FSU snaps 1,078-day road drought with win at Boston College

Following the firing of Mike Norvell last week, Florida State football traveled to take on the Boston College Eagles for its first test under interim head coach Rick Stockstill on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Seminoles defeated the Eagles 31-24, ending a 1,078-day drought that hung over their heads.

FSU, which had not won a true road game since beating the University of Florida on Nov. 25, 2023, snapped a 12-game road losing streak against a team it had beaten in five of their previous six meetings. The lone loss came in 2024, the last time the two programs met, when the 'Noles fell at home, adding an extra layer to the feat.

"I dreamt all my life of, you know, one day being a coach at Florida State and to have this opportunity and to have a win, it's something that I'll cherish, you know, all my life," Stockstill said with tears in his eyes in the press conference after the game.

The matchup also served as a test of depth for the Garnet and Gold, as several key players are now sidelined with injuries. Two of Florida State's main offensive weapons, sophomore running back Ousmane Kromah and senior wide receiver Duce Robinson , are out for the season. The injury trend continued in the second quarter, when senior center Bradyn Welch-Joiner was carted off the field with a leg injury.

Daniels leads FSU second-quarter turnaround

The Garnet and Gold got off to a slow start in the first quarter, with senior quarterback Ashton Daniels completing none of his three pass attempts as the offense struggled to convert on third downs. Boston College jumped out to a 10-0 lead.

Florida State turned momentum around in the opening minutes of the second quarter when Daniels showcased his speed with a 4-yard rushing touchdown. Daniels finished the game completing 15 of 26 pass attempts, helping move the Seminoles down the field and allowing the offense to consistently respond.

FSU's theme of the game was to find a way. Fifth-year senior kicker Gabe Panikowski scored on a 1-yard run off a fake field goal with 51 seconds left in the first half. He then made the extra point to give FSU a 21-17 lead.

"I've been working on it for a little while now and I trust myself to run," Panikowski said in the press conference after the game. "I ran track and field in high school and I've actually always wanted to showcase my speed so I made sure that the coaches knew we had that in our toolbox."

The play showed that the 'Noles, despite being shorthanded on personnel due to injuries, can still find production from unexpected sources.

"I've got coach Bowden's blood in me," Stockstill said. "And you know he'd run a trick play too so maybe he's smiling down on me right now."

Thomas, Lopez fill roles amid offensive injuries

Freshman running back Amari Thomas scored his first career touchdown on a 20-yard run in the second quarter, stepping into the backfield in Kromah's absence. Thomas found the end zone again with 2:29 left in the game, scoring the go-ahead touchdown on FSU's game-winning drive.

"[Injuries are] adversity, every team faces it," Thomas said in the press conference after the game. "You just got to know what to do next, like when the moment comes, step up to the challenge and execute."

Fellow freshman wide receiver Jasen Lopez also rose to the occasion for the Garnet and Gold, notching four receptions for 54 yards, an average of 13.5 yards per catch.

"He's getting better every week," Stockstill said. "With Duce going down he got a little bit more of an opportunity there today and made some really nice plays."

Florida State now moves to 4-5 on the season and will look to continue its road success when the team travels to face the University of Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13.

Gia Ciaccio is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.