State probably will not respond. We've seen them fall short time and time again after losses in the last two years.

The pressure cooker is already boiling in Tallahassee. A loss to Wake Forest is historically the kiss of death for this program. Even if Alford's statement seems to suggest that they won't make any decisions until after the season, an ugly loss wouldn't help things here.

Game Forecast

Florida State is somehow favored by 9.5 points with a projected total of 50.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

Zero faith. I have zero faith in Florida State football. And Wake Forest always finds a way to stay competitive against much more talented teams. It must be nice.

I will not be picking Florida State to win another game this season. That's what they deserve at this point.

Wake Forest 27, Florida State 23

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