Florida State paid Mike Norvell’s former team more than $1 million to embarrass the Noles

The Florida State Seminoles are having a season opposite of their campaign last year. Instead of stacking up wins, they are stacking up losses. Ranked in the Top 10 entering the 2024 season, the Seminoles are now 0-3, becoming just the ninth team in history to do so.

The Seminoles had no answers for the Memphis Tigers on Saturday. Memphis just so happened to be the program that Mike Norvell coached before accepting the head coaching position at Florida State in 2020. But it was Memphis who left Tallahassee, Fla. with a 20-12 victory.

It wasn't just the win that Memphis left with. According to Front Office Sports, Florida State paid Memphis a $1.3 million guarantee to face off at Doak S. Campbell Stadium on Saturday.

Florida State paid Memphis, Mike Norvell's former team, $1.3 million to beat them

In college football, this occasionally happens. A Power 5 conference team pays to face a smaller school in hopes of picking up "an easy win," only to leave with a loss and less money in their wallets.

On Friday night, UNLV was paid $700,000 to face Kansas, and they ended up winning 23-20. Now, Memphis is the latest team on the Week 3 slate to receive a payday and a win.

Before taking the job at Florida State, Norvell spent four seasons as the head coach for Memphis. In that span, Norvell accumulated a 38-16 overall record. Memphis did make it to a bowl game in every season, but lost every time. If there is one bright spot for Norvell at Florida State, it's that he did pick up the elusive bowl win (Cheez-It Bowl in 2022).

On Saturday, Florida State witnessed another disaster-class from quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who they accquired from Oregon State in the transfer portal. Uiagalelei was never able to live up to the hype of succeeding Trevor Lawrence at Clemson, and has been anything but productive at Florida State.

At one point, Uiagalelei completed his first five passes for just seven yards. His first incompletion was an interception on a wobbly deep pass in the first half. At halftime, Uiagalelei had jus seven completions for 31 yards. Overall, Uiagalelei completed 16-of-30 throws for 201 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception once the game went final.

As for Memphis, they held Florida State to just 238 yards of total offense. That, and they stopped the Seminoles on 10-of-12 third down attempts.

Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan completed 25-of-38 pass attempts for 272 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Tight end Anthony Landphere led the team in receiving with five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.

The schedule isn't getting any easier for Florida State, as they take on a Cal team that defeated Auburn last weekend. If they don't begin picking up wins, who knows what's going to happen, especially with Norvell.