Florida State finally ended the drought on the road.
The Seminoles went into Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Nov. 7, and came away with a 31-24 win over Boston College, snapping a 12-game road losing streak that had stretched nearly three years. It was FSU’s first road victory in 1,078 days, its first win under interim head coach Rick Stockstill, and a needed response after a three-game skid that helped lead to Mike Norvell’s firing.
Ashton Daniels did enough to steer the offense through the finish. He completed 15 of 26 passes for 178 yards with one interception, his nation-leading 12th, and added a rushing touchdown, his 13th of the season. His biggest work came on the final possession, when he guided a 14-play, 90-yard drive that featured three third-down conversions and ended with the game-winning score.
Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie finished 15-for-27 for 166 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while also rushing for 38 yards. He left briefly in the third quarter after taking a hit to the head, then returned on the next drive.
FSU’s offense found its rhythm through a younger group of playmakers. Micahi Danzy filled the void left by Duce Robinson with seven catches for 86 yards on 10 targets, plus 11 rushing yards on one carry. Jasen Lopez made his first career start and turned it into 54 receiving yards on four catches, including a 30-yard grab in tight coverage in the third quarter that helped set up a touchdown.
Danzy also sparked the comeback in the second quarter. With Florida State trailing 17-7, he caught three straight passes for 41 yards, setting up freshman Amari Thomas for the first rushing touchdown of his college career, a 20-yard run.
Thomas kept rolling after that, finishing with 98 yards and two total scores, including the game-winning touchdown and the first down that sealed it. With Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton out and Tre Wisner not fully healthy, Thomas handled the lead-back role and delivered.
After managing just 23 yards in the opening quarter, Florida State piled up 372 yards and 31 points over the final three quarters.
The defense also settled in after a rough start under interim coordinator Ernie Sims. FSU allowed 106 yards and seven points in the second quarter, but regrouped after halftime and gave up only 127 yards and one score the rest of the way. The Seminoles also forced two interceptions, one by Nehemiah Chandler and one by Ja’Bril Rawls.
Florida State made a schematic change, moving to a 4-2-5 after previously using a 3-3-5 under Tony White. That adjustment helped the defense come up with the stops it needed late.
Chandler’s biggest play came after the game was tied at 24. Boston College faced third-and-7, and Chandler jumped a route that would have moved the chains.
He punched the ball away before it reached the receiver, and Florida State cashed in on the next drive with the go-ahead touchdown. On Boston College’s final series, pass breakups by Ashlynd Barker and Chandler on third and fourth down finished the job.
Rawls added the interception, a pass breakup and three tackles. Barker posted 10 tackles and the key breakup. Chandler led the group with two breakups and the interception.
Special teams had its own say in the result. Lopez’s 40-yard punt return late in the first quarter came when the offense had only five yards, and it set up Florida State’s first touchdown.
Then came the play that will stand out the most: with under a minute left in the first half and facing fourth-and-goal at the one, the Seminoles lined up for a field goal that would have tied the game at 17. Instead, holder Carter Jula flipped the ball over his head to Gabe Panikowski, who ran into the corner of the end zone.
It was the first touchdown by a kicker in FSU history. Panikowski also hit a 22-yard field goal and was perfect on extra points.
Florida State is now 4-5 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, with a trip to Pittsburgh coming next on Nov. 13. The Seminoles still have NC State on Nov. 21 and Florida on Nov. 27 left on the schedule.
In Other News...
FSU Depth Chart Shakeup Raises Big Questions Before Boston College
Florida States updated depth chart ahead of Boston College came with a few notable changes, and the most eye-catching one was at quarterback. Junior Malachi Marshall is no longer listed, leaving Ashton Daniels and Kevin Sperry as the names at the position as the Seminoles keep sorting through their options heading into the matchup.
The changes did not stop there. Duce Robinson is out for the season at wide receiver, which opens the door for Jasen Lopez to move into the starting role and pushes Devin Carter into a backup spot. On defense, Cam Brooks is now the primary backup at defensive end, Deamontae Diggs has shifted inside to defensive tackle, and Daniel Lyons is listed as the starter there with Kevin Wynn sidelined, leaving Florida State with a few more lineup questions than it would prefer this late in the week. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Finally Showed Fight But One Bigger Question Just Started
Florida State finally had a night that looked and felt like a response, beating Boston College 31-24 and giving interim coach Rick Stockstill his first win. The Seminoles had to climb out of a second-quarter deficit to do it, and Amari Thomas was central to the turnaround, punching in two rushing touchdowns while the offense found enough rhythm to stay in the fight. The game also featured a successful fake field goal, a reminder that the staff was willing to lean on creativity to steal momentum when it mattered.
Even with the result in hand, the bigger question for Florida State is what this win actually means going forward. Beating Boston College was a needed step, and the late fourth-quarter finish showed the Seminoles could still make plays under pressure, but one victory does not erase the uncertainty around where this team is headed under Stockstill. The next stretch will tell whether this was a one-off spark or the start of something more stable. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Opens A New Chapter With A Telling Game Day Choice
Saturdays matchup with Boston College arrives with a different feel for Florida State, not just because of the noon kickoff on ACC Network, but because it is the first game since Mike Norvells departure. Rick Stockstill takes over as interim head coach, and the Seminoles enter this one trying to steady things while still leaning on the parts of the roster that have carried them at times this season.
Ashton Daniels gives Florida State a clear offensive centerpiece, with his efficiency and scoring impact standing out on a national level. The defense and special teams have also posted notable statistical achievements, which gives the Seminoles some structure as they move into this new stretch, even if the bigger questions around the program are only beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]