No. 3 Florida State aiming for big win when it plays Boston College in Red Bandanna Game
Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker (18) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Markeston Douglas in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against Southern Mississippi, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. FSU won 66-13. Credit: AP/Phil Sears
No. 3 Florida State (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at Boston College (1-1, 0-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
Line: Florida State by 26 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Florida State leads 15-5.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Florida State is coming off of a 66-13 victory over Southern Mississippi in which it scored the most points of the Mike Norvell era. The Seminoles get to ease into ACC play with Boston College, which struggled to put away FCS Holy Cross before winning 31-28 in overtime. A big victory would help FSU maintain its No. 3 ranking and remain on track for the College Football Playoff. Boston College has scheduled its annual Red Bandanna Game, which honors former BC lacrosse player Welles Crowther, who died saving others in the Sept. 11 attack. BC is 4-5 in the Red Bandanna Game since 2014, when the Eagles beat No. 9 Southern California in the inaugural edition.
KEY MATCHUP
Boston College must establish its running game to have any chance of competing. Top back Pat Garwo injured his ankle early in the Holy Cross game, but Kye Robichaux ran 19 times for 94 yards and quarterback Thomas Castellanos added 69 yards on the ground. More importantly, the offensive line has escaped injury so far – the biggest problem for the Eagles in 2022. Florida State’s defense allowed 306 yards rushing to Southern Miss.
Florida State running back Caziah Holmes (26) runs for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Southern Mississippi, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Tallahassee, Fla. FSU won 66-13. Credit: AP/Phil Sears
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Florida State: Michigan State transfer WR Keon Coleman caught nine passes for 122 yards against No. 5 LSU in the opener, joining with returning Johnny Wilson to give Jordan Travis two dangerous targets.
Boston College: WR Ryan O’Keefe, a Central Florida transfer who topped 1,000 all-purpose yards in each of the previous two seasons, is BC’s best hope at replacing NFL first-round draft pick Zay Flowers. O’Keefe has nine catches for 64 yards in the first two games and has yet to catch a TD pass, but he did grab a 22-yard throw in the final minutes of regulation to set up the game-tying touchdown against Holy Cross.
FACTS & FIGURES
Boston College defensive back Jalen Cheek misses the interception on an incomplete pass intended for Northern Illinois wide receiver Dane Pardridge (23) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Boston. Credit: AP/Michael Dwyer
BC is 32-122-1 all-time against ranked opponents, and 1-8 against the Seminoles when they are ranked with the lone winning coming in 2008 when FSU was No. 20. BC’s last win over a ranked opponent was over No. 16 North Carolina State last year. … FSU has won four straight in the series, including a 44-14 win in Tallahassee last year. … The Seminoles have scored at least 35 points in eight straight games, the nation’s longest active streak. … The FSU defense has held opponents to 0-4 on fourth downs this season. The Seminoles offense converted four fourth downs against Southern Miss.
