Florida State Coach Mike Norvell’s Big Day in Tallahassee

TALLAHASSEE, Aug. 30, 2025 - Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell found himself at the center of multiple storylines on the opening day of the college football season.

In the lead-up to today’s season opener against No. 8 Alabama, Norvell oversaw Florida State’s fastest season-ticket sellout in five years, with 30,900 seats claimed for the renovated Doak Campbell Stadium. Athletic Director Michael Alford hailed the surge as a testament to Norvell’s ability to “script hope” following last year’s 2-10 collapse, noting that even higher price points yielded an $8 million revenue bump.

Norvell also addressed the media ahead of kickoff, praising his roster’s versatility: “When you look on both sides of the ball, guys that can align in different places with what they’re being asked to do. I’m excited to see all of it come together with the different combinations,” he said, highlighting new coordinators Gus Malzahn (offense) and Tony White (defense).

However, preparations were not without hiccups. Moments before kickoff, an ACC championship banner from Florida State’s 2023 title was discovered flying upside-down in the north end zone-a blunder quickly captured on social media and widely circulated online, prompting a last-minute scramble by stadium staff.

Today’s matchup marks Norvell’s seventh season at FSU, during which he led the Seminoles to an unbeaten regular season and an ACC crown in 2023. The Week 1 contest against Alabama will serve as an early barometer for his second term under Florida State’s new stadium enhancements and multi-million dollar coaching contract.