Florida State Fires Head Coach Mike Norvell
The Seminoles parted ways with Norvell on November 1, 2026, after a 3-5 start to the season and a loss to Clemson.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football
Florida State fired head football coach Mike Norvell on November 1, 2026, following a loss to Clemson. The Seminoles had started the 2026 season 3-5.
Why it matters
The firing ends Norvell's tenure in Tallahassee after a run that included a 10-win season in 2022 and an ACC championship game victory in 2023. It also follows a 2-10 season in 2024 and a 5-7 finish in 2025.
Florida State went 2-10 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025 after a 10-win season in 2022 and an undefeated regular season in 2023. The stub does not provide details on the firing's financial terms.
The players
Mike Norvell
Mike Norvell is a college football head coach who previously led Memphis before taking over at Florida State.
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the football program of Florida State University in Tallahassee, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The details
Norvell coached Memphis from 2016 to 2019 before leaving for Florida State after winning the American Conference title. Before the 2025 season he fired defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, and the firing followed a loss to Clemson.
Timeline
2016-2019: Norvell coaches Memphis.
2019: Norvell leaves Memphis for Florida State.
2023: Florida State wins the ACC championship game but is left out of the College Football Playoff.
November 1, 2026: Florida State fires Norvell.
Season Trajectory
The firing comes after a sharp decline from Florida State's 2023 ACC championship season, when the team was left out of the College Football Playoff after Jordan Travis's season-ending injury. The program's 2024 and 2025 seasons produced losing records that set up the 2026 start.
Florida State's coaching search will determine the program's direction for the 2027 season, and fans will track the hiring as the next major roster-building decision. The stub does not specify a timeline for naming a successor.
The takeaway
A coaching change at this stage of a season reflects how quickly a program's record can shift from a championship-level run to a losing one, so readers tracking college football should watch how the Seminoles approach the next hire.
Further reading
Follow the latest from Tallahassee Football for coverage of the Florida State program.
