Despite entering a difficult Week 5 home game as slight underdogs, Florida State found a way to dominate in all phases against a team that was arguably better on paper. The Virginia Cavaliers entered the season with plenty of hype, and a loss to West Virginia did not take much wind out of its sails. The Seminoles were able to see through the hype and experience incredibly.
Ahead of the 2026 season, Week 5 was circled on the calendar for Florida State as the game marked the start of a potentially daunting run. Virginia, Louisville, Miami, and Clemson all in a row, one year after a losing streak sank the season for the Seminoles. Coach Mike Norvell needed his players to improve quickly to avoid a disastrous start to the stretch, and quarterback Ashton Daniels leaped forward in a major way.
Ashton Daniels vs. Virginia: 12/19 183 yards, 1 INT, 136 rushing yards, 5 rushing TDs
Quarterback Grade: A
Daniels was perhaps the player who entered the Week 5 clash against Virginia with the most to prove following an up-and-down stretch to begin the season. There were plenty of positives, like the 377-yard passing display against Alabama, but often the success had come at the cost of amplified mistakes.
On paper, Virginia posed a potentially massive threat to Daniels due to the experience in the secondary. The slow start to the game increased the severity of those worries, as Florida State looked trapped on offense through the first three drives. However, Daniels found a way to provide a spark for the offense and continuously exploited the weakness in the Cavaliers' defense.
Daniels had plenty of success with designed quarterback runs, but it was the improvised plays and open-field moves that truly impressed. Norvell needed his quarterback to prove he is a veteran through his play, and the five-touchdown performance on the ground should be enough.
Probably the biggest issue with the play of Daniels this season is that he has often looked more like a young quarterback than a five-year veteran. Florida State may have gone with a lower-ranked option in the transfer portal, but the expectation had been that Daniels would put it all together in his fifth year. Daniels looked like what someone with his experience should look like against Virginia, picking apart the defense by reading right through them.
Daniels proved he can be effective quarterback
The only reason Daniels has been docked a half a letter grade is due to the interception. Ideally, Florida State would like it if Daniels' explosive performance came without any turnovers, especially ones that directly result in an opponent's score. The quarterback still needs to find a way to avoid putting passes into dangerous spots after tossing a pass to Jayvan Boggs in the worst spot.
Virginia was not able to do anything with the interception, but the entire sequence should still serve as a lesson for Daniels. Boggs was heading towards the sideline with a defender over the top of him, and the pass was placed behind Boggs, which was the only spot where the defender would be able to catch a deflection. It was a poorly placed pass from Daniels, and all the quarterback can do is learn from the mistake.
Aside from the interception, Daniels rarely put himself or his passes in danger during the win over Virginia. This was the kind of performance Florida State had needed out of the quarterback to prove that with efficient play, winning results can follow. It is vital that Daniels finds a way to build upon the successful performance moving forward, now that he has established what he is capable of.
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