Clemson coach Dabo Swiney and Florida State coach Mike Norvell during pregame warmups
Melina Myers
IMAGN IMAGES
Before Saturday’s Clemson-Florida State game in Tallahassee, a plane flew circles around Doak Campbell Stadium with a message: “Fire Mike Norvell.”
Well, technically, it said “Fire Novell,” omitting the letter “R” in the coach’s name. But it still drew lots of attention — including from Tigers coach Dabo Swinney.
Speaking after Clemson’s 36-24 win against FSU, Swinney, who is a close coaching friend of Norvell’s, brought up the plane message unprompted and ranted about it for three minutes, calling the demonstration “embarrassing” and “shameful.”
“Florida State’s better than that,” Swinney said.
As for his message to whoever coordinated the pregame stunt?
“Whoever did that, you outta be ashamed of yourself,” Swinney said.
Norvell has missed two straight bowl games since leading the Seminoles to a 2023 ACC championship and is widely considered to be on the hot seat. Florida State dropped to 3-5 and 1-4 in conference play after Saturday’s home loss to Clemson.
In a pregame stunt presumably paid for and orchestrated by one or multiple FSU fans unhappy with recent football results, a plane flew around the stadium displaying a banner ad that read: “FSU: Fire Novell + Peter Collins.”
Collins is chairman of Florida State’s university board of trustees and another leader who plays a key role in athletics. He’s also come under recent criticism.
Swinney said he saw the plane during warmups and it “really bothered” him.
“And they didn’t even spell his name right,” Swinney said. “Didn’t even have the freaking ‘R’ in the name. I mean, it’s just disrespectful.”
A plane with a banner is flying around Doak before FSU-Clemson but misspells Norvell in the message 😭😂
“FSU: Fire Novell • Peter Collins” pic.twitter.com/vs5IChpAa4
— Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) October 31, 2026Dabo: Nobody has the right to ‘destroy people as humans’
Swinney said Norvell is a “good man” and a “hell of a football coach.” He praised the Seminoles for their effort in Saturday’s game: Clemson led 29-10 in the early fourth quarter before Florida State scored 14 unanswered points to cut its deficit to 29-24.
Swinney, 56, said he felt compelled to stick up for Norvell, 45.
“He ain’t gonna say it, but I’ll say it: I was freaking disappointed to see that,” Swinney said, before quipping of his own team’s struggles: “Hell, they may be flying one around Clemson next time I’m home, but I doubt it. I doubt it.”
Norvell was not directly asked about the plane flying around the stadium pregame in his postgame news conference, but he did speak generally about fan support.
Attendance at the stadium was noticeably sparse in the fourth quarter.
“I understand the frustration,” Norvell said. “We have high expectations for what we wanna be. … I truly believe that this is a team that’s gonna fight.”
Swinney said coaching college football is a hard job and while he understands the contracts and high stakes involved, the fact coaches make a lot of money doesn’t mean that fans and other people have “the right to just destroy people as humans.”
“I don’t know where we became this as a society. … It’s like a blood sport now,” Swinney said. “You lose a game, it’s, ‘Fire everybody. Everybody stinks.’”
Swinney said his “heart goes out” to Norvell and his family. FSU’s seventh-year coach dropped to 41-39 overall and 23-30 in ACC play after Saturday’s Clemson loss.
“That team just fought their butts off every single play,” Swinney said. “I’m sure somebody had a lot of fun, felt really good about themselves to fly a freakin’ plane and a banner around this amazing stadium. … It’s shameful to me.”
Oct 31, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell meets with Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney ahead of the matchup at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Melina Myers IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Clemson football schedule: Next gameWho: Clemson (5-3, 3-2 ACC) at Syracuse (4-4, 2-4 ACC)When: noon Saturday, Nov. 7Where: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NYTV: ESPN2
Chapel Fowler, the NSMA’s 2024 South Carolina Sportswriter of the Year, has covered Clemson football and other topics for The State since 2022. His work has also been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the South Carolina Press Association and the North Carolina Press Association. He’s a Denver, N.C., native, a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate and a pickup basketball/Dunkin’ Donuts enthusiast.
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