University of Miami Hurricanes logo – Florida State rivalry game – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by University of College
The game notes for the Florida State Seminoles‘ forthcoming matchup versus Miami were made public to start the week. Nine ‘things to know’ for the ACC game in Miami Gardens were included in the announcement.
- This week, Florida State travels to Miami for an in-state rivalry game, completing the second portion of the season’s only two-game road trip. Ten of the previous fourteen games in the series, including the last three, have been won by FSU.
- With a kickoff return touchdown in each of the previous three seasons, Florida State is one of just two teams in the nation and the only one in the ACC. With a 95-yard kickoff return score to start the second half against Duke, Samuel Singleton Jr. stretched FSU’s winning streak to three consecutive years. Trey Benson got FSU’s first kickoff return touchdown since the 2013 season in 2022 when he returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a score at Boston College. Deuce Spann had a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown at home against the Blue Devils last year.
- After blocking one field goal at Cal, one at SMU, two against Clemson, and one punt block against Duke, the Seminoles have five blocked kicks this season, which puts them first in the country. Florida State has the longest four-game stretch with at least one blocked kick this season and is the only team in the nation to do so in four consecutive games. Since the 2020 season began, FSU’s 14 blocked kicks under Mike Norvell rank sixth nationally and second among P4 conference programs.
- With a net punting average of 46.34 yards per punt, Florida State leads the nation. Alex Mastromanno is the nation’s top punter with an average of 49.4 yards per punt and leads the nation with 19 punts of 50 yards or more. Although the next-closest punter has 14 this season, he has by far the most 50-yard punts with one or fewer touchbacks.
- FSU’s average of 25.0 yards per kickoff return places them 18th nationally and first in the ACC.
- The only kicker in the nation with four made field goals from a distance of at least fifty-two yards is Ryan Fitzgerald. He is the third kicker in FSU history to have at least four 50-yard field goals in a single season and one of four kickers with four in 2024. He is among the six kickers in the country who have yet to make a field goal this season.
- Florida State held Duke to 180 total yards of offense, 70 passing yards, and a season-high eight pass breakups. The Seminoles’ pass breakup total was their most since recording 10 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game triumph, and the passing yards total was the fewest given by an ACC team against a P4 league opponent this season. FSU’s red zone defense, which holds opponents to a.767 success rate, places them third in the ACC and 27th nationally.
- In the victory over Cal, Florida State recorded 7.0 sacks, the highest in a game since the 2023 ACC Championship Game and the most the Bears have given up since October 19, 2019. That sack number matched for the sixth-highest single-game sack total nationwide in 2024 and is the most by an ACC club against an FBS opponent this season.
- In 2024, ten Florida State athletes have made their first appearance on a collegiate field. Wide receiver Hykeem Williams has started four straight games, and linebacker Blake Nichelson has started five. K.J. Kirkland, a defensive back, has started four of the previous five games. Jaylen Early, an offensive lineman, has started four games so far this season. Jalen Brown, a wide receiver, started the season’s first two games. Both offensive lineman André Otto and tight end Landen Thomas started their next games at Duke after making their debuts against Clemson. Tight ends Jackson West and Brian Courtney had their first career starts against Memphis, and linebacker Justin Cryer made his first start against Duke.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
