Florida State Fires Athletic Director Michael Alford After Disappointing Start

Florida State has parted ways with Athletic Director Mike Alford after a disastrous start to the season that included an underwhelming win against New Mexico State and a brutal loss at home to SMU.

The firing ends Alford’s four-year run as AD and may cast a shadow over head coach Mike Norvell’s future, who has failed to right the ship in Tallahassee after a 13-1 season and an ACC Championship in 2023.

The loss to SMU was especially brutal because the Mustangs coughed up the ball four times, giving the Noles ample opportunities to overcome what was ultimately only a three-point loss. The offensive futility elicited a chorus of boos from the Seminole faithful, who made no secret of their displeasure.

The boos eventually gave way to the far more explicit chant of “Fire Norvell.” The school didn’t follow that advice, but it did the next closest thing by firing Alford, sending a direct shot across the bow of the head coach.

“Changes like this are never easy, but sometimes necessary,” Florida State Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins said in a statement. “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.”

Calls to fire Norvell didn’t just begin this year. In fact, a vociferous offseason debate centered on whether Alford should bring Norvell back at all, after his 2-7 finish to the end of the 2025 season.

“Norvell is 39-35 overall at Florida State with a 22-27 mark in ACC play,” On3 reports.