Florida State University fired head football coach Mike Norvell on November 1, 2026, after a 3-4 start to the season that included a Week 9 loss to Clemson. Norvell had compiled a 23-4 record during the 2022-23 seasons, but the Seminoles fell to 2-10 in 2024, 5-7 in 2025, and 3-4 in 2026, prompting the change.
Interim head coach Rick Stockstill guided the team to a 31-24 victory over Boston College in Week 10. The program faces a reported $50 million buyout owed to Norvell, a factor that could complicate the search under recently hired athletic director Jeff Purinton.
Duke head coach Manny Diaz has been identified as a leading candidate. Diaz, a 1995 Florida State graduate and Miami native, is 7-2 at Duke this season with consecutive wins of 40 or more points. He previously served as Miami's head coach from 2019 to 2021 and as Penn State's defensive coordinator.
Additional candidates, including a described "proven program-builder at every level he's touched," are under consideration as Florida State seeks to re-establish itself in the evolving college football landscape.
