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3 takeaways from Florida State’s stunning home loss to Boston College, falling to 0-2
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Florida State, a preseason top-10 team expected to make the College Football Playoff, is starting the 2024 season 0-2.
Mike Norvell’s Seminoles entered Week 1, their second game of the season, favored by more than 2 touchdowns at home against an unranked Boston College squad.
Once Boston College took a 7-0 lead, ESPN Analytics’ win probability never swung back in FSU’s favor. Boston College dominated FSU in all facets, upsetting the Noles in Tallahassee 28-13. Boston College even elected to kneel down and run out the clock after reaching the FSU 4-yard line at the 2-minute warning.
Boston College dominated time of possession by a 39-21 split. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos was 10-of-16 passing for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns, rushing 14 times for 73 yards and a score.
Here are 3 quick takeaways from Monday night’s game:
1. RIP Florida State’s Playoff hopes
Week 1 games aren’t supposed to decide a team’s College Football Playoff fate, especially with the new 12-team CFP. Florida State, though, was playing its second game of the season. It was also FSU’s second conference contest.
As the ESPN broadcast showed before kickoff, an 0-2 ACC start lowers FSU’s chances of making the CFP to just 1%.
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) September 2, 2024
This is simply a stunning start to the season for the Seminoles. With a top-10 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25 as the defending ACC Champion, FSU was featured in numerous preseason CFP predictions. The Florida State faithful had every reason to be confident in Mike Norvell’s squad after a 23-4 record in the past two seasons.
The 12-team Playoff places a premium on conference champions. At this point, every conference race is technically wide open. But with an 0-2 start in ACC play, with the Noles playing like they are, the Playoff should be the last thing on their mind.
2. DJ Uiagalelei struggles again. Will FSU make a change?
DJ Uiagalelei’s home Florida State debut went too much like his FSU debut in Dublin.
Uiagalelei’s stat line was rough. His situational mistakes, however, might be even more concerning.
Trailing 14-3, FSU had a 13-play, 70-yard drive late in the 2nd quarter. The Seminoles made it down to the Boston College 6-yard line. In a goal-to-go situation, Uiagalelei threw three incomplete passes. He was off target more than once. FSU settled for a field goal, a victory for the BC defense.
Florida State received the ball to open the 2nd half. Facing 4th-and-5 on their own 47-yard line, the Seminoles went for it. Uiagalelei threw a costly interception, setting up a score that extended Boston College’s lead to 21-6.
The Florida State crowd chanted “We Want Brock!” in hopes Norvell would turn to Brock Glenn at QB. Uiagalelei would eventually lead a scoring drive, but his inconsistency hinders the FSU passing attack to the point it’s fair to wonder if Norvell will bench his prized transfer.
A "WE WANT BROCK" chant breaks out after Boston College takes a two-touchdown lead over Florida State.
FSU fans at the Doak have seen all they want of DJ Uiagalelei. pic.twitter.com/LKpl22jLdy
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 3, 2024
3. FSU was dominated in the trenches…again
More stunning than 0-2 start might be how FSU has lost its two games. Arguably, even more concerning than Uiagalelei’s struggles is how the Seminoles are getting worked in the trenches.
Florida State is losing at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.
FSU’s defensive line entered the season hyped as being loaded with NFL talent. The Seminoles are getting pushed around and opponents are running wild. Boston College ran the ball 52 times for 263 yards. BC’s sack-adjusted rush average was 5.4 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, the FSU offense managed only 21 net rushing yards on 16 carries. Granted, FSU had to abandon the run playing from behind, the Noles were still only good for 36 sack-adjusted yards, 2.8 per carry.
If FSU can’t figure out the trenches, things are going to get worse before they get better.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
