Florida State Could Lose Coach Amid New Development

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Florida State University enters its Week 14 matchup against rival Florida needing to earn a win to become bowl eligible.

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The season looked promising for the Seminoles when they upset then-No. 8 Alabama 31-17 in Week 1. FSU was ranked as high as No. 7 on Sept. 20, but a string of four consecutive losses crushed head coach Mike Norvell's hopes of returning the program to the College Football Playoff.

Despite a 5-6 record, reports surfaced that Florida State intends to retain Norvell for 2026. The program plans to enhance the roster for Norvell.

Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn talks with Head coach Mike Norvell of the Florida State Seminoles

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Other changes could be coming in the offseason.

On Sunday, FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn was asked if he plans to coach for the Noles next season. The 2010 national championship offensive coordinator and quarterbacks for Auburn gave a cryptic response, saying his only focus was to try to defeat Florida on Saturday.

“Yeah. My intent is to help us get bowl eligible and win this game, and that’s exactly what my focus is," Malzahn said, via Warchant.com.

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Malzahn resigned from UCF following the 2024 campaign to become the offensive coordinator in Tallahassee. FSU ranks 39th in points scored in the FBS, averaging 29.8 points per contest.

That's not what the Noles hoped for when they hired Malzhan to pair with quarterback Tommy Castellanos.

While Norvell is safe for 2026, it appears the coaching staff could see some shakeups before next year.

Following FSU's 21-11 loss to NC State on Friday, Norvell made it clear that the Noles have underperformed this season.

"No, we have not lived up to expectations," Norvell said. "We're a fully capable football team. That's not good enough. And it's not been good enough for the six losses that we have."

It'll be interesting to see how Norvell intends to turn the ship around in 2026. While he's getting another opportunity, he'll start the next campaign on the hot seat.

For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.

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