Despite entering the Week 5 game at Doak Campbell Stadium as underdogs, Florida State found a way to turn the tide against Virginia. The Cavaliers had been one of the most mature and efficient teams in the country heading into the pivotal game in Tallahassee. Despite an early score from Virginia, the Seminoles were the team that looked better in every aspect of play.
Florida State out-gained the Cavaliers by 259 total yards of offense for a total of 464 yards. Virginia's stout running attack was left helpless, totaling just 37 yards on the ground as the four-headed monster was effectively shut down. The Seminoles, however, gained 281 yards on the ground after taking a page out of West Virginia's book with the key quarterback runs.
While the win cannot be attributed to just a few players, there are a handful of people who had a key impact on the result.
1. QB Ashton Daniels
With a new Florida State record for rushing touchdowns in a single game, quarterback Ashton Daniels deserves plenty of recognition for his performance. Daniels recorded five rushing touchdowns, 136 rushing yards, and 183 passing yards. The Seminoles' offense struggled out of the gate with three punts in a row, but Daniels stepped up and never looked back.
The 2026 season up to this point had not exactly been a memorable one for Daniels, who was expected to take a major step forward in his final year of eligibility. Despite having plenty of starting experience, Daniels failed to truly ignite the offense through four games, and his flashes of promise were not necessarily enough to really solidify his role as the starter.
The performance Daniels had against Virginia could be a turning point for the quarterback this season for multiple reasons. Daniels proved he can carry the offense with his legs, while additionally limiting his mistakes. When Daniels is efficient, he is a completely different quarterback, and that is the type of play that Florida State needs out of the position.
2. DL Rylan Kennedy
Florida State's defensive line had been quiet and largely ineffective leading up to the Week 5 game against Virginia. The Seminoles made up for lost time, notching 10 sacks on an elusive quarterback who brought with him one of the most experienced offensive lines in college football. The success of the defensive line cannot go unnoticed, and at the heart of the success was Rylan Kennedy.
Kennedy, who has played through minor injuries at times this season, entered the game with two sacks and five total tackles. Kennedy recorded four tackles and two sacks against Virginia alone, nearly doubling his totals for both categories. The entire defensive line was effective, but Kennedy looked like someone who truly found his role within the defense.
The level of competition Florida State is set to face will only increase moving forward, and Kennedy will need to continue to replicate his success against teams like Louisville, Miami, Clemson, and Florida.
3. LB Chris Jones
For once this season, Florida State's defense looked dominant from start to finish, and the result was a much-needed win. Plenty of players deserve praise for their performance, but linebacker Chris Jones has become the epitome of what Florida State needs to succeed.
Jones, a transfer from Southern Mississippi, quickly earned a significant role within the defense ahead of the 2026 season. The linebacker has done nothing but impress, with 24 total tackles on the season and notable performances against Alabama and SMU. Jones was seen flying around the field against Virginia, and whenever someone needed to make a big play, Jones was always in the area.
Bringing Florida State back to the top of the ACC is not an easy task, and doing so in 2026 would take even more surprising performances. To bring this program back, the Seminoles need dozens of players like Jones who are willing to put everything on the line to bring home a win. Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, Jones has proven himself to be as big a "football guy" as a player can get.
4. HC Mike Norvell
If there is anyone in Tallahassee who needed a win today, Norvell was certainly the guy after a difficult 2-2 start to the 2026 season. 2025 was a disaster for Norvell, and 2026 started with plenty of lingering issues that did not appear to have been addressed. It took Norvell until Week 5 to prove what the team is truly capable of, and now the team needs to maintain this level of play.
A few key wins in 2026 may not be enough to save Norvell in the midst of the ongoing buyout drama, but the only way the coach can stay is by proving that Florida State can compete. Virginia was the first challenge leading into a difficult stretch of ACC games against Louisville and Miami, and Norvell managed to pass with flying colors. The coach deserves credit for the win, but there needs to be much more than just a dominant victory over Virginia this season to save his job.
Norvell can breathe for a moment, and now his focus should solely be on how to prepare the team for a difficult upcoming ACC schedule.
5. DC Tony White
This is exactly the type of dominant defensive performance White needed his Seminoles' defense to display. Florida State was aggressive, physical, and precise all game against a veteran-led Virginia offense that wanted to make the game as old school as possible. White was able to beat the Cavaliers at their own game and then some, which is a great thing to see after the collapse in Tuscaloosa in Week 3.
The reality for the Seminoles is that there has always been enough talent on the 2026 roster to produce winning results, but getting all the right pieces in motion was a struggle. White proved that the defense is stacked with talent, and his next task will be to prove that this performance was not just a one-off game for the Seminoles.
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