A matchup to watch on Saturday is the Florida State receivers going up against the Virginia pass defense, a top five unit nationally. Duce Robinson, Michai Danzy, and Jayvan Boggs all have the talent and the skills to counter the Cavaliers defensive coverage.
When Florida State (2-2, 0-1) hosts the Virginia Cavaliers (3-1, 1-0) on Saturday, the Seminoles will be looking for their first ACC win of the season. The Cavaliers have one of the best defenses in college football, especially when it comes to defending the pass.
Virginia has allowed 130.3 yards per game through the air in their four games, and that is good enough for No. 5 nationally. Against NC State and Delaware, the Cavaliers held both teams to under 100 yards passing, and Virginia has allowed just two passing touchdowns.
In addition, the Cavaliers have intercepted six passes this season, also ranked at No. 5 nationally. Safeties Brandyn Hillman and Keke Adams lead the Virginia secondary with five of those picks.
Florida State will counter with three talented, playmaking receivers. Coach Mike Norvell as play caller must take advantage of their unique skill sets and put them in position to make plays in space and score touchdowns, not just settle for field goals. All three are 6-foot-1 or taller, which provides matchup problems.
Duce Robinson
At 6-foot-6, Robinson is a preseason All-American candidate and was named to the Maxwell Award watch list. With a height advantage over most defensive backs, Robinson is skilled at challenging for contested catches, 18 made last season.
After a slow start, Robinson has caught two touchdowns over the last two games, against Alabama and Central Arkansas. For the season, Robinson leads the team with 13 catches for 262 yards. He averages 20.15 yards per catch.
Jayvan Boggs
At 6-foot-1, Boggs is second on the team with 12 catches and has gained 240 receiving yards and a touchdown. That score came in the win over Central Arkansas on six catches for 122 yards. That was Boggs’s best game of the season so far. Boggs received a grade of 89.4 from Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Michai Danzy
With elite speed, Danzy is third on the team with 11 catches for 173 yards, but has not found the end zone yet this season. Norvell has to incorporate Danzy more into the offense. Utilizing that track speed, whether on jet sweeps around the end, or stretching the field vertically and getting behind the defense to make plays. Danzy can outrun any coverage, provided quarterback Ashton Daniels can hit him in space where he can make a play.
QB Ashton Daniels as the Trigger Man
Daniels has thrown six touchdown passes, along with five interceptions. He has completed 59.8 percent of his passes. Daniels has thrown four of his six TD passes in the last two games against Alabama and Central Arkansas.
Against Central Arkansas, Daniels passed for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and completed 66.4 percent of his passes. He did throw an interception.
Daniels must piece together a complete game, without the turnovers that have killed Florida State drives. If he can get the ball to Robinson, Boggs, and Danzy so they can make plays, the Seminoles can celebrate a victory and their first conference win of the season.
