New Florida State football coach: Top 5 best candidates if Mike Norvell is fired

After starting the college football season with an upset over Alabama, Florida State has been in a tailspin as pressure mounts on head coach Mike Norvell. The Seminoles coach has a massive buyout, but Penn State firing James Franklin could be changing the way program's are thinking about contracts.

Norvell's buyout tops $54.4 million, one of the largest in college football, per On3's Pete Nakos. The Seminoles' recent losing streak has Norvell's future in "serious doubt," per Nakos.

NEW: Florida State decision makers are holding informal phone calls this morning to discuss the future under Mike Norvell, sources tell @PeteNakos_.

Norvell's buyout is north of $54.4M. FSU is 1-11 in ACC play during the last two seasons😬

Intel: https://t.co/iq0sPw8ECL https://t.co/eX4iHcco21 pic.twitter.com/DscjMuzWXs
— On3 (@On3sports) October 19, 2025

"Sources have told On3 that FSU decision makers are holding informal phone calls on Sunday morning to discuss the future under," Nakos wrote on Sunday. "Florida State lost at Stanford last night, 20-13, extending the winless streak of ACC wins to well over a calendar year.

"Sources told On3 last week that there was real concern about whether donors could be motivated to fund another Norvell roster. After the Stanford loss, it puts Norvell’s future in serious doubt. He has one of the biggest buyouts in college football, sitting at north of $54.4 million. Norvell is 20–24 all-time in the ACC and 1-11 in the last two seasons in conference play."

Here's an early look at the top college football candidates if Florida State eventually makes a change.

No. 1 Colorado HC Deion Sanders

It is no secret that Deion Sanders' dream job would be to return to his alma mater. Florida State passed on Coach Prime the last time the program had a vacancy.

The biggest question is Sanders' health and how it could impact his coaching future. Coach Prime recruiting the state of Florida would be a potential dream for the Noles if Sanders' health improves.

No. 2 Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin

Florida State could have competition from their rival in Gainesville, but Lane Kiffin makes some sense for the Seminoles. The appeal of Kiffin for Florida State is similar to what it would be at Florida.

For starters, Kiffin's offensive system would be a dream for Seminoles fans. Secondly, Kiffin having a major presence recruiting the state of Florida could be a problem for the rest of college football.

No. 3 Texas A&M HC Mike Elko

Florida State may find it challenging to compete with the oil money at Texas A&M. Yet, Mike Elko's name is worth mentioning.

All Elko does is win everywhere he goes, despite not being the flashiest hire. The appeal of Florida State is that Elko would have a clearer path to the College Football Playoff in the ACC compared to the SEC.

No. 4 Tulane HC Jon Sumrall

Tulane's Jon Sumrall has been frequently mentioned for SEC jobs, even ones that are not technically open. Being the head coach at Florida State is like having an SEC job without the intense schedule.

Sumrall can afford to be picky as fans witnessed during the last college football coaching carousel. Tulane may not be as fortunate this offseason with the number of appealing jobs around the country.

No. 5 USF HC Alex Golesh

Hiring a Group of 5 head coach comes with its own challenges, but plucking one from another Sunshine State school could ease the transition. It would not be a surprise if USF's Alex Golesh had multiple Power 4 jobs to choose from.

Golesh has already proven capable of leading a team to victory over Power 4 opponents. If Florida State strikes out at landing a potential big fish, don't be surprised if Golesh gains some traction in Tallahassee.