Florida State commenced its new era under interim head coach Rick Stockstill with a crucial road victory on Saturday, snapping a prolonged streak of away game losses for the Seminoles.
The Seminoles triumphed over Boston College with a final score of 31-24. Running back Amari Thomas was instrumental, contributing two rushing touchdowns, including an 11-yard score late in the fourth quarter that propelled Florida State into the lead and secured a debut win for Stockstill. Prior to Saturday's contest, FSU had not claimed a victory away from Doak Campbell Stadium since November 25, 2023. Quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 15 of 26 passes for 178 yards, throwing one interception.
For Boston College, quarterback Mason McKenzie concluded the game with 166 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Decisive Drive and Emotional Victory
With the score deadlocked at 24 points apiece, the Seminoles mounted a formidable 90-yard drive over 14 plays. Thomas ultimately broke free to the outside for the game-winning touchdown with just 2:29 remaining in the contest.
A visibly emotional Stockstill, who was one of legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden’s initial quarterbacks, reflected on the moment:
"This was emotional for me today. I guess I wanted it as much for our players in there as I did for my former teammates and all our other players that came before us. It was special, it’s emotional."
"I poured my heart and soul into this place as a player, and I was going to do that for these next couple of months here," he added.
Momentum Swings and Strategic Plays
Boston College experienced a significant moment midway through the third quarter when quarterback McKenzie was shaken up and left the field. However, he returned for the subsequent series and executed a remarkable trick play. In this unique maneuver, every offensive player spun around in a circle before aligning in a spread formation. McKenzie then delivered an underhanded pass for a two-yard touchdown to Javarius Green, which briefly put Boston College ahead 24-21.
Boston College coach Bill O’Brien commented on the innovative play, stating, "It was just a play in our game plan that we thought would be good for these guys."
Florida State responded to the Eagles' score, with Gabe Panikowski’s 22-yard field goal leveling the game once more.
Playing their inaugural game since the dismissal of coach Mike Norvell after more than six seasons, Florida State demonstrated resilience. The team erased a 17-7 second-quarter deficit by scoring two touchdowns in the final six minutes of the half. Thomas's 20-yard run down the right sideline was key in narrowing the gap to three points before halftime.
Looking Ahead for Boston College
The Eagles entered Saturday’s matchup aiming to recover from one of the most lopsided defeats of O’Brien’s coaching tenure, a prior loss where they fell 47-2. Boston College is now scheduled to travel to Indiana next week to compete against No. 11 Notre Dame.
