Florida State delivered a payment of $1.3 million for their Saturday matchup at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, where they faced off against No. 25 Memphis, the institution where Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell previously coached.

The outcome was a 20-12 loss, marking the Seminoles’ third consecutive defeat, leaving them at a 0-3 record for the second time in five years.

In a non-COVID year, Florida State is the first team ranked in the preseason top 10 poll to begin the season with an 0-3 record since Texas A&M in 1988. Penn State, ranked 7th in both polls, similarly lost its first five games at the start of the COVID-shortened season in 2020.

Norvell enjoyed a successful four-year tenure at Memphis, amassing a 38-16 record before being appointed by Florida State in December 2019, succeeding the dismissed Willie Taggert after leading the Tigers to four consecutive bowl games, including a Cotton Bowl appearance.

The contract for the Memphis game was finalized six months following Norvell’s recruitment, and the $1.3 million must be settled by February 15, 2025.

Buyout Clause for Mike Norvell

Currently, Florida State finds itself invested in Norvell’s future, as terminating his contract now would require the school to pay a sum of $65 million to release him from his coaching duties or 85% of his remaining base salary and supplemental payments until his contract expires on December 31, 2031.

This payout would be adjusted based on any new job Norvell secures, with the earnings from that position offsetting Florida State’s obligations to him.

After the loss on Saturday, Norvell expressed, “I understand what it takes to win games and how our team can perform at a high level. We all need to improve our efforts throughout the week,” during his press conference.

He added, “We cannot allow issues that don’t reflect our identity to appear in our games.”