The FSView’s Cole Kruger (@colekru9 on X) previews Florida State football before they face off against the Miami Hurricanes
Doak S. Campbell Stadium is not an easy place to play; the Seminoles will welcome in the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
On Friday, Sept. 26, Florida State University (FSU) opened Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play with its first road game against the Virginia Cavaliers. In a game in which they were 6.5-point favorites, the Seminoles suffered a shocking upset, losing 46-38 in double overtime.
Had FSU remained undefeated, parlayed with top-five teams Georgia, Penn State and Louisiana State University (LSU) all losing, this would’ve been the first time the ’Noles and the Hurricanes faced off with both teams ranked in the top five since 2004.
Instead, the Garnet and Gold fell to No. 18 in the latest Associated Press (AP) Top 25, while the Hurricanes dropped one spot to No. 3.
For the first time this season Miami will be going on the road, traveling away from Hard Rock Stadium, paying a visit to Doak S. Campbell Stadium on Saturday night. Earlier this year, the University of Alabama Crimson Tide traveled to Tallahassee and suffered a season-opening loss, falling to Florida State 31-17.
For head coach Mike Norvell, this game serves as an opportunity to respond to the first taste of adversity this 2025 Seminoles team has had.
“You’ll see a sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium, prime time,” Norvell said in a press conference. “A wonderful stage to be able to show this team who we are, what we’re about, and the response that we’re going to have.”
Tony White’s defense struggled for the first time in the matchup against Virginia. They allowed a season-high 46 points, 440 yards and seven third-down conversions.
Facing experienced sixth-year redshirt senior Carson Beck could pose problems for the defensive side of the ball, especially if FSU redshirt junior safety Ashlynd Barker, listed as questionable, is unable to go.
Covering true freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney will also be an area of concern for the ’Noles defense.
Against Alabama, the Garnet and Gold limited star sophomore wide receiver Ryan Williams to 30 yards on five catches, but allowed 146 yards on eight catches to senior wide receiver Germie Bernard.
Transfer senior defensive back Jerry Wilson has been the most dependable piece of the secondary for Florida State, but he isn’t known to follow receivers throughout the game, primarily playing the strong side of the field.
Son of former Hurricane cornerback Earl Little, junior defensive back Earl Little Jr., also starts in the secondary for the Seminoles. Little Jr. is coming off the matchup against Virginia, where he led the team in tackles at 13, and earned a 55.4 grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) while struggling in coverage.
“We know this is a big matchup, we know what they want to do,” Little Jr. said in a press conference. “They want to run the ball, we know we have to get big and physical with them, and that is what we are going to do.”
As good as Miami’s offensive attack has been this season, FSU has an offense that can match it.
The ’Noles lead the nation in points per game with 53, and average about 600 yards of total offense per game. The Garnet and Gold have rushed for at least 230 yards and three touchdowns in each of the first four games this season.
For Florida State, this is the toughest defense it will have faced this season thus far. They have not faced a talent like junior defensive end Rueben Bain Jr., who will test Seminoles’ redshirt senior offensive tackles Micah Pettus and Gunnar Hansen.
Miami will have its hands full with dual-threat redshirt sophomore quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who averages nine rushing attempts and 198 passing yards per game. The Hurricanes last faced a dual-threat quarterback when they met University of South Florida (USF) senior Byrum Brown, limiting him to just two yards on 13 carries.
On the running back front, senior Roydell Williams is expected to be active for the first time since week one, being listed on the depth chart as a co-starter alongside senior Gavin Sawchuck, who became the first FSU player since 2006 with a rushing touchdown in each of the team’s first four games.
Everyone knows what Toney can do for the ’Canes, but the ’Noles have a freshman of their own in redshirt wide receiver Micahi Danzy.
Danzy, an explosive playmaker, has scored from 32, 53 and 64 yards this season, showcasing his big-play ability. Look for him to contribute alongside senior wide receivers Duce Robinson and Squirrel White, both transfers from this past offseason.
The Garnet and Gold have won their last two matchups against the Hurricanes in Tallahassee, and seek to beat an AP top-3 opponent for the first time since beating No. 2 Auburn in the 2013 National Championship when they face Miami on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Doak.
