The Mike Norvell era at Florida State is over, and Mario Cristobal's work with the Miami Hurricanes was likely a big factor in that decision.
As Miami has moved ahead, currently ranked No. 1 in the polls, Florida State hasn't won a road game in three seasons. The Seminoles are 4-17 in the ACC during that span. Norvell's overall record in Tallahassee was 41-39, but that's buoyed by two seasons where the Seminoles won 23 games total.
The other four seasons had losing records, and with Florida State currently 3-5 and 1-4 in the conference, the Seminoles are looking at a fifth season this decade where they could fail to be bowl eligible.
Mike Norvell will be owed $50.3 million, which is subject to offset and mitigation. Per @aadelsonESPN, he just informed the team of his dismissal. pic.twitter.com/UdUVWWkfJJ
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 1, 2026
Mike Norvell's end at FSU came with Mario Cristobal's rise at Miami
Back in 2022, Norvell was starting to turn things around in Tallahassee. He was heading to a 10-3 season while Cristobal was trying to dig Miami out of the mess that Manny Diaz left him when he arrived. Meanwhile, Norvell was puffing out his chest at every turn. The Seminoles whipped the thin and battered Hurricanes 45-3 that season - Norvell didn't let Cristobal forget it.
However, the Miami turnaround came quickly, and when it did, the Seminoles couldn't keep up. Two years after that 2022 drubbing, it was the Hurricanes that won 36-14 and were heading towards a 10-win campaign, while FSU would finish 2-10.
Think about that for a second, FSU finishes 2-10 in modern college football. Do you know how bad a coach has to be to win TWO games with the Seminoles in the ACC? Truthfully, that gutless and cheap administration should've fired Norvell after that season, and definitely should have given him the axe after the Seminoles lost to Stanford in 2025.
Now we're two-thirds of the way through 2026, and FSU looks like a lost cause. Cristobal has the Miami machine humming. Another influx of elite talent is on the way, too. Norvell, on the other hand, could never sell an umbrella to a man standing naked in the rain, much less convince an elite prospect to take a chance on him. This guy lost Travis Hunter to Jackson State! Can you imagine Cristobal losing a five-star recruit to Jackson State?
In 2022, Norvell wanted to kick Cristobal while Miami was down, and he did, but revenge is a dish best served cold and, over the long term, the cafecito rose to the top, while Memphis Mike is out of a job. Don't cry for Norvell because he'll take $50 million of the Seminoles' booster money to ease the fall.
As much fun as it might be to laugh at FSU football for the joke that it has become under Norvell, the Miami-FSU rivalry is better when the Seminoles are good enough to make beating them mean more. Plus, the Hurricanes might need a few dance partners if they have to make some major changes to their conference alignment.
All those things could happen if FSU makes the right move and hires a decent coach. We'll see because I have my doubts. But, I never doubted that the Seminoles would stay in the gutter as long as Norvell was roaming their sidelines. Now he's gone and FSU fans can thank Cristobal for that. You're welcome.
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