Seminole Sunday Sauce — Sept. 28, 2025: FSU Football Drops ACC Opener at Virginia
For highly ranked Florida State football teams, Charlottesville continued to be a house of horrors on Friday night. Virginia outlasted the eighth-ranked Seminoles in double overtime, 46-38.
After falling behind 14-0 early after a pair of turnovers, FSU used three second-quarter touchdowns on runs from Gavin Sawchuck, Randy Pittman and Tommy Castellanos to take a 21-14 lead. The Cavaliers scored before halftime to tie the game at 21 and never trailed again in regulation.
Trailing 35-28, FSU faced a 4th-and-goal from the 11-yard-line. Forced to scramble, Castellanos found Pittman for the game-tying score with 36 seconds remaining to force overtime. After exchanging field goals in the first overtime, Virginia’s Chandler Morris scored the go-ahead touchdown before converting the 2-point try.
FSU appeared to have answered with a touchdown of its own as Castellanos found Duce Robinson. Replay review, however, ruled that Robinson was bobbling the ball and did not control it in bounds. On fourth down, Ja'son Prevard’s second interception of the night sealed the Cavaliers’ win.
Both teams had balanced approaches on offense. FSU finished with 516 total yards — 258 each rushing and passing. Castellanos passed for 254 yards and led the Seminoles with 78 yards on the ground, recording two touchdowns. Robinson finished with nine catches for 147 yards and a score.
For Virginia, Morris accounted for five total touchdowns — two passing and three rushing — but was intercepted three times. Edwin Joseph, Elijah Herring and Ja’Bril Rawls each came down with interceptions for the FSU defense. J’Mari Taylor finished with 115 yards from scrimmage, 99 yards rushing, for the Cavaliers.
With the loss, FSU falls to 3-1 and 0-1 in ACC play. Things won’t get any easier this week as the Seminoles return home to take on No. 2 Miami. That one will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and air nationally on ABC.
FOOTBALL
Record: 3-1 (0-1 ACC)
Ranking: No. 8 AP, No. 8 AFCA Coaches Poll
Past Week: (0-1), lost at Virginia on Friday in double overtime, 46-38
Upcoming: vs. Miami (Saturday)
Recognitions: Micahi Danzy, WR (ACC Rookie of the Week)
Commitments: None
Decommitments: None
2026 Recruiting Class Rank: No. 14 nationally*, second in ACC (23 total commitments)
Wrap-up: FSU opened ACC play with a heartbreaking road loss at Virginia.
Soccer
Record: 7-0-2 (3-0-1 ACC)
Ranking: No. 6 United Soccer Coaches
Past Week: (0-0-1), tied NC State on Sunday, 1-1
Upcoming: vs. Miami (Friday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: After opening ACC play with three straight wins, FSU scored in the final minute to salvage a draw in Raleigh.
CROSS COUNTRY
Ranking: Men No. 14 USTFCCCA South Region; women No. 29 USTFCCA Poll, No. 4 USTFCCCA South Region
Past Week: Men finished third, women second in Seminole Invite
Upcoming: Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invite (Friday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU performed well in its first home event of the year. Both the FSU men and FSU women posted top-3 finishes.
Volleyball
Record: 7-3 (1-0 ACC)
Ranking: N/A
Past Week: (1-0), won at Clemson on Friday, 3-1
Upcoming: at Georgia Tech (Sunday); at Wake Forest (Friday)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU opened ACC play with an impressive road win at Clemson.
Women’s Golf
Ranking: No. 18 Golfweek; No. 16 WGCA Coaches Poll
Past Week: Finished sixth at Schooner Fall Classic
Upcoming: Jim West Challenge (Oct. 19-20)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU settled for sixth place in Oklahoma. It has just two fall events remaining.
Men’s Golf
Ranking: No. 15 Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll
Past Week: Finished sixth at Olympia Fields Intercollegiate
Upcoming: Hamptons Intercollegiate (Oct. 6-7)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: With one round to play in Illinois, FSU is in fifth place.
Swimming and Diving
Ranking: N/A
Past Week: Men and women won FSU Invite
Upcoming: Georgia Tech Dual Meet Tournament (Oct. 17-18)
Recognitions: None
Wrap-up: FSU’s fall schedule got underway at home. The Seminoles swept the meet, winning 32 of 44 total events.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Commitments: None
Decommitments: None
2026 Recruiting Class Rank: No. 1 nationally*, first in ACC (4 total commitments)
Wrap-up: Earlier this week, Michael Fly was named the program’s first general manager.
*Recruiting rankings according to the 247Sports Composite rankings
- Mike Ferguson is the lead writer for Double Fries No Slaw. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. For all of his work, “Like” or “Follow” Mike on Facebook.
