Florida State fires athletic director Michael Alford ahead of Alabama game
12 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 14, 2026, 2:38 PM
Last updated Sep 14, 2026
Florida State University has fired athletic director Michael Alford as of September 14, 2026. Alford's firing comes just days before a significant game against No. 10 Alabama and follows a downturn in the football program's performance. Alford was appointed in December 2021 and oversaw an initial successful period, but the program's struggles in recent seasons, including a 2-10 record in 2024 and a 5-7 season in 2025, raised concerns about his leadership. Florida State has yet to announce an interim athletic director or details on the search for a replacement.
- •FSU fires Michael Alford after approximately four years in his role
- •Football program struggled under Alford, posting a 2-10 record in 2024
- •The Seminoles are 1-1 this season after a recent loss to No. 19 SMU
- •Alford was previously involved in significant athletics infrastructure investments
- •FSU has not named an interim athletic director yet
- 2:43 PMESPN — FSU fires AD Alford as questions loom over football program
- 2:27 PMYahoo Sports — World reacts to FSU firing Michael Alford: A matter of time, it seemed
- 2:20 PMYahoo Sports — Florida State fires athletic director Michael Alford after four-year tenure
- 2:18 PMYahoo Sports — Florida State athletic director Michael Alford fired
- 2:16 PMCBS Sports — Florida State fires AD Michael Alford: Are Mike Norvell's days numbered as FSU football coach?
- 2:07 PMYahoo Sports — Florida State fires athletics director Michael Alford
- 1:44 PMYahoo Sports — Florida State has fired athletic director Michael Alford
- 1:22 PMYahoo Sports — Florida State fires athletic director Michael Alford just days before game vs. No. 10 Alabama
"Florida State fired athletics director Michael Alford on Monday morning, school president Dr. Richard McCullough announced. Alford had been Florida State's athletics director since January 2022 after he was hired in the fall of 2020 to be the president of Seminole Boosters, Inc. “Michael Alford has served the University and our student-athletes with dedication, and we thank him for his contributions to our athletics programs,” McCullough said in a statement.
"Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford on Monday as the Seminoles grapple with looming decisions about their football program.
"Florida State Athletics Director Michael Alford has been fired. The announcement comes on Sept. 14, a week after the Seminoles' loss to SMU.
Sources
External links- ESPNSep 14, 2026, 2:43 PMFSU fires AD Alford as questions loom over football program
Florida State fired athletic director Michael Alford on Monday as the Seminoles grapple with looming decisions about their football program.
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 2:27 PMWorld reacts to FSU firing Michael Alford: A matter of time, it seemed
Florida State has moved on from athletic director Michael Alford after four years leading the program. Here's how social media reacted.
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 2:20 PMFlorida State fires athletic director Michael Alford after four-year tenure
The Seminoles are making moves to improve the athletic department.
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 2:18 PMFlorida State athletic director Michael Alford fired
Florida State Athletics Director Michael Alford has been fired. The announcement comes on Sept. 14, a week after the Seminoles' loss to SMU.
- CBS SportsSep 14, 2026, 2:16 PMFlorida State fires AD Michael Alford: Are Mike Norvell's days numbered as FSU football coach?
The Seminoles have moved on from a leader who has been in Norvell's corner from the start
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 2:07 PMFlorida State fires athletics director Michael Alford
Florida State fired athletics director Michael Alford on Monday morning, school president Dr. Richard McCullough announced. Alford had been Florida State's athletics director since January 2022 after he was hired in the fall of 2020 to be the president of Seminole Boosters, Inc. “Michael Alford has served the University and our student-athletes with dedication, and we thank him for his contributions to our athletics programs,” McCullough said in a statement.
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 1:44 PMFlorida State has fired athletic director Michael Alford
The Florida State Seminoles will be going in a new direction as they have fired athletic director Michael Alford.
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 1:22 PMFlorida State fires athletic director Michael Alford just days before game vs. No. 10 Alabama
Michael Alford was hired in 2022.
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 1:18 PMFlorida State fires Athletic Director Michael Alford, per ESPN
Florida State begins the search for a new Athletic Director
- Yahoo SportsSep 14, 2026, 1:16 PMFlorida State AD Michael Alford reportedly fired after four years
Michael Alford, who served as Florida State’s Vice President and Director of Athletics since 2022, has been fired.
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NCAAF•Sep 14, 2026, 2:38 PMSources: UCF QB Barnett to miss multiple weeks
NCAAF•Sep 14, 2026, 2:10 PMCollege football overreactions after Week 2: Oregon to miss the CFP
NCAAF•Sep 14, 2026, 1:51 PMBowl projections: How did big wins and tough losses affect the postseason picture?
NCAAF•Sep 14, 2026, 1:51 PMPower Rankings: Everything we learned from the Top 25 in Week 2
NCAAF•Sep 14, 2026, 1:30 PMFlorida State live: Mike Norvell addresses the firing of Michael Alford
NCAAF•Sep 14, 2026, 1:24 PMWhere Louisville football lands in Week 3 US LBM Coaches Poll, AP Top 25