Mike Norvell says Florida State players are showing excitement in bowl practice

Mike Norvell has been incredibly pleased with how Florida State has prepared for its appearance in the Cheez-It Bowl. They’ve brought a certain edge and energy to their overall preparation for Oklahoma and, on Monday, Norvell complimented them for it again.

During his first press conference in Orlando, Norvell applauded his team for the work they’ve done from the time they started prepping in Tallahassee and how they’ve brought that same mentality with them to start their week.

“They showed me their excitement with how they’ve prepared back home,” said Norvell. “Once we got to the practice field, I thought they had a great edge about them. And I thought they were able to have a really good practice. You can feel that expectation and excitement.”

Norvell has preached all season long about seeing his team improve and he did so again yesterday. However, he also is happy to see his team enjoy this process more for this game because, in the end, he described a bowl selection as a reward. The Seminoles are coming off their first winning campaign since 2017. Now they’re making the most of it by attempting to put their best foot forward in their season’s final game.

“The objective for this game is to go be better. I think our guys have embraced that throughout the season,” Norvell said. “They’ve really worked hard and I’ve liked the edge which they’ve brought…(And) this is a reward. It’s a reward for the team, it’s a reward for the work they’ve done.”

Norvell is playing in their first bowl since 2019 and will be playing for their first postseason win since 2017. They’ve earned this opportunity with their 9-3 year and will look to make the most of it come Thursday evening in Camping World Stadium.