Calls mount for major college football program to fire head coach after Friday's game

After starting the season with one of the biggest upsets of the year, things have fallen apart for Florida State.

The Seminoles have lost six of their past eight games, which included a four-game losing streak. Florida State fell to 5-6 overall and 2-6 in the ACC with Friday's loss to NC State.

It was a series of mistakes and questionable coaching decisions for the Seminoles. Florida State finished the game with four turnovers, including two muffed punts in the fourth quarter, along with eight penalties. The second muffed punt set NC State up for the game-sealing touchdown with less than two minutes remaining.

It was another failure for the program under Mike Norvell, who has failed to meet lofty expectations in back-to-back seasons.

Florida State fans have hit a boiling point after Friday night's disappointing loss, calling for the program to make a change at head coach across social media.

Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

"That touchdown should be the final dagger to end the Mike Norvell era at Florida State," one fan posted.

"If this game is not the nail in Mike Norvell's coffin as head coach, this program does not care about being taken seriously anymore," another fan said.

"Need that Mike Norvell fired announcement in the morning" one fan posted.

"Officially time to end the Mike Norvell era," another fan posted.

"Mike Norvell just doesn't deserve to keep his job in any capacity; he's running that program into the dirt and quickly," another fan said.

N.C. State just put the punctuation at the end of the Mike Norvell era in Tallahassee
— Corey Elliot (@CoreyElliot) November 22, 2025

FSU is so bad fundamentally and technically, it is literally the worst coached team on the planet. There is literally no reason to keep Mike Norvell around for one more hour, much less one more week
— Paul Zeise (@PaulZeise) November 22, 2025

That game might do it for Mike Norvell...
— Evan Closky (@ECloskyWTSP) November 22, 2025

Norvell signed an eight-year extension after the 2023 season, which was set to keep him in Tallahassee through 2031. If Florida State were to fire Norvell before the season, he would be owed over $53 million. According to his contract, Norvell is set to receive 85% of his base salary and supplemental pay for the remainder of his contract.

The buyout could be paid in full or monthly installments through the 2031 season. Norvell's buyout is the 5th-highest buyout in college football. Before last season, Norvell negotiated a one-year restructured contract that allocated $4.5 million toward a new university initiative aimed at revenue sharing.

Over six seasons at Florida State, Norvell is 38-33 overall and 22-26 in the ACC. The Seminoles have finished below .500 in three of Norvell's first five seasons. They would need to win their final game against Florida to avoid another losing season under Norvell.

Since Norvell led Florida State to a 13-1 record and an ACC championship in 2023, the Seminoles are 7-16 overall and 3-13 in the ACC. The Seminoles have also not won an ACC game on the road since 2023.

Regardless of whether the Seminoles make a change at head coach, they face a must-win situation next weekend if they want to become bowl eligible. It would be the third bowl appearance under Norvell.

Florida State will travel to face Florida, which fired head coach Billy Napier earlier this season, on Nov. 29 to end the season. The Seminoles have won two of the last three matchups against the Gators, but lost by 20 points in last season's meeting.