Florida State fires Mike Norvell: Big buyout can't save Seminoles coach after disastrous three-year stretch

Norvell was 41-39 in seven seasons and fell to 3-5 in 2026 after Saturday After months of speculation about Mike Norvell's job security, Florida State decided to make a change and fired Norvell in his seventh season as coach of the Seminoles, the university announced on Sunday. For weeks, the sense from those in and around Florida State was that Norvell might be safe due to his enormous $46 million buyout and an athletic department in flux. However, those factors couldn't save Norvell. "We have made the decision to change the leadership of our football program," FSU president Richard McCullough said in a statement. "We thank Mike Norvell for his commitment and service to Florida State and wish him and his family the very best.

We understand the deep passion of Seminole fans and share their high expectations for this program. We are confident in Rick Stockstill's ability to provide steady leadership during this transition. We will conduct a thorough national search for the program's next leader, someone who embraces Florida State's tradition of championship athletics and our standard of excellence." Apparently, the final straw for the power brokers at Florida State was Saturday's 36-24 loss to Clemson at home. The Seminoles weren't competitive for much of the game, and the Doak Campbell Stadium crowd dwindled in the second half.