Virginia’s first real trip away from home this season comes with a stiff ACC exam.
The Cavaliers head to Florida State on Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee for a conference matchup that will tell a lot about both teams. Virginia is 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC after opening league play with a win, and it followed its neutral-site loss to West Virginia in Charlotte on Sept. 19 with a 42-3 rout of Delaware last weekend.
For a Virginia roster built around age and experience, the road shouldn’t feel foreign. The Cavaliers lead the nation with 31 players in at least their fifth year of college, and Florida State coach Mike Norvell made clear Monday that the veteran profile stands out on film.
"Their offensive line is extremely experienced and older," Florida State coach Mike Norvell said Monday. "They've done a good job of being able to control the line of scrimmage.
"Defensively they're big, they're old, they're experienced. Their linebackers fly around sideline to sideline. We get one-on-one opportunities, we've got to go win them."
Florida State is trying to build off a much-needed win of its own. The Seminoles are 2-2 and 0-1 in the ACC after beating Central Arkansas 34-7 last week, snapping a two-game skid against ranked SMU and Alabama.
Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott said the challenge is obvious.
"They're extremely talented, they're well-coached, and if you want to find your way to Charlotte (for the ACC title game), you got to win down in Tallahassee."
Quarterback play gives this matchup another layer. Virginia’s Beau Pribula has been sharp, completing 76.7% of his passes for 793 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception. Against Delaware, he accounted for five touchdowns - four through the air and one on the ground - before leaving in the third quarter with the game well in hand.
Florida State counters with Ashton Daniels, who has thrown for 928 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 142 rushing yards and four scores. He connected on touchdown passes of 29 and 34 yards in the win over Central Arkansas.
The ground game is another shared strength. Florida State leans on Ousmane Kromah, who has 397 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Virginia spreads the workload around, with five players, including Pribula, sitting between 125 and 177 rushing yards.
The series history tilts toward the Seminoles, even if Virginia has the recent edge. The Cavaliers have won the last two meetings, but Florida State still leads the all-time series 15-5 and owns a 9-1 record at home. Virginia’s lone win in Tallahassee came in 2011.
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Mike Norvell's Pressure Just Changed But Florida State Still Has Work Left
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James Franklins success at Virginia Tech only sharpens that backdrop, especially with the recruiting momentum he has helped build there. For Florida State, the contrast is uncomfortable because it raises the question of how different things might have looked had the Seminoles landed him instead, and whether a coaching change now would only deepen the sense that a costly opportunity already passed by. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Gets An Early Gut Check For Luke Loucks New Look Team
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For Florida State, the matchup offers an immediate chance to see where this group stands against a physical, well-coached opponent with a proven rotation. Tennessee brings a lineup anchored by Jalen Haralson, Dai Dai Ames, Juke Hurts, Miles Rubin and center DeWayne Brown, and the Seminoles will learn plenty in a road environment that should reveal early whether Loucks new look team is ready for that kind of stage. [Read more 🡒]