Mike Norvell took Memphis football to heights it had never reached, and then was gone the next day. Literally. That’s how quickly it happened.

The Tigers won the 2019 American Athletic Conference championship in Memphis and secured a spot in the Cotton Bowl on a Saturday, after a week of rumors connecting Norvell to the opening at Florida State. He was announced as the Seminoles’ new coach on a Sunday morning, and Ryan Silverfield became the Tigers’ interim head coach.

Five years later, ahead of a Week 3 matchup in Tallahassee, Florida that will pit Norvell against his former school and former assistant coach, the circumstances still strike Silverfield as serendipitous.

MEMPHIS AT FSU: Predictions and odds heading into Saturday's game

“I wouldn’t be standing here today if it weren’t for Mike Norvell,” the fifth-year Memphis coach said this week. “I do laugh. I was supposed to be on that plane with him to be at his introductory press conference down in Tallahassee and I sometimes say it’s crazy how things work, and how him and I even came into each other’s lives.”

The connections are undeniable and irresistible in this nonconference matchup, which has taken on a new complexion since the 2024 college football season began. No. 25 Memphis, not Florida State, is the ranked team with College Football Playoff ambitions. The Seminoles are 0-2 after season-opening losses to Georgia Tech and Boston College, a stunning turn of events coming off last year’s undefeated ACC title run and CFP snub.

Here’s everything you need to know about the connections between Norvell, Silverfield, Memphis and Florida State, as well as how to watch Saturday when they meet at Doak Campbell Stadium in Week 3 of the 2024 college football season:

Mike Norvell-Ryan Silverfield relationship, explained

Their coaching resumés will forever be intertwined.

Norvell and Silverfield met after Silverfield spent five years working for the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL. Norvell helped Silverfield get a job as an offensive analyst at Arizona State in 2015, when Norvell was offensive coordinator. Silverfield left midseason for a job with the Detroit Lions, only for the two to reunite months later in Memphis when Norvell was hired as head coach. He hired Silverfield to be the program’s offensive line coach.

Silverfield was the only assistant coach from Norvell’s original staff to remain at Memphis during his entire four-season tenure, and eventually added the titles of run game coordinator and assistant head coach.

Silverfield was named the permanent Memphis head coach on Dec. 13, 2019, about two weeks before his first official game at the 2019 Cotton Bowl — a 53-39 loss to Penn State.

Norvell and Silverfield each downplayed their shared history, and Norvell’s past at Memphis, as a storyline once Saturday’s game begins. But Silverfield acknowledged earlier this week there might be a couple jabs exchanged via text message this week. He was already trying to predict what Norvell might have in store for Memphis.

"I already know the second series of the game, he's going to run a trick play," Silverfield said. "We know each other like the back of each other's hands."

Mike Norvell history with Memphis, FSU football

Norvell took over for Justin Fuente at Memphis ahead of the 2016 season, and spent four seasons with the Tigers. He lost twice in the AAC championship game to UCF before finally breaking through in 2019, when Memphis finished with a record-setting 12-1 season before facing Penn State in the Cotton Bowl.

That’s when Florida State came calling to resurrect its waning brand at the end of the Jimbo Fisher era.

Norvell had a rocky start at Florida State, going 8-13 in his first two seasons with the Seminoles, but he led the program to a 10-3 season in 2022 and an undefeated ACC championship last season. He then signed his second contract extension in as many years after his name came up prominently in Alabama's coaching search to replace Nick Saban.

The deal runs through the 2031 season and is worth more than $84 million before incentives. Norvell will earn at least $10 million this season.

Mike Norvell coaching tree at Memphis

Silverfield is 33-18 over five seasons as head coach at Memphis, enduring back-to-back 6-6 regular seasons before breaking through with a 10-win campaign in 2023. He signed a new five-year contract extension worth $12.25 million this offseason. But Silverfield is not the only head coach to emerge from Norvell’s staff at Memphis.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning served as Norvell’s recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach for two years at Memphis before leaving for Georgia. Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham worked as a graduate assistant, tight ends coach, quarterbacks coach and eventually offensive coordinator for Norvell at Memphis. Southern Miss coach Will Hall also worked as an assistant coach at Memphis for one season during that time. Buffalo coach Pete Lembo worked for one season at Memphis under Norvell and stayed with Silverfield for the 2020 season.

"Memphis will always have a special place in my heart," Norvell said this week.

Memphis vs. FSU: TV, streaming and kickoff time

• Date: Saturday, Sept. 14

• Time: Noon ET

• Location: Doak Campbell Stadium (Tallahassee, Fla.)

• TV: ESPN

• Stream: Fubo (free trial)

Watch Memphis vs. FSU and more live college football games with Fubo

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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Mike Norvell Memphis record, history, more ahead of Florida State game