It’s been 30 years since UVA knocked off second-ranked Florida State in Charlottesville. It was the Seminoles first ACC conference loss. The Cavaliers (3-1) are leaning in on the 1995-upset by wearing uniforms that commemorate the win.
This time around, Virginia has an opportunity to make a statement when eighth-ranked Florida State (3-0) comes to town. The Seminoles opened the season with a dominating 31-17 win over Alabama. Since then, they’ve recorded wins against East Texas A&M and Kent State.
The Seminoles resurgence has been led by quarterback Tommy Castellanos. Castellanos was at UCF and Boston College prior to arriving in Tallahassee. In the win over Alabama, Castellanos threw for 152 yards and ran for 86 yards.
Florida State’s ground game wore down the Crimson Tide’s defense. As a team, the Seminoles ran for 247 yards.
Beyond the Alabama game, Florida State’s statistics are powered by two subpar opponents.
In the first four games, Virginia’s has shown that its offense can be one of the best in the ACC.
Quarterback Chandler Morris has been as advertised. Morris has thrown for eight touchdowns and an interception. He’s shown that he can escape the pocket and get positive yards even though he’s toned down the physical runs since getting injured against Coastal Carolina.
J’Mari Taylor has led a strong running attack. Taylor has rushed for 298 yards and six touchdowns. Xavier Brown, Noah Vaughn, and Harrison Waylee all contributed to one of the ground games in the ACC.
Keys:
How Does the Defense Deal with Castellanos
Virginia had issues dealing with dual-threat quarterback CJ Bailey (NC State). Castellanos can cause the same problems and more.
How much has the Cavaliers’ defense grown since the NC State game will go a long way in determining if they can pull off the upset.
Castellanos’ ability to make plays with his feet puts pressure on the defense to stay in their lanes so there’s a balance between being aggressive and keeping gap integrity.
Shortening the Game
Virginia’s offense has been exciting but against the Seminoles it will need to possess the ball. That means the running game must get control the game and ensure the offense stays ahead of the chains.
For that to happen, the offensive line must get a push upfront but also can’t have penalties especially those of the pre-snap variety.
If Florida State decides to be physical, on the early downs, the Cavaliers screen game could be effective. It also allows Morris to use his feet.
Make Big Plays
The Cavaliers will have opportunities to make plays downfield. As mentioned earlier, if Florida State’s front seven is aggressive, play-action fake on early downs could lead to plays downfield or in the middle passing window.
Morris’ feet can buy time to allow receivers to get open, especially in scramble situations.
Offensive coordinator Des Kitchings’ game planning and ability to make adjustments will be key in allowing the offense to take advantage of the opportunities presented.
