
iStockphoto / Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Hannah Pajewski-USA TODAY Sports
An infamous "Poop Curse" could pass from Florida State to James Madison.
Back in September of the 2024 college football season, Florida State fell victim to the infamous “Poop Curse.” A fan vowed to eat dog feces if the team lost to Boston College. That wager was not followed through with after a 28-13 defeat.
Now, the Seminoles pray that it’s been passed onto another program. A James Madison supporter made a similar wager ahead of a matchup vs. App State. The Dukes lost. The account has since been deleted.
There is reason to believe the curse will move on. After all, it is spooky season. Any horror film aficionado that’s seen the likes of It Follows or The Ring understands how these things play out.
A curse can be passed on from person to person, or in this case program to program, under the right circumstance. The timing couldn’t be more fitting.
Florida State’s next game will be played on Halloween. The losing coach happens to be a former rival of the ‘Noles. Everything is aligning for a changing of hands.
Florida State has been living the “Poop Curse.”
The Seminoles went undefeated in the 2023 campaign, and though they were controversially left out of the College Football Playoff, they were expected to be a national title contender the following season.
Florida State entered the season as a Top 10 team. They finished the year 2-10. It was as drastic a falloff as we’ve ever seen in college football.
The team lost its opener in heartbreaking fashion to Georgia Tech in Dublin. One fan did not expect a losing streak to continue.
The account @321nole on X posted a message before kickoff vs. Boston College reading as follows:
If Florida State loses to BC this weekend, I will eat dog s— out of a red solo cup with a spoon and post the video of me doing it.
The Seminoles would lose. The fan ran from the challenge. He was called out by everyone imaginable, including ESPN. The program then went into a downward spiral.
Florida State would drop eight of their next 10 games. The next season, it would lose seven of their final nine games after a 3-0 start. The team still hasn’t recovered.
The ‘Noles are 3-4 in 2026 and in danger of a third straight losing season. They were robbed of the opportunity to win their most recent rivalry matchup with Miami. They have not been able to right the ship. There is bad juju.
Florida State is 10-20 since the bet was made. There is now hope that the losing will end.
Did James Madison lift the curse?
The James Madison fan who said he’d eat the poop if the Dukes lost to App has deleted his account. We know how this ends.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) October 23, 2026
A Dukes fan posted a similar message prior to the team’s matchup with Appalachian State on Thursday night. It read almost identical to the one written in 2024.
If JMU loses to App State, I’ll eat dog s— out of a cup on video.
-Fletcher “Shotgun” Cox, CPA on X
James Madison fell in overtime, 34-31. The account has been deleted. Has the curse been lifted?
FSU fans tonight is actually huge. If App State beats JMU the dog poop curse will be lifted
— Richard Gorgonzola (@RDGIX) October 22, 2026
There are layers to this loss. Billy Napier, the head coach of the Florida Gators when the original bet was made, is now leading the Dukes. It would be a fitting changing of the guard given the rivalry history. Who better to redeem the Seminoles?
And again, the Halloween vibes can’t be overlooked.
In a college football season that’s been chaotic and unpredictable, it seems the perfect time for the “poop curse” to be lifted.
This was James Madison’s first loss of the year. There could now be a few more to follow. Meanwhile in Tallahassee, the Seminoles hope the torch has been passed. An upset of Clemson would signal a release of the curse that’s haunted the program for more than two years.