Preview: Seminoles Looking for First ACC Win vs. Virginia
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After a
good week of practice, according to coach Mike Norvell, the Florida State
Seminoles (2-2, 0-1 in the ACC) feel good about their preparation for their
game against the Virginia Cavaliers (3-1, 0-1 in the ACC) on Saturday.
That is
a good thing, because the Seminoles are looking for their first ACC victory of
the season. It will be
Virginia’s first visit to Tallahassee in over a decade, and the Cavaliers have
not won at Doak Campbell Stadium since 2011. Last season, Florida State dropped
a 46-38 decision to the Cavaliers in Charlottesville.
Broadcast
Information
Date: Oct. 3, 2026
Time: 2:30 PM CDT
Location: Doak Campbell Stadium,
Tallahassee, Florida
TV: ESPN2
Betting
Odds: Virginia
-2.5-point favorite
Virginia
Cavaliers
Virginia, the
2025 ACC runner-up under head coach Tony Elliott, is led on the field by
quarterback Beau Pribula. A transfer from Missouri and Penn State, Pribula has
found early season success with the Cavaliers. Pribula ranks in the top 10 in
the FBS in completion percentage (76.7) and touchdown passes (11) while leading Virginia to averaging 40.5 points per game.
Pribula
will challenge a Florida State pass defense that allows 290 yards per game
through the air. That is bad enough to rank No. 135 in the FBS. In addition,
the Seminoles have intercepted three passes in their four games.
The
Cavaliers average 192.75 yards per game rushing the football, and will face a
Seminoles defense that has allowed 139.75 rushing yards per contest. Florida
State defensive coordinator Tony White told the media, and by extension the
Virginia coaching staff, that his team focused on stopping the run this week in
practice. We will see if that focus pays off, because the Seminole defenders
are executing defensive play calls with a success rate of around 60 percent,
according to White.
Florida
State Seminoles
The Florida
State offense will face off against a Virginia defense that ranks in the top 20
in total defense (247 yards per game), pass defense (130.3 yards per game), and
scoring defense (13 points per game).
Florida
State quarterback Ashton Daniels has struggled with ball security through four
games, and has thrown five interceptions. That is an issue that has plagued
Daniels throughout his career. Virginia is tied for No. 5 in the FBS in
interceptions with six, with multiple INTs in two of their four games this
season. Daniels has thrown six touchdown passes this season.
An
effective strategy against Virginia may be to feed running back Ousmane Kromah
the football as much as possible. Florida State can attack the Cavaliers
rushing defense, which has allowed opponents 116.75 yards per game this season.
Kromah has averaged 6.20 yards per carry and can pound the Cavaliers into
submission.
Against non-Power
4 opponents this season, Virginia allowed less than 100 yards rushing in three
games. However, against West Virginia, the Mountaineers shredded the Cavaliers
defense for 247 rushing yards and three touchdowns. So, Virginia is weak
against the run at times.
Over the
past two seasons, including a loss to SMU this season, Florida State has won
just three ACC games, with 14 conference losses. Something has to click in the
mindset of the Seminoles as they come out of the tunnel and onto Bobby Bowden
Field.
All the
good things that happened in practice this week, the execution and the focus, must
translate into a victory for Florida State. The Seminoles must rise above their
current station in their football life and make the war chant and the tomahawk chop
relevant again. That relevancy begins with a win on Saturday.
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