Florida State football is in desperate need of a rebound season — and in 2025, the Seminoles may have the perfect storm to deliver one.
A year after finishing 13–1 and controversially missing the College Football Playoff, FSU unraveled in shocking fashion, going just 2–10 in 2024. The collapse was one of the most stunning year-over-year turnarounds in college football and put a massive spotlight on head coach Mike Norvell, who is entering his sixth season in Tallahassee with urgency mounting.
Norvell was once hailed as one of the nation’s rising coaches. But now, his 33–27 overall record — including a middling 20–20 mark in ACC play — doesn’t exactly scream job security, even with the $64 million buyout tied to his eight-year, $10 million per year contract. As pressure rises, the expectation is clear: Florida State must start winning again.
That’s why this season has the potential to define the Norvell era. And according to national analysts, a significant turnaround isn’t just possible — it’s expected.
CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson believes Florida State is one of the best-positioned teams to match massive bounce-backs seen recently from programs like Indiana and Arizona State. Those schools went from bottom-feeders to eight-win turnarounds in one season, and with the Seminoles’ combination of talent, coaching changes, and a manageable schedule, they could do the same.
“Even matching the oddsmakers’ expectations for the win total would have the Seminoles standing out as one of the top year-over-year improvements among power conference teams,” Patterson wrote.
David Cobb, also of CBS Sports, listed Florida State among teams “trending up,” especially with new coordinators Gus Malzahn (offense) and Tony White (defense) now in place, and Boston College transfer quarterback Thomas Castellanos leading the way. While Cobb was careful not to guarantee a postseason return, he noted that bowl eligibility “looks probable.”
Florida State’s win total is currently set at 7.5 by FanDuel, which would represent a five-win improvement. That alone could shift the national narrative, restore some faith in Norvell, and steady the program’s trajectory heading into a new era of expanded College Football Playoff contention.
It’s not just about recovery anymore — it’s about proving last year was the outlier.
