Florida State fires athletic director Michael Alford just days before game vs. No. 10 Alabama

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Just days ahead of a pivotal matchup against No. 10 Alabama, Florida State has fired athletic director Michael Alford, the school announced.

Bruce Warwick will serve as the team's interim athletic director with Alford out.

Alford, who was hired into the athletic director role in 2022, got off to a promising start, as the Florida State football team went 23-4 in his first two years on the job.

Following the team's 13-1 record in 2023, Alford opted to give head coach Mike Norvell a lucrative eight-year, $80 million extension. The team immediately went into a tailspin, falling to just 2-10 in 2024. Florida State followed that by going 5-7 in 2025 and is 1-1 this season after losing to No. 19 SMU last week.

With Alford gone, that could open the door for Norvell to follow.

In addition to the football team's decline, Alford faced criticism for his decision to renovate Doak Campbell Stadium. Because of that, "Florida State had the highest athletic-related debt in the country for the 2025 fiscal year, totaling $437 million," per ESPN.

Alford also received criticism for his handling of NIL deals, refusing to shell out money to keep and retain talent. Florida State's football team reportedly has a payroll in the lower half among ACC teams, per On3.

That lack of spending has been felt outside football, where star softball player Isa Torres transferred to Texas in June. Jaysoni Beachum also left the softball program, taking her talents to Texas Tech.

The decision comes at a critical time for Florida State football. Florida State is set to take on ranked opponents in four of their next five games. A loss, or multiple losses, could lead to Norvell's dismissal and pave the way for a completely new era for the team moving forward.

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