The Florida State Seminoles head into their fifth game of the 2026 season with a lot hanging over this one. At .500, they’re staring at a matchup with the Virginia Cavaliers that could send their season in very different directions depending on how it plays out.
That’s especially true with conference play already in the picture. An 0-2 start would leave Florida State heading toward a brutal run that includes Louisville, Miami, and Clemson, and the Seminoles know they need a clean, steady performance to avoid that kind of slide.
Virginia is no pushover, but Florida State does get one clear advantage: Doak Campbell Stadium. The Cavaliers are walking into hostile territory for the first time this fall, and the Seminoles will be counting on the home crowd to help set the tone.
A few hours before kickoff, Florida State made its latest depth chart public. The program has stuck to Mike Norvell’s approach in 2026 by only releasing those charts on game days.
There are a handful of changes worth watching. At cornerback, Nehemiah Chandler is listed as a co-starter at both spots after starting in the win over Central Arkansas. That leaves the rotation at the position unclear between Chandler, Ja’ Bril Rawls, and Quindarrius Jones.
The defensive backfield also saw a change at safety. K.J. Kirkland is now the top backup to CJ Richard Jr., while Antonio Cromartie Jr. has been removed from the depth chart and will not play this weekend because of an injury.
On the other side of the ball, sophomore receiver Tae’Shaun Gelsey is back on the two-deep for the first time in several weeks. Working back from injury, he’s listed as Jayvan Boggs’ backup. EJ White, meanwhile, is no longer on the depth chart.
In Other News...
FSU Just Got The ACC Boost It Desperately Needed
Florida State finally got the ACC result it had been chasing, edging Clemson 2-1 in conference soccer to pick up its first league win of the season. Sam Erbach and Wrianna Hudson supplied the goals for the Seminoles, who needed a breakthrough like this to start climbing after an uneven opening stretch in ACC play.
The match had the kind of pressure and back-and-forth sequence Florida State has been looking for, with both goalkeepers called on for multiple saves and Clemson finding one answer in the game. Florida State was able to protect its lead to the end, and now the bigger question is whether this can serve as the kind of turning point the Seminoles have been waiting for. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Running Back Depth Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
Florida States backfield was already thinned out by injuries when another unexpected change landed on the roster update. Gemari Sands has been removed from the team and is no longer part of the Seminoles, a development that comes as the program is trying to sort through a running back group that has already taken damage.
Samuel Singleton Jr. is expected to miss a significant portion of the season because of a lower-body injury, and the Seminoles have already adjusted by moving sophomore tight end Gavin Markey over to running back on the updated roster. It leaves Florida State scrambling for answers at a position where depth was supposed to be a strength, and the timing could hardly be worse with the season moving along. [Read more 🡒]
Former FSU Kicker Could Help Miami Reach A Goal Fans Hate
Jake Weinbergs move from Florida State to Miami has turned into one of those small roster twists that can linger on both sides of the rivalry. The former Seminoles kicker has settled in well with the Hurricanes, hitting 5 of 6 field goals and making every extra point so far as Miami has surged through conference play with an unbeaten ACC mark and a roster that is humming on both sides of the ball.
For Florida State, the timing makes the subplot even more noticeable. The Seminoles moved on to Gabe Panikowski, and he has been perfect on field goals and extra points this season, so the position itself has not become a problem in Tallahassee. Still, Weinbergs success in Miami adds a little extra edge to a rivalry outcome Seminoles fans would rather not follow too closely if the Hurricanes keep pushing toward their goal. [Read more 🡒]