No. 5 FSU Stretches Unbeaten Streak to 11 With a 39-17 Win Over Virginia Tech

Tallahassee, Fla. -- Trey Benson rushed for a career-high 200 yards and Florida State's defense contained Virginia Tech all day to lead No. 5 Florida State to an impressive 39-17 win.

The win keeps FSU undefeated at 5-0 on the season and extends the Seminoles' winning streak to 11 straight dating back to the last six games of the 2022 season.

In an amazing rushing performance behind tremendous blocking, Benson ripped off the longest individual run of his career and broke the school record for average per carry in a game with at least 10 attempts with an 18.2-yard average. In addition, his 200 yards were the most for an FSU player since Dalvin Cook gained over 200 yards against Syracuse in 2016.

FSU's offense was unstoppable earlier scoring on its first three possessions to take a 22-0 lead before the first quarter was over. The Hokies managed 10 unanswered points in the second quarter and opened the second half with a kickoff return for a touchdown before the Seminoles' defense turned up the intensity and kept them from scoring the rest of the game.

Jordan Travis was masterful in the passing game connecting on 18 of 24 passes for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Johnny Wilson had four catches for 54 yards and was on the receiving end of both Travis' scoring tosses. Tight end Kyle Morlock also had four catches for 30 yards in a game that saw eight different receivers catch a pass. FSU finished with 452 yards of total offense.

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones was 14 of 27 for 104 yards with no touchdowns and was also the Hokies' leading rusher with 14 carries for 80 yards most of which came on a 40-yard scamper. The Hokies would finish with 313 yards including 209 on the ground.

Defensive end Jared Verse had two quarterback sacks and two tackles-for-loss to top the Seminoles in both categories while linebacker Kalen DeLoach led the team with nine tackles.

Florida State took the opening possession 75 yards on 13 plays and a 6-0 lead when Travis connected with Wilson on a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Seminoles made it 8-0 by surprising Tech with a two-point conversion from the initial off-set kick attempt formation when tight end Brian Courtney was in motion, grabbed a perfectly timed snap and scored over the right side with 9:13 on the clock

Lawrance Toafili made it 15-0 FSU when he surfed over two Hokie defenders on the final five yards of a 28-yard touchdown run with 4:44 left in the quarter. The score capped a 66-yard, seven-play drive.

The Noles' third scoring drive was set up by a 32-yard punt return by Keon Coleman that gave FSU the ball on the Tech 45. On the scoring play, Travis spotted a blitz by the Hokies right corner and connected with Wilson on his left from 18-yards out to make it 22-0 with 1:34 left in the first quarter.

Florida State's defense completely dominated the Hokies in the first quarter holding the visitors to just nine yards on 11 plays with no first downs, while the Noles' offense was nearly perfectly balanced gaining 100 of their 198 first-quarter yards through the air on 9-of-12 passing from Travis.

With 9:37 left in the half, Virginia Tech got on the board with a 29-yard field goal that made it 22-7. The score capped an eight-play, 76-yard drive that consumed 4:02.

The Hokies had two fourth down conversions on their final drive of the first half and cut the FSU lead to 22-10 on a five-yard touchdown run by Bhayul Tuten. Tech used over six minutes on the drive that covered 70 yards on 16 plays.

The Hokies' Tuten opened the second half with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown that pulled the visitors to within a score at 22-17. Tuten's special teams gem marked the first touchdown from a kickoff return against the Seminoles since the 2004 season.

Just two plays after the momentum switch, Benson woke up the Seminoles' offense that had been quiet since scoring at will in the first quarter with a 62-yard rushing touchdown to put FSU up 29-17. The run was the longest of Benson's FSU career.

Following another defensive stand, the Noles went up 32-17 with 6:23 left in the third on Ryan Fitzgerald's 26-yard field goal keeping him perfect in five attempts this season.

Benson then reset his longest-ever rush as a Seminole with 8:28 left in the game racing untouched around the right side for an 85-yard touchdown to give Florida State a 39-17 win.

The Seminoles will host Syracuse next Saturday on ABC with kickoff time still to be announced.

##Seminoles.com##

No. 5 FSU Stretches Unbeaten Streak to 11 With a 39-17 Win Over Virginia Tech

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Team Stats

Jordan Travis

Tate Rodemaker

Players Mentioned

Trey Benson

Keon Coleman

Brian Courtney

Kalen DeLoach

Ryan Fitzgerald

Kyle Morlock

Lawrance Toafili

Jordan Travis

Jared Verse

Johnny Wilson

Florida State University Athletics