Georgia Tech to face Florida State in 2024 opener in Dublin

Associated PressMar 15, 2023, 3:27 PM EDT

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

ATLANTA – Georgia Tech and Florida State will open the 2024 season in Dublin, Ireland.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic matchup announced Wednesday will mark the second time that two Atlantic Coast Conference teams have opened the season in Ireland. Georgia Tech beat Boston College 17-14 in the 2016 opener in Dublin.

The game, scheduled for Aug. 24, 2024, at Aviva Stadium, will make Florida State’s first international game. Georgia Tech will serve as the home team.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes at Florida State and Georgia Tech to expand the reach of ACC football and play in front of an international audience,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said.

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said the game is “a unique chance for our student-athletes to experience a new culture, for our fans to support us at an incredible destination and for Georgia Tech to further promote our Institute, athletics department, students and alumni on a global stage.”

Florida State coach Mike Norvell said he was “immediately intrigued by a once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.

“The way the 2024 season lays out with a third open date, the trip made sense from a football perspective as well,” Norvell said. “Very few people have the chance to travel to a different continent and experience another culture, much less take an entire team, so I am appreciative of everyone’s hard work and support to make this game happen.”

Northwestern beat Nebraska 31-28 in the 2022 game in Dublin. Navy and Notre Dame are scheduled to play the 2023 opener in Dublin.

Mike Norvell gets raise, 3-year extension from Florida State

Associated PressFeb 8, 2023, 11:42 PM EST

Syndication: Tallahassee Democrat

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State football coach Mike Norvell, whose team ended last season with a six-game winning streak, was rewarded with a three-year contract extension that will pay him an average of $8.05 million annually through 2029.

The school released the contract Wednesday. It will pay Norvell $5.6 million in 2023, $7.6 million in 2024, $7.8 million in 2025, $8.1 million in 2026, $8.3 million in 2027, $8.6 million in 2028 and $8.8 million in 2029. He also gets a $250,000 retention bonus if he’s still employed every Dec. 31.

Norvell earned $4.5 million last year and would have made $7.25 million in the final year of his previous deal.

This is the second extension for Norvell, who was hired after the 2019 season. The Seminoles added a year to his contract following the 2021 season. FSU finished 10-3 last season and ranked No. 11 in the final AP college football poll.

The Seminoles beat Florida State and Miami – and scored at least 45 points against both in-state rivals in the same season for the first time. FSU also was the only team to lead its conference in both total offense and total defense. Along with Southeastern Conference heavyweights Alabama and Georgia, FSU was one of three teams to rank in the top 15 in yards per play on both sides of the ball.

“Coach Norvell has re-established a culture that the entire Seminole Family can appreciate,” athletic director Michael Alford said in a statement. “We are proud of the way Coach Norvell, his staff and his team represent Florida State University on and off the field.”

The Seminoles likely will be a trendy pick in the Atlantic Coast Conference next fall, with quarterback Jordan Travis, standout defensive end Jared Verse, leading rusher Trey Benson and leading receiver Johnny Wilson all returning for another season in Tallahassee.

“I’m grateful for the trust our administration continues to place in me to lead the Florida State football program,” Norvell said. “President Richard McCullough, the Board of Trustees and Michael Alford have been important pieces in our success, and the alignment we have makes me excited for the future of this program.

“I appreciate their support and vision to continue our climb toward the top of college football. I’m also thankful for the people who brought me and my family here three years ago, along with the players and staff whose commitment has helped us build this foundation. The future is bright here in Tallahassee.”

Patrick Surtain Sr. to coach Florida State’s defensive backs

Associated PressJan 20, 2023, 12:41 AM EST

Getty Images

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Longtime NFL defensive back Patrick Surtain Sr. has landed his first college assistant coaching job.

Surtain, a two-time All-Pro who played in the NFL for 11 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs, will join the Florida State staff as its defensive backs coach, the school announced.

“When my NFL career finished, I knew I wanted to make an impact on the next generation, and that’s why I began coaching,” Surtain said in a statement released by FSU. “Through my time coaching high school and in the NFL, I’ve experienced how to maximize student-athletes’ potential coming into college and prepare them to be impactful at the next level.”

Surtain spent six years as the head football coach at Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage High School, winning three state championships. In 2022, Surtain helped the Miami Dolphins as a defensive assistant.

He replaces Marcus Woodson, who left FSU to take on a similar role on Arkansas’ coaching staff.

The 46-year-old Surtain had 547 tackles, 37 interceptions, eight forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries from 1998-2008. His son, Patrick Surtain II, was the No. 9 overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2021 draft.