Florida State gets back into ACC play Saturday with a chance to reach .500 in the league for the first time since 2023, and the Seminoles will have the home field for it. Virginia comes to Doak Campbell Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN2 as FSU opens a stretch of seven straight conference games.
The matchup carries familiar history. Florida State owns a 15-5 edge all-time against Virginia and has dominated the series in Tallahassee, going 9-1 at Doak Campbell Stadium.
The Cavaliers’ lone win in the rivalry came in 2011, when they knocked off the then-No. 23 Seminoles 14-13.
Virginia is also chasing momentum of its own, entering the game looking for a third straight victory and a fourth win in its last five meetings with Florida State.
FSU’s offense has been built around quarterback Ashton Daniels, who has wasted no time making an impact. He is 58-of-97 passing for 928 yards and six touchdowns, while also adding 142 rushing yards and four rushing scores.
Daniels has accounted for multiple touchdowns in every game so far. His biggest outburst came at No.
10 Alabama on September 19, when he went 17-of-29 for 377 yards and two touchdowns and ran 13 times for seven yards and two more scores. That performance made him the third Seminole in program history - joining Jordan Travis and EJ Manuel - with two rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns in a game.
It also marked FSU’s highest passing total from a quarterback since 2022.
Daniels’ numbers at Alabama stood out even more for the company he keeps. He is the only player in FBS in 2026 with multiple rushing and passing touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
He is also one of only three players since 1995 to post those numbers in a road game against a Power 4 opponent. His 22.2 yards per completion against Alabama are the most the Crimson Tide have allowed to a player with at least seven completions since at least 1995, and Florida State’s 36 points were the most Alabama has given up in a non-conference game in Tuscaloosa since 2000.
The Seminoles have plenty of other playmakers showing up, too. Running back Ousmane Kromah ranks third in the ACC with 99.3 rushing yards per game and has scored five rushing touchdowns, with at least one in each of Florida State’s four games. That makes him the fifth Nole since 1995 to score a rushing touchdown in each of the first four games of a season.
At receiver, Duce Robinson and Jayvan Boggs both hit the 100-yard mark over the past two weeks. Robinson had six catches for 135 yards and a touchdown at Alabama, while Boggs posted career highs with six receptions, 122 yards and a score against Central Arkansas. Robinson now has five career 120-yard receiving games, the second-most among active players, trailing only Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State.
Florida State’s defense has also produced a game-changing performance this season, forcing four turnovers and finishing with a plus-3 margin against No. 19 SMU. That was the program’s best takeaway total since a 2022 win at Miami.
Special teams has been spotless, too. Kicker Gabe Panikowski is a perfect 20-for-20 on field goals in his NCAA career, including 5-for-5 this season.
He is the only active qualified kicker in any NCAA division with at least 15 attempts to go perfect for his career. Panikowski has also made all 15 of his PAT tries this year, and Florida State has connected on 177 straight extra points, with perfect seasons in each of the past four years.
Florida State is coming off non-conference play and now begins the long ACC grind with Virginia in town. The stage is set for 3:30 p.m. in Tallahassee.
In Other News...
Danny Kanell Just Put FSUs Mike Norvell Tension In Focus
Danny Kanell is not sounding like someone trying to calm the waters around Florida State football. The former Seminoles quarterback pointed to the uneasy mood surrounding the program and the pressure building on head coach Mike Norvell, with fan frustration clearly part of the backdrop. In Kanells view, an 8-4 season is a realistic possibility, but not one that would exactly settle anything after the expectations tied to this roster and this moment.
The bigger issue, as Kanell framed it, is the gap between what Florida State is spending and what it should be able to demand in return. He argued the budget ought to keep the Seminoles competitive in the ACC, and if the results fall short of that standard, the conversation could turn more serious. For a program that has spent plenty to chase big goals, the tension now sits in whether those goals still feel within reach. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States Latest Injury Report Could Change Everything Against Virginia
Florida State and Virginia both took another hit on the availability front ahead of their ACC meeting, with the latest report trimming some options while adding to the absences on both sides. The Seminoles are dealing with a lengthy injured list of their own, and the update included linebacker Noah LaVallee going out, even as several players were upgraded to probable and cleared from the report.
For Florida State, the bigger picture is less about who is returning and more about how much uncertainty still hangs over the matchup. Virginias side of the ledger shifted too, with running back Peyton Lewis and offensive lineman Grant Ellinger moved to out and defensive end Devon Baxter listed as doubtful, leaving both teams to sort through a combined wave of availability issues before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Faces A Road Test That Will Reveal A Lot
Virginia comes into this one looking like a program that has settled into a real rhythm under Tony Elliott, who is now in his fifth year guiding the Cavaliers. Last seasons 11-win run helped put that progress into sharper focus, and the profile from Streaking the Lawn paints a team that has earned its confidence the hard way, with an offense that has been efficient and a defense that has made life difficult on opponents.
Beau Pribula gives the Cavaliers a quarterback who can hurt defenses both through the air and on the ground, while an experienced offensive line has helped keep the operation steady. On the other side, Virginias defense has been especially stingy, allowing just 14 points per game, which is why this road test feels like more than just another ACC trip for Florida State. It is the kind of game that can tell you whether the Seminoles are ready for a tough fight or still searching for cleaner answers away from home. [Read more 🡒]