Florida State is packing its baggage and its bruises for a late night in Palo Alto, a redemption spot for Mike Norvell as he tries to drag a 3-3 season back to relevance.

The opponent is not exactly thriving either. Stanford is 2-4 and 1-2 in the ACC after moving on from Troy Taylor and handing the headset to interim Frank Reich. Paper says mismatch. Recent tape says proceed carefully.

Norvell spent Wednesday walking a smart line. He praised Reich and the Cardinal structure and made it clear this week is not just about FSU fixing FSU.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for coach Reich. I mean, the job that they’re doing, obviously, it’s a tough situation to come into before the season,” Norvell said. “You see a team that’s well coached schematically in putting the guys in the best position. And they’ve played well there with their opportunities and what they’ve done.”

The Seminoles have been wobbly on defense the past three weeks, which makes Stanford’s shape-shifting a real headache.

“We’ve got to have a great plan because of the different things we’re going to, and they do a lot defensively, a lot of different pressures and a lot of different fronts,” Norvell said.

On offense, he expects motion, movement and constant window dressing that stress pre-snap communication. The assignment is simple to say and annoying to execute. Line up right. Talk. Tackle.

Norvell’s message to his own locker room was part reminder, part mindset.

“Our communication, some of the elements that we talked about coming out of the last game, are better. And seeing guys cut it loose and go have fun playing the game,” he said. Travel, kickoff time, coastal noise. “None of that matters.”

FSU kicks at 10:30 p.m. ET in Palo Alto. Oddsmakers have the Seminoles as 17.5-point favorites. If Florida State wants that number to look sane, the defense needs a clean script and the offense has to play fast and free from the first snap.