Florida State opened the Rick Stockstill era with a much‑needed road victory on Saturday, snapping a road losing streak that dated back to November 25, 2023. The Seminoles defeated Boston College 31–24 at the historic Alumni Stadium, giving the program its first away win in more than a year.
Key plays and player performances
Senior running back Amari Thomas was the star of the game, scoring two rushing touchdowns, including an 11‑yard run late in the fourth quarter that put Florida State ahead for good. Thomas also broke a 20‑yard run down the right sideline earlier in the half, helping the Seminoles erase a 17–7 second‑quarter deficit.
Quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 15 of 26 passes for 178 yards and threw an interception. Boston College quarterback Mason McKenzie posted 166 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception before leaving the game midway through the third quarter, though he returned for a trick play that resulted in a two‑yard touchdown pass to Javarius Green.
Coach Stockstill’s emotional debut
“This was emotional for me today,” a teary‑eyed Stockstill said after the win. The former quarterback, who once played under legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden, expressed how special the victory felt for both the current players and the program’s storied past.
Stockstill, who stepped in after the firing of Mike Norvell following a 6–4 season, emphasized his commitment to the team, stating, “I poured my heart and soul into this place as a player, and I was going to do that for these next couple of months here.”
Game flow
The Seminoles fell behind early, trailing 24–21 late in the fourth quarter. With the score tied at 24–24, Florida State orchestrated a 90‑yard drive in 14 plays, culminating in Thomas’ go‑ahead touchdown with 2:29 left on the clock.
Boston College’s Bill O’Brien noted the trick play that produced the earlier touchdown, calling it “just a play in our game plan that we thought would be good for these guys.” Gabe Panikowski’s 22‑yard field goal tied the game at 24–24 before the decisive drive.
Looking ahead
Florida State will travel to Indiana next week to face No. 11 Notre Dame, aiming to build on the momentum from this road win. Boston College, meanwhile, will look to rebound after a recent 47–2 loss to the Eagles.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
