FBS-CFB Game Preview: #7 Florida State Seminoles (3–0) vs. Virginia Cavaliers (3–1)

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Venue & Game Details

Kickoff Time: 7:00 PM ET

Venue: Scott Stadium, Charlottesville, Virginia

Capacity: ~61,500

Broadcast: ESPN

Weather Forecast (Charlottesville, VA)

Kickoff Temperature: ~74°F, dropping into the upper 60s by the 4th quarter

Conditions: Mostly clear skies, light humidity

Wind: 4–6 mph from the northwest

Precipitation:

Impact: Ideal football weather; no weather-related disruptions expected

Injury Report

Florida State Seminoles:

QB Thomas Castellanos (ankle) had a scare vs. Kent State but confirmed he is “100%” for this game.

No other major injuries reported among starters.

Virginia Cavaliers:

WR Anthony Colandrea (hamstring) questionable, game-time decision.

OL depth slightly thinned after Week 4 vs. Stanford, but no confirmed starter absences.

Key Player Matchups

QB Duel: Thomas Castellanos (FSU) vs. Chandler Morris (UVA)

Castellanos: 594 passing yards (71.1% completion), 3 TD, 1 INT; plus 139 rushing yards and 3 rushing TDs.

Morris: 1,200+ passing yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs; coming off a 380-yard, 4-TD performance vs. Stanford.

Running Game:

FSU RB Gavin Sawchuk: 160 yards, 5 TDs, 6.4 YPC.

UVA RB J’Mari Taylor: averaging 6.2 YPC, one of the ACC’s most efficient backs.

Defensive Fronts:

FSU defense ranks 7th nationally in points allowed (10 ppg).

UVA defense allows 19.5 ppg (56th nationally), but has been opportunistic in red-zone stops.

Recent Team Form

Florida State Seminoles (3–0)

W 66–10 vs. Kent State

W 52–7 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (FCS)

W 31–24 vs. Alabama (Week 1 statement win)

Strengths: Balanced offense (58 ppg, 11th nationally), elite defense (10 ppg allowed).

Weakness: Turnovers forced (just 3, ranked 92nd).

Virginia Cavaliers (3–1)

W 48–20 vs. Stanford

W 35–17 vs. Old Dominion

W 41–21 vs. James Madison

L 28–31 vs. NC State (Week 1 collapse after leading 28–14 at halftime)

Strengths: Explosive passing game, balanced run-pass attack.

Weakness: Secondary has been vulnerable against top-tier QBs.

Conference vs. Conference

Both teams are ACC members.

This is FSU’s ACC opener; Virginia is already 1–1 in conference play.

With Miami looming for FSU in Week 6, this is a potential trap game.

Series History

All-time series: Florida State leads 16–4.

Last meeting: 2019 – Virginia 31, Florida State 24 (in Charlottesville).

Trend: Virginia has won 2 of the last 3 meetings at Scott Stadium, despite FSU’s overall dominance.

Betting Trends

Florida State:

2–0 ATS in 2025

5–1 ATS in last 6 road games vs. ACC opponents

4 of last 5 games have gone Over

Virginia:

3–1 ATS in 2025

2–0 ATS as an underdog this season

4 of last 6 games have gone Over

Historical Betting Results

2019: Virginia (+7.5) upset FSU 31–24 → UVA covered, game went Over.

2014: Florida State (-19.5) won 34–20 → UVA covered, game went Under.

2011: Virginia (+17.5) upset FSU 14–13 → UVA covered, game went Under.

Game Odds

Florida State Seminoles                – 7

Virginia Cavaliers                             59

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Thursday, September 25, 2025