Mike Norvell blunt about Florida State's struggles: 'If I had a better answer for it, it'd be fixed'

Florida State’s season took another frustrating turn on Saturday, and head coach Mike Norvell didn’t sugarcoat the Seminoles’ issues. The Seminoles fell by ten in a 21-11 loss at NC State.

With the defeat, FSU dropped to 5-6 overall and 2-6 in ACC play. It continued a baffling pattern of inconsistency that has fueled growing speculation about Norvell’s long-term future in Tallahassee. 

Asked whether his players were pressing in big moments, the Seminoles’ head coach offered a candid response that underscored his exasperation: “Whether they’re pressing or just— you know, I don’t,” Norvell said, via his postgame press conference. “If I had a better answer for it, it’d be fixed. 

“Hell, we get on the road and have multiple games where we’re not able to make the plays in the moment. You play at home and you’re making the plays. Whatever that is, we’ve tried a variety of different things, but that was extremely frustrating.” 

Norvell emphasized that the lack of execution doesn’t reflect what he sees throughout the week: “I see the work. I see the preparation,” he added. “I see what it looks like in practice. … We’ve got to be better.”

The Seminoles had their chances late, cutting the deficit to 14-11 in the fourth quarter after Tommy Castellanos found Duce Robinson for a touchdown and then hit Jayvan Boggs on a two-point conversion. But Florida State never fully seized momentum, and NC State responded to put the game away. 

The Wolfpack improved to 6-5 on the season while FSU suffered its sixth loss in seven meetings against NC State, a matchup that increasingly defined Norvell’s tenure. The Seminoles are now 0-4 against them since he took over.

A year removed from finishing with just one ACC win in 2024, Florida State had hoped to show real progress in conference play. Instead, the Seminoles have stumbled through another uneven campaign, and with one regular-season game left, their bowl hopes hinge on Week 14. 

Combine the losing streak against NC State, the late-game collapses and the overall regression in ACC results, and the pressure on Norvell, fairly or not, continues to intensify. We’ll see what he has in store for the final week of the regular season against Florida.

The Gators have had their own trials and tribulations in 2025, including firing Billy Napier. Perhaps they’re ripe for the picking for the Seminoles in Week 14, but nothing is coming easy for Florida State at the moment.