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Florida State is about to break all the wrong records.
Has there ever been a college football team that went undefeated and won its conference championship in one season and started 0-3 the next?
Has there ever been a major college coach who did the above one year and may not make it through the next season?
To everyone outside the Panhandle, this is one of the funniest stories to ever unfold in the ACC if not the rest of college football.
First of all, the Seminoles began this season like they ended 2023 due to using a transfer quarterback who was run out of Clemson. They lost to Georgia Tech in Ireland and then to Boston College and Memphis at home.
The last loss may be the most uproarious, especially in Bluff City (Home of the Blues, Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll, etc.) That is because FSU coach Mike Norvell came from the University of Memphis (formally Memphis State) for a mountain bluff of money and then lost to his old school, whose annual football budget is $55 million less than his new school.
But to those who watch mild-mannered Norvell on the sideline and think he doesn’t exactly fit in Tallahassee, you may not have to worry about that for much longer.
With a reported multi-millions in NIL money, Florida State has lost a 5-star commitment on signing day for the last three years. And Norvell’s inability as a closer with high schoolers and not go all in on the transfer portal has left him with less depth of talent than one would imagine from a 13-1 team whose only loss was to Georgia 63-3 in the Orange Bowl.
Clemson, on the other hand, joined FSU in the lawsuits against the ACC to beat the Grant of Rights agreement that is still in force through 2036 – and does not use the portal due to Dabo Swinney’s preference on recruiting freshmen.
They remain the two schools that have nowhere to go because the SEC and the Big Ten have decided, for the time being at least, to stand pat with expansion. Even when that resumes, neither of those conferences can get more TV revenue to raise distributions for their members AND pay the ACC duo the same amount.
The Tigers, 1-1, with a week off to prepare for N.C. State’s visit, are back in the driver’s seat to reclaim the ACC championship they won for six consecutive years. But their ranking is in the top 25 rather than customary top five and Swinney no longer looks like a lifer in Death Valley.
In other words, the door has cracked for teams that can win the league with one loss, as none looks to go unbeaten. Carolina actually has the best chance since its visit to FSU on November 2 no longer seems as daunting as it once did.
Featured image via Associated Press/Colin Hackley
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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