Mike Norvell could only describe Florida State football’s 31-17 upset win over No. 8 Alabama with one word.
Incredible.
It was a win that Norvell and the team not only wanted but needed after last year’s 2-10 season.
Advertisement
“It was a great feeling tonight. .. Florida State matters to me, and I know what this programs mean to people that care so much about it, those past players and everybody that’s poured all of it into it,” Norvell said.
“I’ve got a job to do, and I’m going to do everything in my power to represent this job in the right way and the way it deserves to be represented. “It was an incredible feeling seeing that come together tonight in the first game of the season on a big stage. Going to get a win that we needed to get.”
The Seminoles, a near two-touchdown underdog at home, outgained Alabama 382-341, with FSU’s rushing attack accounting for 230 yards. Four different Seminoles scored touchdowns, including quarterback Tommy Castellanos and Tallahassee’s Micahi Danzy.
It was a smashmouth, physical brand of football that Alabama couldn’t cope with for much of the game. While Norvell acknowledged it was only one game, he called it a big step in the right direction. And it mirrored what is expected of the program.
Advertisement
“That was what Florida State football looks like and feels like,” Norvell said.
He credited a “one-play mentality” from his team and their physicality for helping separate the two sides. Norvell said his team “never panicked” and the Seminoles dominated the game that resulted in students and fans storming the field in celebration when it ended. FSU held Alabama to 87 rushing yards, and the Tide were 6-of-17 on third down and 2-of-5 on fourth down.
“Our guys didn’t panic. I thought it was a huge response. You talk about complementary football, nobody wants to give an opening touchdown drive, but for the offense to go down, be able to score and to be able to hold the ball for the time we were able to, you felt that surge of energy,” Norvell said. “Then the defense got back out on the field and went and got the job done.
“I thought it was a dominant performance on both sides.”
Advertisement
With new renovations and a capacity crowd of 67,277 fans at Doak Campbell Stadium, Norvell credited FSU fans’ impact on the game. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson accounted for multiple delay of game penalties with pre-snap communications going unheard because of the noise.
Norvell said he could “feel” the atmosphere, and he labeled the fans, who flooded the field following the win, as difference makers.
“Our fans were a difference maker tonight, our past players being here were a difference maker tonight,” Norvell said. “To be able to see everybody celebrating at the end, that’s why you do this and why you come to Florida State, because it is the people who make the place.”
Advertisement
FSU football 2025 schedule
-
Sept. 6, East Texas A&M, Noon
-
Sept. 20, Kent State, TBA
-
Sept. 26, at Virginia (Friday), 7 p.m.
-
Oct. 18, at Stanford, 10:30 p.m.
-
Nov. 15 Virginia Tech, TBA
-
Nov. 21 North Carolina State (Fri.), 8 p.m.
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Mike Norvell credits FSU football’s fans for win over Alabama
