Does Florida State have enough money to acquire talent? Do the Seminoles have money to compete against rivals and the ACC?
Those are two of the most pressing questions media and fans have asked during FSU’s 2-10 season in 2024, 5-7 season in 2025 and a 1-1 start this fall going into Saturday’s game against No. 10 Alabama. With the lack of a public database — which exists in pro sports like MLB, NFL and NBA — media has been left to report and try to compare among schools.
The Athletic talked with more than 70 people across the sport in an attempt to find accurate ranges, not precise numbers, for college football roster budgets. In stories published on Wednesday, the Athletic estimated budgets for all of the Power 4 schools.
For FSU’s football roster budget, the Athletic estimated the number at between $23 million and $30 million. Two sources confirmed to the Osceola on Wednesday that FSU’s roster budget is approximately $30 million.
Coach Mike Norvell did not confirm FSU’s roster budget when asked by the Osceola on Wednesday. But Alabama, FSU’s opponent on Saturday, is estimated at $38 million-$42 million.
Norvell said part of the challenge is the subjective value of what he values in a starter and what another school “is able or capable of paying the 1” as well as players that are lower on the depth chart as part of a 105-man roster.
“It's a different age in college athletics. There are some wide disparities in some cases,” Norvell said. “... There's a great, continued push for us here moving forward in all things that we're doing, and grateful for every bit of support that we have.
“But at the end of the day, when you step on the field, it's about going to play the game. And we've got some really good football players. It's the guys that I have a great deal of belief in, and what they do and how they do it and it’s time to go put that on display come Saturday.”
FSU’s roster budget is estimated higher than all but a few ACC schools but lower than rivals like Florida ($31 million-$41 million) and Miami ($44 million-$50 million).
A few takeaways from the Athletic’s reporting:
- Eleven SEC schools have higher estimated budget ranges than FSU. Six Big Ten schools have higher estimated budget ranges than the Seminoles. In any discussion about FSU and conference realignment, it’s clear that the program has to catch up in 2027 and beyond.
- The Athletic notes the ACC average is $21 million-$25 million. Programs like Boston College, Duke, Wake Forest, Stanford and Pittsburgh are below that range. Miami, Clemson and Virginia Tech and FSU are the top four schools. This would indicate Norvell has enough money to compete against the ACC and has a financial edge in acquiring talent. As for what happens on the football field, that has been a different story in the last two years against ACC teams. FSU is 3-14 vs. ACC since the start of the 2024 season. And FSU has not won an ACC road game since a November 2023 trip to Pittsburgh.
- A number of ACC programs that FSU has faced recently or will face in 2026 have lower budgets. NC State is estimated at $22 million-$26 million, Louisville is estimated at $22 million-$25 million, Virginia is estimated at $20 million-$24 million. Those three opponents are ahead on FSU’s 2026 schedule. Two 2025 opponents were considerably lower: Stanford and Wake Forest at $16 million-$20 million.
- Duke won the ACC title in 2025 and has a budget estimated at $12 million-$15 million this year. FSU hired John Garrett as its general manager, bringing him over after he spent two years in Durham. Garrett was also on FSU’s staff from 2022-23.
- All of the Associated Press’ top 10 teams are north of $30 million and ahead of FSU.
- The Athletic’s midpoint for FSU would place the school roughly 28th among the Power 4 schools. In August, Michael Alford said on the Front Row Noles / Seminole Sidelines show that FSU was not among the top seven or eight schools when it came to roster budget but was in the second tier. The Athletic’s reporting puts FSU lower in a second tier but among the nation’s top 30 teams.
- Finally, the big conclusion is Norvell was given enough money to compete in the ACC in 2025 but went 5-7. Previously, the Osceola has confirmed that there was a drop off in funding through The Battle’s End in 2024 compared to 2023, when an effort was made to retain Jordan Travis, Trey Benson, Johnny Wilson and Jared Verse while also acquiring transfers Keon Coleman and Braden Fiske for the 2024 season. In evaluating the 2026 roster, the passing attack and aspects of the defense have underwhelmed through two games. How much that improves through cohesion (offensive line, for example), scheme adjustments or personnel moves remains to be seen against Alabama, followed by Central Arkansas and then a long run of ACC games. But through two games it’s fair to question the value Norvell and the coaching staff have been able to derive from the current roster.
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