Florida State’s best chance to crack Virginia’s defense on Saturday starts on the outside, where the Seminoles will test one of the nation’s top pass units with three receivers who all bring something different to the table.
The Cavaliers come in with real numbers behind the reputation. Virginia has given up just 130.3 passing yards per game through four contests, which ranks No. 5 nationally, and the group has already picked off six passes, also good for No. 5 in the country.
Brandyn Hillman and Keke Adams have accounted for five of those interceptions, and Virginia has held NC State and Delaware under 100 yards through the air. The Cavaliers have also allowed only two passing touchdowns.
That sets up a big job for Florida State coach Mike Norvell in his role as play caller. The Seminoles need more than empty yardage here; they need touches that turn into scores. Florida State is 2-2 and 0-1, and when it hosts Virginia (3-1, 1-0), it will be chasing its first ACC win of the season.
Duce Robinson is the headliner. At 6-foot-6, he gives Florida State a true size mismatch and has already shown he can win contested throws, with 18 such catches last season.
Robinson came into the year as a preseason All-American candidate and was placed on the Maxwell Award watch list. After a quiet start, he has found the end zone in each of the last two games, against Alabama and Central Arkansas.
He leads the Seminoles with 13 receptions for 262 yards and is averaging 20.15 yards per catch.
Jayvan Boggs has been just as important in his own way. The 6-foot-1 receiver is second on the team with 12 catches for 240 yards and a touchdown, and his best outing came against Central Arkansas, when he posted six grabs for 122 yards and that score. Pro Football Focus gave Boggs an 89.4 grade for that performance.
Then there’s Michai Danzy, the speed threat. He has 11 catches for 173 yards and has yet to score this season, but Florida State needs to keep finding ways to use him.
His track speed can stress a defense horizontally on jet sweeps or vertically when he gets behind coverage. If quarterback Ashton Daniels can put the ball in the right place, Danzy can turn one touch into a big play.
Daniels has shown flashes, but the turnovers remain the issue. He has thrown six touchdown passes and five interceptions while completing 59.8 percent of his attempts.
Four of those touchdowns came in the last two games against Alabama and Central Arkansas. Against Central Arkansas, he threw for 224 yards, two scores and completed 66.4 percent of his passes, though he also tossed an interception.
For Florida State, the formula is clear: Daniels has to put together a clean game and get the ball to Robinson, Boggs and Danzy in space. If he does, the Seminoles have a shot to break through against a Virginia defense that has been suffocating through the air.
In Other News...
Florida State Has A Growing QB Concern At The Worst Time
Florida State does not need another distraction at quarterback, but the early part of the season has made that almost impossible to avoid. Around the sport, several other college passers are trying to settle in and find traction, with LaNorris Sellers, Jayden Maiava, Marcel Reed and Ashton Daniels all under the microscope as their teams work through uneven starts and look for cleaner play in the weeks ahead.
For the Seminoles, that broader quarterback turbulence only sharpens the focus on their own situation. Passing efficiency, turnovers and decision-making matter even more now, and the concern is whether Florida State can get steadier play before the schedule tightens further. There is still time for the position to settle, but the window is narrowing and the next stretch will say plenty about whether the Seminoles can keep this from becoming a bigger problem. [Read more 🡒]
Jameis Winstons Giants Role Just Got More Complicated
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The twist came with New Yorks trade for JJ McCarthy, a move that gives the team another young arm to develop while Winston tries to steady the offense in the present. Winston has spoken confidently about handling the starting job and about helping McCarthy grow, but the timing makes this a tricky stretch for everyone involved, with the Giants balancing immediate needs against whatever they believe the next phase at quarterback should look like. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Defense Just Created A Bigger Virginia Concern
Florida States defense is heading into the Virginia matchup with a clear message from coordinator Tony White: the emphasis wont be on chasing the quarterback. Even with Virginia showing balanced offensive production and strong play at the position, White said the Seminoles are looking elsewhere for their answers, which says plenty about how they want to shape this game on the back end and in the run fit.
White also admitted the bigger issue has been Florida States own uneven execution of defensive calls, a point Virginia can study now that his remarks were made publicly available. For a Cavaliers offense trying to build a plan, that kind of candor is useful information, especially when the Seminoles are signaling a different priority than the one opponents might expect. [Read more 🡒]