No. 8 Florida State squares off against Virginia at Scott Stadium on Friday as ACC play continues. Friday’s contest will be the Seminoles’ first road game of the young season as they look to improve to 4-0.
Florida State began the 2025 season with a statement 31-17 win against Alabama (then a top-10 team) in Tallahassee. Since taking down the Crimson Tide, the Seminoles have outscored their opponents 174-30 this season with former Boston College quarterback Tommy Castellanos under center.
Meanwhile, Virginia has gotten off to a strong 3-1 start to begin the 2025 campaign. Virginia’s only blemish was a 35-31 loss against NC State, and it is fresh off a 48-20 win against Stanford last weekend. Well-traveled senior quarterback Chandler Morris has thrived with eight touchdown passes over the first four games.
How to watch Florida State vs. Virginia live
Date: Friday, Sept. 26 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Scott Stadium — Charlottesville, Virginia
TV: ESPN | Streaming: Fubo (Try for free)
Florida State vs. Virginia: Need to know
Castellanos will look to use dual-threat ability: The Florida State quarterback hasn’t had to play a complete game in each of the Seminoles’ last two contests since they were up by a large margin. Castellanos is the type of quarterback that keeps defenses honest as he possesses the ability to take off at a moment’s notice. He’s completing a staggering 71.1% of his passes on the year while also averaging 5.1 yards per carry on the ground. Castellanos has also combined for six touchdowns (three passing and three rushing) this season, including rushing for a pair against Kent State last week. Virginia will likely have a spy on Castellanos on most plays to try to limit his running ability.
Seminoles need to keep stellar running game going: Castellanos offers immense rushing upside, but Florida State has a solid stable of running backs that have been productive thus far. Sophomore Samuel Singleton Jr. leads Seminole running backs with 168 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 12.0 yards per carry. Junior Gavin Sawchuk carries the ball the most out of Florida State’s backfield with 25 carries for 160 yards and a team-high five touchdowns. Overall, Florida State is averaging 363.0 yards per game on the ground, which is by far the most in the ACC up to this point. That will need to continue in order to thrive on the road this week.
Virginia aerial attack must continue to produce: The Cavaliers are among the top teams in the ACC when it comes to throwing the football. Morris has tossed the fourth-most touchdowns (8) and the fifth-most passing yards (1,050) in the conference up to this point. Morris has played mistake-free football with just one interception and has been sacked on just one occasion in 2025. While Florida State’s defense is easily the best that Virginia has faced, Morris has the talent to give the Seminoles fits at times.
Florida State vs. Virginia prediction, picks
It’s hard to argue with the way Florida State has begun the 2025 season. Defeating a then-top 10 team like Alabama was a breath of fresh air for a Florida State program that won just two games a season ago. The Seminoles have looked dominant on both sides of the ball. Granted, Florida State wasn’t exactly challenged in each of their last two contests, but it consistently made life difficult for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the season opener. Going on the road is certainly always a tougher test, but the Seminoles should have no problem covering a touchdown spread in Charlottesville. Pick: Florida State -6.5
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