"Now they're a good team again": Mike Norvell fires back at critics downplaying Florida State's dominant Week 1 win over Alabama

Mike Norvell has given an interesting response to Florida State's 31-17 win over Alabama in the 2025 season-opening game on Aug. 30. Since that Week 1 game, the Seminoles have gone 3-2, with their latest 28-22 loss against Miami on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Alabama has rebounded from the early loss to win four straight and now sits at 4-1.

While many viewed FSU’s Week 1 win as a major upset, Norvell said the Seminoles’ dominance was being overlooked.

“Alabama is a good football team,” Norvell said on Monday. “I know when we beat them in Week 1, they weren’t, obviously, but now all of a sudden they’re a good team again. We were dominant in that game. It could have been much worse if we were a bit cleaner in that.”

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum reflected on the discussion after Florida State’s 46-38 double-overtime loss to Virginia in Week 5, saying that the opening win over Alabama has lost its shine.

“That Alabama team that we saw in the first weekend of the season was not the same one,” Finebaum said (via CFB insider Logan B. Robinson). “I dare say, trying to equate a loss at Virginia – whatever they are, I appreciate you complimenting them – versus a loss at Georgia are not one and the same.”

Following their Week 1 win, the Seminoles entered the AP Top 25 for the first time in 2025 and climbed into the top 10 after wins over East Texas A&M and Kent State.

However, one of the biggest surprises from the Week 7 AP Poll was Norvell's program managing to stay in the top 25 despite suffering back-to-back losses.

Mike Norvell reflects on Florida State's upcoming game against Pittsburgh

After the Week 6 loss to Miami, Mike Norvell said that his squad was “very disappointed” and “angry.”

The Seminoles now aim to rebound in their upcoming game against Pittsburgh next week, and Norvell knows the test that lies ahead.

“We've got a talented Pitt team that is coming off their best win last week,” Norvell said on Monday (via FSU Wire). “It's one that's well-coached. They made a change at quarterback here this last -- I guess Saturday. A true freshman came in and played lights out.He was extraordinary. “Defensively, they've always played to a high standard. And this is a team that is very capable. We're going to have to obviously have a great week of preparation and we've got to be able to go out there and play at an elite level.”

Pitt is 3-2 this season after its 48-7 win over Boston College on Saturday.

Edited by Maliha