Florida State is heading into a new era in the press box, with Woody Hayes set to be replaced as the public address announcer for home football games beginning in 2026.
That change closes the book on a 16-year run for Hayes, who became one of the most recognizable parts of the Doak Campbell Stadium soundtrack after taking over for the late Nick Menacof in 2010. For plenty of Seminole fans, his voice was as familiar as the Marching Chiefs and the War Chant, especially when he rolled into his trademark line: “And that's good for another Florida State... FIRST DOWN!”
Hayes said Monday he was “eternally grateful” for the chance to serve in the role. “I’m grateful to have been a part of the game-day atmosphere and a part of Seminole nation,” Hayes told the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday, July 6. “I’m proud of my body of work and hope to continue in some announcer capacity in the near future."
FSU confirmed Tuesday, July 7, that it had decided not to retain Hayes for football. The move means the Seminoles will have a new voice at Doak Campbell Stadium for only the third time in the past 42 years.
The transition does not affect Hayes’ work with FSU basketball. He will remain the public address announcer for both the men’s and women’s teams, a job he has held for the past 25 years.
Hayes, 57, won the football role after being one of four finalists who auditioned during the Seminoles’ spring game. He got the most votes in a fan poll on Seminoles.com, and he went on to carry the job for more than a decade and a half.
Before Hayes, Menacof served as the voice of Doak Campbell Stadium for 25 years after retiring following the 2009 season. Menacof died in 2017.
Outside of FSU athletics, Hayes has built a long career in Tallahassee radio, where listeners know him by the name Woody Hayes. His given name is Woody Pelt.
Reflecting on the end of his football run, Hayes said, “16 years ago, I was given the incredible news that I would be the new voice of Doak Campbell Stadium," He added, "I was proud to carry on the tradition that Mr. Nic Minakoff set for the 25 previous years.
I’m grateful to have been a part of the game day atmosphere and a part of Seminole nation. 'What’s next?'
you might ask. That’s all in God‘s hands.
For he knows the plans that he has for me.
"To those who have supported me over the years, I’m eternally grateful, and I love each and every one of you… and that’s good for a Seminole farewell."
FSU’s 2026 football schedule is set to open at home against New Mexico State on Aug. 29, followed by SMU on Sept. 7.
After a bye, the Seminoles travel to Alabama on Sept. 19, then return home for Central Arkansas on Sept. 26 and Virginia on Oct. 3.
The rest of the slate includes trips to Louisville on Oct. 9, Miami on Oct.
17, Boston College on Nov. 7 and Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, with home games against Clemson on Oct. 31, NC State on Nov. 21 and Florida on Nov.
In Other News...
New NCAA Rule Could Quietly Reshape Florida States Veteran Future
A quietly significant NCAA change could end up mattering a lot for Florida States roster planning, especially among the veterans who have already given the Seminoles proven production. Division I athletes now can have up to five years of eligibility under a new model, and players with eligibility left for the 2025-26 season can choose between the old framework and the revised one. For a team trying to balance experience, depth and long-term roster turnover, that opens the door for several familiar names to think differently about their college futures.
Florida State has multiple players who could be affected, including a group of true seniors whose decisions would shape both the present and the next step of the program. Some are established contributors, others are coming off injuries or looking for a bigger role, and the new rule gives each of them another layer to weigh before the offseason takes hold. The bigger question now is how many of those veterans decide the Seminoles are worth one more year, and which positions could look very different if they do. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Norvell's Job Security Could Hinge On More Than A Bowl
Florida States schedule has a way of turning every week into a referendum, and the next stretch looks especially unforgiving for a program still trying to measure where it stands under Mike Norvell. The backdrop matters here too: the Seminoles are still chasing the kind of standard that defined the 1990s, when winning seasons were the expectation rather than the talking point, and even a solid finish can feel like it comes with an asterisk if the marquee games go sideways.
Miami looms as the kind of matchup that can reshape the conversation fast, because it is not just about one result but about how the rest of the season gets framed afterward. Florida State also keeps adding pieces around the margins, including South Carolina right-hander Alex Philpott, while former Seminole Myron Rolle is back in the news for joining the NFLPA as a special advisor on brain health and preventive care, but the real pressure still sits on the field and on the head coachs future. [Read more 🡒]