Florida State fans have made their feelings about Mike Norvell impossible to miss, and on Saturday they took that message airborne.
A plane circled near Doak Campbell Stadium before FSU’s ACC game against Clemson carrying a banner that read “Fire Novell,” a typo that left out the “R” in Norvell’s last name. The message quickly went viral as the Seminoles prepared to host Clemson in a game that arrived with Florida State sitting at 3-4 and riding a two-game losing streak after last week’s double-overtime loss to Miami.
The banner came at a time when pressure around the program has only intensified. Florida State is three years removed from its last winning season under Norvell, and the 2026 campaign is shaping up as another rough one. The Seminoles were already out of the playoff picture entering Saturday.
The public frustration has been building beyond the fan base, too. Earlier this week, FSU president Richard McCullough addressed supporters and said the school would “make the right decisions for Florida State's long-term future.” Florida State also fired athletic director Michael Alford in September.
Norvell’s contract only adds another layer to the situation. Before the 2024 season, he signed an eight-year extension through 2031 worth over $84 million.
According to Tomahawk Nation, if Florida State were to fire him, he would be owed 85% of the remaining money on the deal, which was around $50.7 million as of mid-October. On3 reported that number would drop to about $45.6 million after the 2026 season and to $36.8 million after the 2027 season.
There is also a duty-to-mitigate clause requiring him to try to find another job, per On3.
Norvell’s Florida State tenure has swung wildly from one extreme to another. He opened with back-to-back losing seasons in 2020 and 2021, then helped push the Seminoles into the national conversation with a 10-3 season in 2022 and a Cheez-It Bowl win. Florida State followed that with a perfect 13-0 regular season in 2023 before being left out of the College Football Playoff and then losing the Orange Bowl.
Since that Orange Bowl blowout loss to Georgia, the slide has been steep. Florida State went 2-10 in 2024, improved to 5-7 in 2025, and entered Saturday at 3-4 in 2026. Overall, Norvell is 41-38 at Florida State, including 23-29 in ACC play.
Since that Georgia loss, the Seminoles have gone 10-21.
In Other News...
Clemson Fans Finally Got The Elyjah Thurmon Update They Needed
Clemson got an anxious moment early in its game against Florida State when left guard Elyjah Thurmon went down after a head-on hit from a Seminoles linebacker. The scene quickly turned from football to concern as Thurmon was stabilized on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital, with his mother accompanying him off the field.
There was at least one encouraging sign before he left the stadium: Thurmon gave a thumbs-up, a small but meaningful indication that he had movement in his extremities. For a Clemson team and fan base that had been holding its breath, it was the kind of update that mattered most in the moment, even as the full extent of the injury remained a concern. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Finally Got The Win It Needed As One Tiger Took Over Late
Clemson got the kind of win it needed on Oct. 31, and it came with a little bit of everything. The Tigers beat Florida State 36-24 behind a defense that kept creating extra possessions, forcing four turnovers while the Seminoles never managed one of their own. It was the sort of complete effort that had been missing at times this season, and it gave Clemson a much-needed lift.
Freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds provided the finishing touch late, breaking free for a 79-yard rushing touchdown to put the game away. The night also carried a sobering moment when starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon was injured on a helmet hit and taken to the hospital, a reminder that even in a needed victory, the toll can be real. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Took A Scary O-Line Hit Against Florida State
Clemsons offensive line took a troubling blow against Florida State on Oct. 31 when starting left guard Elyjah Thurmon went down after a hit on a run play and had to be carted off the field. Thurmon was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for further evaluation after sustaining a head injury, a moment that immediately shifted attention from the game itself to the health of one of the Tigers key front-line pieces.
Dabo Swinney offered a small bit of relief at halftime, saying Thurmon was responsive and moving, but the injury still leaves Clemson waiting for more clarity on a lineman who had been anchoring the left side. For a team that leans on stability up front, any scare involving a starter in the middle of a physical conference game is the kind of development that lingers well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]