FSU falls to 3-14 in last 17 games as boos rain down on Mike Norvell

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State's 27-24 loss to No. 20 SMU on Monday night at Doak Campbell Stadium left coach Mike Norvell 3-14 over the Seminoles' last 17 games and turned a delayed, dimly lit evening into another referendum on his future.

The game did not begin until more than 100 minutes after its scheduled kickoff because of a power outage in the stadium and the surrounding area that blew a transformer. Even after limited power returned, the game clock could not be shown on the video boards until midway through the second quarter, and the public address announcer's microphone was cut for the entire first half. The final whistle came after 12:30 a.m. local time.

SMU piled up 585 total yards, including 430 passing from quarterback Kevin Jennings, who converted a third down into a 79-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and later hit a deep throw on third-and-10 to set up the winning 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds left. The Mustangs turned the ball over four times — two interceptions and two lost fumbles — but Florida State scored just seven points off those takeaways. The Seminoles finished with 336 yards and went 2 of 14 on third down.

Florida State's ground game produced, with Ousmane Kromah carrying 22 times for 116 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Ashton Daniels adding 71 yards and a score on 16 rushes. The passing game did not. Daniels, Norvell's third transfer quarterback in three seasons, completed 12 of 23 attempts for 125 yards and a touchdown and was sacked three times.

We had our opportunities, and it's a shame to come up a field goal short.

— Mike Norvell, Florida State coach

Buyout math takes center stage

Norvell is 39-35 at Florida State two games into his seventh season, and the Seminoles are 8-19 since their 13-0 start in 2023. According to the terms of his contract, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, Norvell would be owed $46.7 million if he is fired on Dec. 1, 2026 — a figure that would rank as the third-largest payout in college football history behind Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M and Brian Kelly at LSU. The extension he signed after Alabama's interest in him in January 2024 runs through the 2031 season.

Fans booed when a pre-recorded Norvell message announcing the marching band's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance played on the video board at halftime, and the crowd alternated between the "War Chant" and boos through the second half. Daniels said the reaction was "tough to hear" but thanked the fans who stayed through the delay. Monday's loss was Norvell's 14th ACC defeat since the start of the 2024 season. Next comes a road trip to No. 11 Alabama, followed by an October stretch that includes Virginia, Louisville and Miami.