Mike Norvell and Florida State enter Week 11 after a 42-7 decimation of Wake Forest. But just days ahead of their game against Clemson, FSU got a reality check. ESPN relegated one of the biggest rivalry games to the second-string ACC network. Purely in terms of stakes, the decision makes sense. It’s a dead rubber when it comes to any postseason scenario. But Norvell remains unfazed. He understands there’d be hype, no matter what.

Appearing in his last press conference before Clemson, Norvell spoke about the “big game” and the hostile environment they would face. “You’ve got to go into a hostile environment against a team that you know is going to be tough to play. It’s always going to be a big game when these two programs clash,” the head coach said.

Death Valley, along with its 80,000 passionate fans, can get tricky for opposing teams. Not this year, though. LSU, Syracuse, SMU and Duke have already gone to the Tiger Stadium and got the better of Dabo Swinney’s team. But it’s still Clemson and a loaded roster. 

“And for us, we know the challenges that are in front of us. We know the talent of the team that we’re playing. I know the skill of the coaches that we’re going against, and this is going to be a great matchup. It’s one where both teams, both programs, have to fight to be the best we can be. It’s going to come down to just a handful of plays, like this game usually does,” Norvell continued.

Historically, the contest has been decided by thin margins. Like the matchup in 2023, where the Seminoles escaped with a narrow 31-24 win in overtime. Overall, Florida State has had the edge (21-16) over the Tigers. But they’ve won just two of their last 10 games against Clemson. 

Something clicked for the Noles against Wake Forest. QB Tommy Castellanos completed 12 of 16 passes for 271 yards with 1 passing TD and 1 rushing TD. While wide receiver Duce Robinson ably supported him with 5 catches for 148 yards and a TD. But the real story was the defense holding Wake Forest to just seven points. A similar effort is required on Saturday.

“If you could do something to keep people from cheering on the road, there. But I mean, there we’re not in control of that, right? And so at the end of the day, we will be in control of ourselves, and that has to be our focus,” Norvell said.

Mike Norvell’s call to his playmakers

Mike Norvell called upon all the playmakers on his roster to take responsibility and perform well. Answering a question about Tommy Castellanos finding Duce Robinson whenever their team was in a decisive offensive position, the head coach said, “When you’re on the road, your best playmakers have to show up and they’ve got to play well, and that’s something that, you know, it’s a great responsibility that comes with that. But, you know, they’ve shown. Especially as we are eight games into the season, you’ve seen the flashes, you’ve seen the moments, and you’re seeing guys grow in the consistency of who they are and how they can perform.”

But what has been missing from Florida State’s game is complementary football. Too often, when the offense has done its job, the other side of the ball hasn’t supported it. Over a span of three games (all losses) at one point in the season, the Noles conceded 108 points on defense. That is simply unacceptable.

One would think that a program with a 4-4 record may not have much to salvage. The Seminoles finished 2-10 last year after a 13-0 season. Just getting to eight wins would do wonders for Norvell to hold onto his seat. He is one of the few remaining coaches who were in the hot seat at the start of the season. An embarrassing loss, and some donors may end up calling the AD to pay their buyout as well.