Florida State will open its home season on Labor Day with a bigger sense of urgency than some might have expected. The Seminoles hope to avoid falling to 0-2 when they face Boston College on Monday night.
Last week’s 24-21 last-second defeat against Georgia Tech in Ireland threw a wrench in Florida State’s plans to march through the ACC for a second straight season, and though the ‘Noles have an extra couple of days to adjust following the international travel, there’s little let-down time with another conference opponent up next on the schedule. Boston College is now led by former Penn State and Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien, who after three seasons as an offensive coordinator at Alabama and in the NFL is returning to his home state for his next head coaching gig. The Eagles were a bowl team a year ago and do return a dynamic quarterback in Thomas Castellanos, but whether they’re prepared to repeat Georgia Tech’s Week 0 feat won’t be known until after kickoff on Monday.
So with Florida State looking to get back on track after a stunning loss and Boston College eyeing a strong start to the Bill O’Brien era, there’s plenty at stake for this standalone ACC showdown in Tallahassee.
Florida State vs. Boston College: Need to know
Florida State’s offense eyes more consistency: The Seminoles plowed through Georgia Tech’s defense on their first offensive possession of the game, and DJ Uiagalelei came up big in key moments during a long game-tying touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. For the five offensive possessions between, however, the offense averaged just 4.0 yards per play and totaled just six points on a pair of 50-plus yard field goals. If Florida State is going to contend for an ACC title in 2024, it needs to be able to deliver big plays more consistently and take advantage of scoring opportunities by reaching the end zone rather than settling for field goals. When looking at what can be gained in their second game of the season, a more consistent performance offensively is a great place to start.
Castellanos is an X-factor for the Eagles: Boston College nearly upset Florida State in September of last season, pushing the eventual ACC champs to the brink in a 31-29 Seminoles victory. Castellanos was a force in that game, throwing for 305 yards and rushing for 95 yards while accounting for a pair of touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). On the season as a whole, Castellanos became just the fifth ACC quarterback since 1996 to total 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in a season, joining a list that includes Lamar Jackson (twice) and Deshaun Watson. Florida State’s defense had trouble at times containing Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King when he decided to make plays with his legs, which both opens the door for Boston College to have success but also identifies a key place where the Seminoles are sure to make adjustments coming out of last week’s defeat.
Looking for a return to recent form: Since the start of 2022, Florida State is 23-5 overall, carrying a winning percentage (.821) that is the best in the ACC in that span inside the top-six nationally in win total (fourth) and winning percentage (sixth). While Mike Norvell’s first seasons at the helm in Tallahassee included some frustrating losses as he built up the foundation of his program, there were few times that the Seminoles lost in games they were expected to win like they did against Georgia Tech in Week 0. A return to form against Boston College would be a welcome sign for FSU fans and a sign that maybe that overseas result was more of an anomaly than an indication of a step down from the program’s recent contender status.
How to watch Florida State vs. Boston College live
Date: Monday, Sept. 2 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Doak Campbell Stadium — Tallahassee, Florida
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Florida State vs. Boston College prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Florida State learned a lot about its new pieces in the loss to Georgia Tech, and I expect that from a game-planning and play-calling perspective we will see a bit more certainty. More offensive consistency and success should lead to more points for the Seminoles, but I’m not ready to think that Castellanos is going to be bottled up considering what he did to arguably a better defense last season. It seems like a Florida State win, especially at home, but with a big number on the spread I’ll stick with my confidence in both teams having offensive success. Pick: Over 50.5
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 1? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit since its inception — and find out.
