Florida State fires athletic director Michael Alford on September 14, 2026

Florida State has fired Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford, ending his four-year tenure with the program, per CBS Sports reporting. The termination comes as the Seminoles navigate one of the sharpest declines in recent college football history: a 13-0 ACC championship season in 2023 followed by a 2-10 finish that year and a 5-7 record last season.

Alford, who served as president and CEO of Seminole Boosters before assuming the athletic director role in December 2021, was an integral part of head coach Mike Norvell's contract extension after the 2023 ACC title. That extension carries a hefty buyout: Norvell's deal runs through 2031 and guarantees 85 percent of his remaining salary if terminated.

Florida State President Richard McCullough issued a statement on the firing: "Florida State is committed to maintaining the highest standards for our student-athletes and staff. We want all of them to be able to play for championships. This leadership change reflects that commitment." Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins added that the decision reflects a broader restructuring: "Changes like this are never easy, but sometimes necessary. We have made significant investments and structural changes in our athletics program and Seminole Boosters over the past few years, but more are needed. This step begins the next phase of restructuring that the University must commit to in order to compete in this era of college sports."

One source told CBS Sports that the decision had been trending for weeks and that FSU's board did not want Alford making the football program's next coaching hire, according to unconfirmed reporting. The same source said: "This is clearly the first domino in that chain", a claim marked unconfirmed by the outlet. Norvell's record stands at 39-35 overall with the Seminoles and 22-27 in ACC play; he has gone 3-14 in his last 17 games against conference opponents. After the SMU loss on Labor Day, "Fire Norvell" chants echoed through Doak Campbell Stadium during the fourth quarter.

The firing occurs against a backdrop of financial and competitive strain. FSU faces crippling athletic-related debt, questions about its future in the ACC, and a revenue distribution gap compared to the Big Ten and SEC. The $265 million Doak Campbell Stadium renovation, completed in December, has not shown a return on investment in roster funding, per 247Sports reporting. FSU's football payroll currently sits in the lower half of the ACC, a shell of what programs like Miami and SMU are spending for talent within the league.

Novell took over play-calling duties this season after offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's offseason retirement. Quarterback options have been inconsistent: DJ Uiagalelei, a former Clemson standout, lost his starting job after sputtering in 2024. Thomas Castellanos from Boston College offered only slightly better numbers. Norvell has now turned to Stanford's Ashton Daniels, who won the opener against New Mexico State, his sixth win in 24 career starts. FSU faces four nationally-ranked opponents in a five-week stretch starting with Alabama on Saturday, with Miami arriving on October 17. After that stretch, a mid-season open date in FSU's schedule could serve as the target zone for a coaching decision, should the Seminoles struggle to keep pace in the ACC.