Back in Week 1, Florida State upset Alabama. But since then, these two teams have gone in completely different directions.
The No. 6 Crimson Tide just beat their fourth straight ranked opponent in Week 8, taking down rival No. 11 Tennessee at home. Meanwhile, Florida State — now unranked — was burning the midnight oil, losing to Stanford in a late-night game most people either forgot about or were too tired to watch.
The Seminoles fell 20-13 to the Cardinal in Palo Alto, marking their fourth straight loss. Even worse, it was yet another defeat in ACC play — their ninth in a row. Florida State’s last conference win came against Cal on September 21, 2023.
The Seminoles still managed to post 444 yards of total offense, averaging 8.9 yards per pass, while quarterback Tommy Castellanos completed 14 of 28 passes for 242 yards and added 33 rushing yards with one touchdown. Yet, against a Stanford team allowing 30.1 points per game this season, Florida State could only muster 13 points. Not to mention they committed 13 penalties for 79 yards.
Former Florida State quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Danny Kanell had one word for the Seminoles’ performance: “Unacceptable.”
“As I just told the team — I didn’t have them ready to play tonight,” a disheveled Mike Norvell said in his postgame press conference. “Unfortunately, the things we knew it would take, coming off some disappointing results these past couple of weeks and taking a long trip, we needed to play with tremendous energy and effort — and we didn’t do that.”
Tommy Castellanos Leaves Game Late, Seminoles Nearly Pull Off Comeback
The final few minutes of the game got particularly dramatic. Looking to tie things up with under two and a half minutes left, Castellanos had the Seminoles driving down the field. Inside Stanford territory, he took off for a 35-yard gain — but as he slid to the turf, Cardinal linebacker Mitch Leigber delivered a vicious hit that left Castellanos shaken.
The Florida State quarterback lay on the ground for several moments before being taken out under concussion protocol. Leigber was ejected for targeting.
Freshman Kevin Sperry entered in relief, running four plays but failing to convert a fourth-and-8 to keep the drive alive.
Surprisingly, that wasn’t the end. Stanford went three-and-out, giving Florida State one last chance with under a minute to go. On second-and-22 from their own 38, Sperry hit Micahi Danzy for a 53-yard completion, setting the Seminoles up at the Cardinal 9-yard line with two seconds left.
A pass interference on Florida State’s Duce Robinson moved the ball to the 2-yard line. On the next snap, Sperry tossed a shovel pass to Gavin Sawchuk, who was ruled just short of the goal line after review — ending the game in heartbreak.
Will Florida State Fire Mike Norvell After Loss to Stanford?
This was another crushing defeat for Florida State head coach Mike Norvell. Over the last two seasons, Norvell is 5-14, and while the Seminoles still have five games left, it’s unclear whether he’ll there for any of it.
Now in his sixth year in Tallahassee, Norvell has produced just two winning seasons, and 2025 doesn’t appear to be headed in that direction — assuming he even gets the chance to finish it.
Florida State would face a massive financial decision if it decides to part ways with Norvell. According to USA Today data , his buyout is set at $58.6 million — the sixth-highest among active head coaches.
While results clearly haven’t justified that figure, the Seminoles’ financial situation could make a midseason firing difficult. Unlike Penn State, which reportedly paid around $50 million to part ways with James Franklin, Florida State doesn’t have the same resources to absorb such a costly move.
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