Florida State turns to Amari Thomas as bowl hopes face road test at Pitt
Florida State finally found a way to win away from home. Keeping that momentum will require a depleted offense to get through one of the ACC’s toughest run defenses.
The Seminoles travel to Acrisure Stadium on Friday to face Pittsburgh, looking for their second consecutive victory under interim head coach Rick Stockstill. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN. Florida State enters at 4-5 following its 31-24 win at Boston College, while the Panthers are 6-3 and coming off an open week.
With three regular-season games remaining, FSU needs two more wins to reach six victories. Friday offers a chance to get back to .500, but the Seminoles will have to do it with freshman Amari Thomas carrying a larger share of the offense.
Thomas gets his opportunity
Florida State’s backfield has little room left for another injury. Ousmane Kromah, Samuel Singleton Jr. and Tre Wisner are listed out for the trip to Pittsburgh, leaving Thomas with an opportunity to build on his breakthrough performance at Boston College.
Thomas rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries against the Eagles. His second touchdown, an 11-yard run with 2:29 remaining, capped a 14-play, 90-yard drive that put Florida State ahead for good. The Seminoles outscored Boston College 10-0 in the fourth quarter to give Stockstill a victory in his first game in charge.
That finish gives FSU something to build around. Thomas showed he could handle meaningful carries late in a close game. Against Pitt, the challenge will be finding enough room to keep the offense moving.
The Panthers allow just 68.3 rushing yards per game and 2.24 yards per carry. Florida State cannot afford to spend the night trying to recover from losses on first down. Thomas will need decisive runs, and the offensive line will need to give him a chance to reach the second level.
Daniels must keep Pitt worried about a passing threat
Ashton Daniels’ ability to run gives Florida State another way to challenge the Panthers’ front. Pat Narduzzi pointed to the quarterback’s strength and mobility this week, making clear that bringing him down will be a priority for Pitt’s defense.
Designed quarterback runs can help take pressure off Thomas, but Daniels will also need to make Pitt defend the passing game. If the Panthers can crowd the line of scrimmage without paying for it downfield, Florida State’s short-handed backfield could face a long night.
With Duce Robinson unavailable, Micahi Danzy becomes especially important. Danzy caught seven passes for 133 yards against Pitt last season, and Narduzzi singled out his speed ahead of the rematch.
FSU needs to create opportunities for Danzy before obvious passing situations allow Pitt to dictate the pressure. A few early completions could help open running lanes and keep Daniels from having to rescue drives on third down.
Make Pitt earn its drives
Florida State’s defense faces its own test against freshman running back Damon Ferguson, who enters with 662 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 123 carries.
Stopping Ferguson begins with finishing tackles. FSU cannot allow routine gains to become explosive plays because the first defender fails to bring him down. Stockstill and interim defensive coordinator Ernie Sims emphasized physical play, stopping the run and limiting big gains in their preparations this week.
Pitt quarterback Holden Geriner earned his first collegiate victory as a starter in the Panthers’ 34-11 win over Georgia Tech, throwing for 180 yards and a touchdown without an interception. For FSU, forcing longer third downs would create opportunities to pressure him rather than allowing Pitt to stay comfortable behind its running game.
The details could decide it
Florida State also needs a clean night on special teams. Pitt has blocked a punt in each of the teams’ past two meetings, a warning for a Seminoles offense that can ill afford to hand over a short field.
The win at Boston College gave FSU a needed boost after the coaching change. Friday will show whether the Seminoles can carry that effort into another road game against a rested opponent.
For Florida State, the path starts with giving Thomas room to work, getting timely plays from Daniels and making Pitt sustain drives. Another strong fourth quarter would help. Playing well enough through the first three to make it matter will be the bigger challenge.