{"id":444234,"date":"2026-11-01T12:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T12:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/444234\/"},"modified":"2026-11-01T12:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T12:04:10","slug":"swinney-calls-fsu-fan-plane-banner-shameful-in-tallahassee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/444234\/","title":{"rendered":"Swinney calls FSU fan plane banner ‘shameful’ in Tallahassee"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Clemson<\/p>\n

Clemson coach Dabo Swiney and Florida State coach Mike Norvell during pregame warmups<\/p>\n

Melina Myers<\/p>\n

IMAGN IMAGES<\/p>\n

Before Saturday\u2019s Clemson-Florida State game in Tallahassee, a plane flew circles around Doak Campbell Stadium with a message: \u201cFire Mike Norvell.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, technically, it said \u201cFire Novell,\u201d omitting the letter \u201cR\u201d in the coach\u2019s name. But it still drew lots of attention \u2014 including from Tigers coach Dabo Swinney.<\/p>\n

Speaking after Clemson\u2019s 36-24 win against FSU, Swinney, who is a close coaching friend of Norvell\u2019s, brought up the plane message unprompted and ranted about it for three minutes, calling the demonstration \u201cembarrassing\u201d and \u201cshameful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFlorida State\u2019s better than that,\u201d Swinney said.<\/p>\n

As for his message to whoever coordinated the pregame stunt?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoever did that, you outta be ashamed of yourself,\u201d Swinney said.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s home loss to Clemson.<\/p>\n

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: \u201cFSU: Fire Novell + Peter Collins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collins is chairman of Florida State\u2019s university board of trustees and another leader who plays a key role in athletics. He\u2019s also come under recent criticism.<\/p>\n

Swinney said he saw the plane during warmups and it \u201creally bothered\u201d him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they didn\u2019t even spell his name right,\u201d Swinney said. \u201cDidn\u2019t even have the freaking \u2018R\u2019 in the name. I mean, it\u2019s just disrespectful.\u201d<\/p>\n

A plane with a banner is flying around Doak before FSU-Clemson but misspells Norvell in the message \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n

\u201cFSU: Fire Novell \u2022 Peter Collins\u201d pic.twitter.com\/vs5IChpAa4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Logan B. Robinson (@LogansTwitty) October 31, 2026<\/a>Dabo: Nobody has the right to \u2018destroy people as humans\u2019<\/p>\n

Swinney said Norvell is a \u201cgood man\u201d and a \u201chell of a football coach.\u201d He praised the Seminoles for their effort in Saturday\u2019s game: Clemson led 29-10 in the early fourth quarter before Florida State scored 14 unanswered points to cut its deficit to 29-24.<\/p>\n

Swinney, 56, said he felt compelled to stick up for Norvell, 45.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ain\u2019t gonna say it, but I\u2019ll say it: I was freaking disappointed to see that,\u201d Swinney said, before quipping of his own team\u2019s struggles: \u201cHell, they may be flying one around Clemson next time I\u2019m home, but I doubt it. I doubt it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Attendance at the stadium was noticeably sparse in the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand the frustration,\u201d Norvell said. \u201cWe have high expectations for what we wanna be. … I truly believe that this is a team that\u2019s gonna fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019t mean that fans and other people have \u201cthe right to just destroy people as humans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know where we became this as a society. … It\u2019s like a blood sport now,\u201d Swinney said. \u201cYou lose a game, it\u2019s, \u2018Fire everybody. Everybody stinks.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Swinney said his \u201cheart goes out\u201d to Norvell and his family. FSU\u2019s seventh-year coach dropped to 41-39 overall and 23-30 in ACC play after Saturday\u2019s Clemson loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat team just fought their butts off every single play,\u201d Swinney said. \u201cI\u2019m sure somebody had a lot of fun, felt really good about themselves to fly a freakin\u2019 plane and a banner around this amazing stadium. … It\u2019s shameful to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Oct 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<\/a> in Syracuse, NYTV: ESPN2<\/p>\n


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Chapel Fowler, the NSMA\u2019s 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\u2019s a Denver, N.C., native, a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate and a pickup basketball\/Dunkin\u2019 Donuts enthusiast.
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