The Florida State Seminoles are coming off another lopsided win in Week 4 against Kent State. FSU out-gained the Golden Flashes 775 to 206 and remain undefeated on the season. However, the tests get tougher as the schedule continues. This week, it’s FSU vs. Virginia for ACC play with a tricky night road game, so let’s dive into this 2025 preview.
FSU Seminoles vs. Virginia Cavaliers: Football History and Game Excerpts
Florida State leads the series against the Virginia Cavaliers 14-4. The last matchup was in 2019, where Virginia won at home, 31-24. From 1996 to 2004, FSU had won nine straight games in this series, but since then, the series is tied at three to three.
In his weekly press conference, Mike Norvell spoke about going on the road for the first time in their Week 5 matchup.
FSU vs. Virginia 2025 Preview: Keys, Players, and Predictions
Key Players for FSU
Tommy Castellanos suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter against Kent State and was seen limping off the field. He practiced on Monday, but if Castellanos is limited at all against Virginia, the offense will take a big hit. Castellanos is at his best when he can scramble, and a lot of his big gains have come on non-designed runs.
The last two weeks have been against easy opponents for the Seminoles. So, it will be interesting to see if the running back rotation changes again because of the competition. Virginia is 33rd-best against the run so far this season, but they have not seen an attack like the Seminoles. Gavin Sawchuk will play a big role as the leader out of the backfield, and Ousmane Kromah could provide physical running to help wear down the Cavalier defense.
Duce Robinson had a quiet game against Kent State, and most of the passing by Castellanos was completed to running backs coming out of the backfield. Micahi Danzy only had two catches, but they were for 112 yards. Both Robinson and Danzy are playmakers, and the Virginia secondary will need to limit the explosive plays.
This will be step up in competition after two easy weeks for the defense. Kent State only got in the end zone once but they were able to move the ball against the Seminoles defense. With a better quarterback, the defense needs to shore up some of their coverages. Earl Little Jr. will be crucial to help stopping the Virginia passing game that averages over 300 yards per game. The Cavaliers are balanced on offense, so Justin Cryer will need to continue to be quick to stop the run game.
Key Players for Virginia
Virginia’s offense is much improved from last year. The Cavaliers were ranked 97th in total yards per game in 2024 and so far in 2025 they are ranked 11th in the nation with over 500 yards per game. Anything is better than last year, but their opponents have defenses ranked 81, 86, and 118 in total yards allowed per game.
The Virginia offense is led by transfer Chandler Morris who has over 1000 yards and has thrown eight touchdowns to only one interception. Not only is Morris not turning over the ball, but he has completed 70-percent of his passes for the season (highest of his career).
The running game is spread out over four different backs that all have at least over 140 yards on the season. Jamari Taylor and Harrison Waylee lead the committee and both average over six yards a carry. Trell Harris is the leading receiver with 321 yards and has a catch rate of 81 percent, along with three touchdowns.
Daniel Rickert is the leader when it comes to pressure by the defense. He leads the team with three sacks and a total of 11 pressure on the season. James Jackson and Landon Danley lead the team in tackles and are the key linebackers for the Cavaliers. The defense only has one interception through three games, so the Seminoles should be able to exploit the secondary.
2025 Game Prediction: How FSU Wins vs. Virginia in Week 5
This will be the first road test for the Seminoles and they can’t overlook Virginia on Friday night. FSU has been focused with two inferior opponents, but they need to make sure not to look ahead to the game against the Hurricanes in Week 6. Florida State must come out quick and be aggressive. The easiest way to quiet a crowd is to score early. FSU has not had to play from behind, so it is important to get the early lead to keep downs manageable and rely on the running game.
Against Kent State, there were a few times where misdirection hurt the Seminoles defense. Because of that, communication and discipline will be important this week. Virginia is much better running the ball then Alabama, through four games they are ranked 25th in the nation with over 210 rush yards per game. If the defense can limit the run of Virginia, then they can get the pressure like they did against Alabama when they were one dimensional. FSU can’t allow big plays and must make Virginia work its way all the way down the field on long drives.
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Brandon Haye
Brandon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and works as a health insurance data analyst. He has no children, but two fur babies - Squirt and Brownie. He and his wife, Katie, spend their time playing poker and enjoying time with their pups. Brandon is a huge Michigan Wolverine and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. Brandon started writing for The League Winners in 2021.