Mike Norvell calls out critics questioning FSU’s win over Alabama

The No. 25 Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 0-2 ACC) are gearing up to host Pitt (3-2, 1-1) this Saturday after coming off a 28-22 loss to No. 8 Miami (5-0, 1-0 ACC) this past weekend.

Even before FSU's mid-season struggles, one game that has come into question has been how significant Florida State's 31-17 win over Alabama was. Media figures like Nick Saban and Paul Finebaum, among many others, have been debating the issue back and forth.

The Crimson Tide is now ranked No. 8 in the country again after going on a four-game winning streak, taking down Louisiana-Monroe, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Vanderbilt. They dropped to No. 21 after the loss to the Seminoles on August 30.

Norvell Defends Florida State’s Statement Win Over Alabama

Oct 4, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell during the second half against the Miami Hurricanes at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Myers-Imagn Images | Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Weeks after Florida State’s Week 1 statement win, head coach Mike Norvell is pushing back on a familiar national narrative, that Alabama’s resurgence somehow diminishes what the Seminoles did in Tallahassee, Florida.

"Alabama is a good football team. And I know, when we beat them in Week 1, they weren’t," Norvell said jokingly. "Obviously, (they are), but now all of a sudden they’re a good team again, and we were dominant in that game. It could have been much worse if we had been a little bit cleaner in that."

Norvell Still Confident in His Team

Tommy Castellanos — The Miami Hurricanes lead the Florida State Seminoles 14-3 at the half on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. | Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When asked about Florida State’s uneven start, Norvell pushed back on the idea that the Seminoles have underperformed, noting how self-inflicted mistakes have shaped the perception. FSU has turned the ball over a total of six times in the last two games, and Norvell believes that taking care of the football while playing cleaner football was the result of their strong start.

"I know what it looks like. We played three top 25 teams. We have two losses, and we turned the ball over six times in those two losses," Norvell said. "We have a top 10 win against a formidable opponent when we didn't turn the ball over (minus the muffed punt), but we've played a lot cleaner football games, and we showed that we could perform at a very high level."

Norvell acknowledged the criticism but emphasized that Florida State has shown it can compete at a high level when it takes care of the football. Saturday’s matchup against Pitt will offer another opportunity to put that on display.

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