Florida State heads to Chestnut Hill on Saturday with a new coaching setup, a battered roster and a matchup that could turn into a scramble on both sides of the ball.
The Seminoles meet Boston College at Alumni Stadium at noon on the ACC Network. The forecast calls for 52 degrees and a 45% chance of precipitation, and FSU is a 6.5-point favorite.
Rick Stockstill is 0-0 as FSU’s interim head coach and 113-111 overall. On the other sideline, Bill O’Brien is 13-20 at Boston College and 27-29 overall.
FSU owns the series 16-6 and has won three straight in Chestnut Hill, including the 2023 meeting. But this one comes with a warning label: neither defense has been reliable. Boston College ranks 89th in scoring defense at 26.5 points allowed per game, while Florida State sits 105th at 28.1.
The Seminoles come in at 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. Ashton Daniels remains one of the most unusual quarterbacks in the country - he is the only FBS quarterback with at least 12 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns in 2026. FSU also had a season-best seven pass breakups in its loss to Clemson, a sign the defense at least made some plays even if the result didn’t change.
Boston College is 4-4 and 2-3 in league play, and it is trying to bounce back from a brutal 47-2 loss at Duke. That said, the Eagles have also beaten Rutgers, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech. They’ve been opportunistic all season, forcing 14 turnovers, including 11 interceptions, but the offense has not finished drives nearly well enough, with just 14 touchdowns on 28 red-zone trips.
One of the biggest variables here is the coaching change on both sides of the ball for Florida State. Tim Harris Jr. on offense and Ernie Sims Jr. on defense are new to the play-calling roles after being elevated this week, which gives the Seminoles a chance to present some fresh wrinkles. Sims Jr. also served as the play caller at USF in 2022 after Jeff Scott was fired, and the Bulls lost their last three games that season.
The quarterback matchup adds another layer. Daniels is completing 59.3% of his passes, while Boston College’s Mason McKenzie is at 57.4%.
Neither is especially sharp as a passer, but both can hurt defenses with their legs. Daniels has 12 rushing touchdowns, the most ever by an FSU quarterback in a single season.
McKenzie leads the Eagles with 638 rushing yards and five scores.
That kind of mobility could matter a lot against two defenses that have had trouble holding up.
Florida State’s injury situation is also forcing younger players into the spotlight. Freshmen are expected to have real roles, including Amari Thomas, who has four carries and four receptions for 51 offensive yards. The Seminoles are also likely to lean on freshmen receivers Jasen Lopez and Devin Carter in a rotation with Micahi Danzy and Jayvan Boggs.
Stockstill said the staff has to be careful not to overload young players with too much information. The Seminoles may simplify things, but the freshmen are still going to be in the mix when the game gets tight at Boston College.
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