DJ Uiagalelei and the Seminoles struggled to find their rhythm against the Eagles.
The Florida State Seminoles kicked off their home opener against ACC foe Boston College after dropping their first conference game of the season against Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland, 24-21. The loss was detrimental to the Seminoles’ charge for another ACC Title and a chance at a College Football Playoff rebirth after being snubbed a season ago.
It was a packed house despite the limited seating capacity inside Doak Campbell Stadium with 55,107 fans cheering on but Boston College’s Thomas Castellanos and the Eagles had cleared the stands by the end of the fourth quarter with a 28-13 upset. For a team with such high hopes on the ground, the running game was stunned by the Eagle defense, finishing with just 21 rushing yards.
At the beginning of the game, the Florida State defense forced a third down, but Boston College’s Thomas Castellanos managed to keep the drive going with a run. A pass to Reed Harris helped move the Eagles down the field, but Kevin Knowles II made a tackle for loss, leading to the Seminoles’ first three-and-out.
The Eagles quickly matched that with a three-and-out of their own, prompting the ‘Noles to punt from their own 10-yard line.
On their second possession, the Eagles benefited from a fumble recovery by Harris, caused by FSU linebacker Cam Riley, putting Boston College in field goal range. They took the lead with a quarterback keeper from the four-yard line.
There was a stark contrast in time of possession in the first quarter: Boston College ran 22 plays while FSU managed just three. This trend continued as the Seminoles gained only two yards before another three-and-out.
On third-and-six, Treshaun Ward from Boston College made a significant 42-yard catch, further challenging the Seminoles’ defense. Although Patrick Payton recorded a four-yard sack, Boston College extended their lead with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Ward.
With favorable field position, freshman running back Kam Davis provided a boost, and a 25-yard catch by Jaylin Lucas put the Seminoles in scoring range. However, they had to settle for a 31-yard field goal from kicker Ryan Fitzgerald.
Quarterback Uiagalelei completed key passes to Ja’Khi Douglas and Malik Benson to move past midfield. On fourth and one, he managed to keep the drive alive, and Fitzgerald added another three points with a 24-yard field goal, making the score 14-6.
To start the second half, Lucas sparked the offense, and a significant run by Davis helped advance the chains. However, head coach Mike Norvell opted to go for it on fourth and five, leading to Uiagalelei’s first interception of the season, returned by Max Tucker for 58 yards. Running back Kye Robichaux then increased Boston College’s lead with a four-yard touchdown catch.
FSU punter Mastromanno had a standout moment with a booming 65-yard punt during the Seminoles’ second consecutive three-and-out of the half. Running back Turbo Richard made some ground with two notable runs, but the defense held strong, forcing a quick punt.
Florida State wide receiver Jalen Brown recorded a 15-yard catch, and Kentron Poiter helped advance the team into the red zone, ultimately scoring their first touchdown on back-to-back 29-yard receptions.
Ward countered with a 23-yard catch, putting Boston College back in scoring position and answering with another touchdown, bringing the score to 28-13.
The offense continued to struggle with pass protection, allowing back-to-back sacks that forced FSU to punt from their own end zone. Both teams exchanged possessions, and the game concluded with a final score of 28-13.
Uiagalelei finished the game with 21 completions on 42 attempts for 272 yards, contributing one touchdown and one interception. The Seminoles scored only 13 points across 11 offensive drives.
The team has significant improvements to make during their bye week before facing a strong Memphis team on Saturday, September 14.
