CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Two top-five offenses will clash in Charlottesville on Friday when Florida State squares off against Virginia.
Through three games, Florida State leads the nation in total offense, averaging nearly 630 yards per game. UVA has piled up 2,258 yards this season, about 400 more than the Seminoles, but sits at No. 5 in the nation in total offense.
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There’s no doubt Friday night has the makings of a shootout, and as always, the difference will come down to who plays the most mistake-free football.
“You play Alabama and every play was shift, motion, movements on defense, so you had to be great in communication out there on the field,” Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said. “This week, you’re gonna see unbalance, you’re gonna see formation in the boundary, you’re gonna see tempo. This is a very unique offense. It mirrors a lot of things that we do and face and see, and so it’s gonna be good that we’ve had to work against each other throughout camp. But being on the road, we need to be as good as we’ve been come Friday.”
Virginia is coming off a win over Stanford, while Florida State’s only true test this season came in a season-opening win over Alabama. The Seminoles, ranked No. 8 nationally, have paired their high-powered offense with a defense that has allowed just 30 points all year.
“The things that they’ve been able to do is because of how explosive they are on offense,” Virginia head coach Tony Elliott said. “Their ability to run the ball, how they can swarm on defense, they’ve been able to keep their guys fresh. They’ve got some guys sitting in the wings that haven’t played as many snaps, and by the end of the season they’re gonna be household names. This is why you come to a place like Virginia, to play in the ACC, to compete against the best.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Scott Stadium.