Steve Spurrier Doesn't Hold Back on Florida State&#0...

By Matt Audilet

Contributing Sports Writer

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The Florida State Seminoles capped off their 2025 regular-season schedule with a 40-21 loss to the in-state rival Florida Gators this past Saturday, finishing their year with a disappointing 5-7 record.

Since going undefeated through the regular season and claiming and ACC Championship title in 2023, the Seminoles are 7-18 under head coach Mike Norvell.

Many fans and analysts expected Florida State to part ways with Norvell at the conclusion of the 2025 season, but the school is remaining firm in its commitment to the struggling head coach.

Norvell will return for his seventh season with Florida State in 2026.

"Coach Norvell embraces our support in that process and agrees that success must be achieved. He continues to demonstrate an unwavering belief in this program's future, and so do we," school president Richard McCullough said in a statement.

Norvell would've been owed around $54 million in buyout money had Florida State fired him after the 2025 season.

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Florida coaching legend Steve Spurrier reacted to Florida State's decision to retain Norvell during the most recent episode of the "Another Dooley Noted Podcast."

The Gators just hired Tulane's Jon Sumrall as the program's next head coach, replacing Billy Napier. Florida owed Napier around $21 million in buyout money following his dismissal on Oct. 19.

“Yeah, FSU,” Spurrier said. “They’ve got some issues up there. They’ve got a coach they can’t get rid of because they don’t have the money to let him go. So, that’s where they’re at. Fortunately, we had enough money to pay our guy off, I guess.”

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During his introductory press conference on Monday, Sumrall said he plans on going to both Spurrier and Urban Meyer for advice as he begins this coaching tenure in Gainesville.

"It's a challenge I embrace. It's an exhilarating challenge," Sumrall said. "I don't know that I can measure myself to Coach Spurrier or Coach Meyer anytime soon. I've got a long way to go. I look forward to leaning on them, asking their opinion and advice. I feel very privileged to have two great resources like them that are a phone call away.

"I feel like I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have a phone-a-friend in those two."

While Florida enters a new coaching era under Sumrall, Florida State will look to finally turn things around under the direction of Norvell.

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