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.
In Other News...
Brian Kelly Just Added Intrigue To Florida States Coaching Search
Florida States coaching search has already carried plenty of weight because of where the program has been and how often the chair has turned over since 2017. Now Brian Kelly has put his name into the conversation, saying during a radio interview that he has interest in the job and pointing to the Seminoles history and tradition as part of the appeal.
Kelly arrives with a long rsum from Notre Dame and LSU, but also with the baggage that comes from his exit in Baton Rouge in October 2023. His track record makes him an obvious name to watch, yet the fit is not so simple, with questions already surfacing about whether his personality would mesh with what Florida State is looking for as it tries to steady the program. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States Coaching Search Faces One Question Fans Cant Ignore
Florida States coaching search is unfolding against a financial backdrop that has drawn plenty of attention, but university officials say the numbers are not nearly as alarming as some outside reports have suggested. Chief Financial Officer Kyle Clark said the school carries $306 million in debt, most of it tied to stadium renovations, and he pointed out that figure is lower than what has been circulating elsewhere. The athletic departments budget has also climbed sharply over the past decade, rising from $76 million in 2014 to a projected $265 million for fiscal year 2027.
For Seminoles fans, the bigger question is whether all of that translates into real flexibility as the school pursues its next football coach. Interim athletic director Bruce Warwick has said the finances should not stand in the way of landing a top-tier hire or giving that coach the resources needed to compete. In other words, the money conversation is not about whether Florida State can participate in the market, but how aggressively it can move when the right candidate emerges. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Heads To Boston College With A Roster Question They Can't Ignore
Florida State heads to Boston College this week with more than just a road game on its mind. The Seminoles are trying to snap the longest road losing streak in program history, and the trip comes with a different feel as well, since it will be their first game under an interim head coach. Both teams have already released injury reports, and there were no changes from the first report to the second, leaving the Seminoles to keep an eye on a few key names as they sort through the week.
Among the players Florida State is monitoring are running back Quintrevion Wisner and cornerback JaBril Rawls, two pieces whose availability could matter in a game that already carries plenty of pressure. With the injury picture holding steady for now, the focus shifts to how the Seminoles handle the setting, the new sideline leadership and the challenge of trying to break a streak that has hung over the program for too long. [Read more 🡒]