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Following three straight losses, Florida State has decided to move on from coach Mike Norvell.
On Sunday afternoon, Florida State fired coach Mike Norvell midway through his seventh season. Norvell departs from the Seminoles with a 41–39 overall record and a near $50 million buyout, the third-highest in college football history after Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher (2023, near $77 million) and LSU’s Brian Kelly (2025, $54 million). The buyout is subject to offset and mitigation, meaning the final amount can be reduced if Norvell finds another job.
On Saturday night, Florida State fell to Clemson, 36–24, for its third consecutive loss, moving it to 3–5 on the season. Before kickoff, a banner flew above Doak Campbell Stadium reading “Fire Mike Novell – Peter Collins.” Norvell’s name was misspelled; Collins refers to the chairman of the Florida State University Board of Trustees.
Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, who’s been under considerable pressure himself this season, took exception to the banner postgame.
“[Norvell] ain’t gonna say it, but I’ll say it. I was freaking disappointed to see that. Hell, they may be flying one around Clemson next time I’m home, but I doubt it. I doubt it. But whoever did that, man, you ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
Norvell’s dismissal follows months of speculation about his future.
Earlier in the week, school president Richard McCollough penned a letter to fans, where he stopped short of mentioning Norvell’s future but acknowledged the frustration with results.
“The standard is not negotiable,” McCullough wrote. “This is a consequential moment for Florida State. We have extraordinary tradition, a passionate national following, exceptional institutional support and the opportunity to build something worthy of the Seminole name.
“We are not asking you to lower expectations. We are telling you that we share and embrace them. We are not asking you to ignore the results. We are committed to changing them.”
Norvell’s firing comes several weeks after athletic director Michael Alford was let go on Sept. 14.
Norvell was named National Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading Florida State to a 13–1 season. The Seminoles won the ACC Championship but were left out of the College Football Playoff after starting quarterback Jordan Travis sustained a season-ending injury. Norvell signed an eight-year, $84 million contract extension in 2024. The Seminoles have gone 10–22 since.
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