The Virginia Cavaliers entered Tallahassee as notable favorites, but it was Florida State who put together the dominant performance in Week 5. Virginia was able to develop momentum early against the Seminoles' defense with the first score of the game. The momentum did not last long, however, as the story of the rest of the game was about the Cavaliers' struggle to find success in all phases of play.
As the dust begins to settle on the game, here are a few quick overreactions to Florida State's big win at home.
1. Mike Norvell should be incredibly thankful that he has Chris Jones
Florida State needed help on both sides of the ball to defeat a strong team like Virginia, and linebacker Chris Jones proved to be extremely valuable once again. Jones was seemingly everywhere during the game, and he played a key role in multiple fourth-down stops for the Seminoles.
Jones finished the game with six total tackles and 1.5 sacks, which is the first sack and assist the linebacker has recorded this season. The sacks are additionally the first that Jones has recorded against a power conference opponent after transferring over from Southern Mississippi.
Coach Mike Norvell has not had the prettiest output on defense this season overall, but this unit could reach another gear with the help of Jones. Fellow linebackers Mikai Gbayor and Omar Graham Jr. are both talented and valuable players. However, Jones is able to provide a different level of skill to the defense with his physically imposing style of play.
The Seminoles have had plenty of positive moments without Jones this season, but his play in the midst of major injuries on defense is notable. As a coach, there is not much more that you can ask for out of Jones, and his value to this defense is immense.
2. The defensive line may have just needed more time
Florida State entered the game knowing the Cavaliers' goal on offense was to make the game a gritty one in the trenches. The Seminoles did an excellent job at figuring out what Virginia wanted to do, and the battle along the line was never truly trending in favor of the Cavaliers during the game. That type of dominance is what Florida State has needed, and building off of this game will be critical.
The Seminoles recorded 10 sacks against Virginia, with seven sacks being credited to the defensive line. Rylan Kennedy was the star of the show along the defensive line, with two sacks, three tackles for loss, and a pass defense.
Virginia has one of the most experienced offensive lines in the country, and beating the Cavaliers up front is not an easy task. For Florida State to do so and do so convincingly proves the talent has been there, but the results have not been up to this point.
The biggest takeaway from the game for Florida State defensively should be identifying what worked and how the success against Virginia can be translated over to next week. The Seminoles have struggled to maintain momentum this season, and this is the type of performance that can truly ignite the defensive line the rest of the season. Keeping this momentum going into Week 6 is vital.
3. Ashton Daniels may not have hit his peak yet this season
The key to Florida State's success on offense against Virginia was the great game on the ground that quarterback Ashton Daniels had. Daniels racked up 131 rushing yards and four scores in three quarters of play against a veteran-heavy defense. Daniels finished the game with five rushing touchdowns, a new Florida State record.
There are still some issues present, like the inaccurate throws and his approach towards risky passing situations, but Daniels has been slowly improving this season. The performance against Alabama was one of the most prolific of his career, despite the three costly interceptions, and Daniels proved he can use his legs against talented defenses as well.
Daniels did a great job at reading the pressure that Virginia sent and avoiding a significant loss. The biggest problem Daniels has had up to this point is that his mistakes have outweighed his success, but when the quarterback limits his errors, Florida State looks like a far different team on offense.
When Florida State has looked good on offense, Daniels has been a big part of that. Virginia is not an easy defense to play against, and his performance might prove to be just the start of his improvements taking shape.
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