No Spring football game for FSU

Construction continues at Florida State's Doak Campbell Stadium (Jan. 15, 2025 via Seminoles EarthCam)

There will be no Garnet and Gold game in Tallahassee in 2025.

Ongoing construction of Doak Campbell Stadium will not be completed in time for the Seminoles’ annual Spring football game to be played.

“It’s obviously unfortunate,” Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said during a virtual booster event. “But for us, it’s still about the work. We get 15 days, and we’ve got to maximize every one of them.”

Those 15 days will now include a full Spring practice instead of a showcase as the Seminoles and most college football teams traditionally put on.

“We’re limited with NCAA rules with the amount of time we get to work through the Spring,” Norvell said Tuesday. “With how the calendar is laid out and some of the other elements … we just thought it was in the best interest of our team to go through spring and capitalize on each of those practices.”

Florida State could have moved the Spring game to a different location. But instead, Norvell said, they decided against dealing with the distractions and logistical challenges that would come with holding a fan-attended event at a different venue.

“With some of the hurdles and distractions that would entail,” Norvell said. “Unfortunately, it is what it is for this Spring. But the work will be going on.”

The decision means fans will have to wait until the season opener on Aug. 30 against Alabama to see the finished renovations.

Florida State is looking to improve on one of the worst seasons in program history. The Seminoles went 2-10, only winning games against Cal and Charleston Southern. There will be plenty of new faces on the roster. As many as 11 players could join the Seminoles via the transfer portal, including former Tennessee wide receiver Squirrel White, former USC wide receiver Duce Robinson and former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who figures to start under center.

Norvell also brought in a pair of new coordinators: former University of Central Florida head coach Gus Malzahn on offense and Tony White on defense. White had previously been the defensive coordinator at Nebraska.