19 Notes Regarding Florida State's Blowout Loss To North Carolina

Notes on performances, starters, and career stats for the Seminoles.

Nov 2, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoes quarterback Brock Glenn (11) is sacked by the North Carolina Tarheels defense in the fourth quarter at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Myers-Imagn Images / Robert Myers-Imagn Images

Florida State lost for the eighth time in nine games this season as the Seminoles were defeated 35-11 by the North Carolina Tar Heels. The defeat marked the fifth straight for the program which is the longest losing streak under Mike Norvell and the longest for FSU in 49 years.

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Here are 19 notes surrounding various data-points from the game.

• Senior kicker Ryan Fitzgerald made a 56-yard field goal to improve to 10-of-10 on the season. With the kick, Fitzgerald... ..became the only player in FSU history with three field goals of 54+ yards in their career (59 vs. Georgia Tech and 54 vs. Memphis, both in 2024) ...tied for the 2nd-longest field goal in Doak Campbell Stadium history, and longest since Dustin Hopkins' 56-yarder vs. Duke in 2012 ..jumped to 7th on FSU's career made field goals list (55, tied with Ricky Aguayo)...tied FSU's single-season record for 50-yard field goals (5, with Graham Gano in 2008 and Hopkins in 2012)...broke a tie for 3rd on FSU's career 50-yard field goal list (6), trailing only Derek Schmidt (7, 1984-87) and Hopkins (9, 2009-12). 

• Senior punter Alex Mastromanno entered Saturday leading the country with 21 punts of 50 or more yards and added three more against North Carolina (57, 51 and 50 yards). He also had a 38-yard punt in the second quarter that was downed at the 7-yard line. 

• Ja'Khi Douglas caught a 28-yard touchdown in the second half, his third of the season and eighth of his career, both best on the team. 

• Freshman Lawayne McCoy capped Douglas's touchdown with a two-point conversion rush, his first career points and FSU's second successful two-point conversion this year (Brian Courtney rush vs. Georgia Tech). 

• Douglas's touchdown was on 4th-and-3; FSU entered Saturday tied for the national lead with 17 successful 4th-down conversions. 

• Malik Benson caught a 50-yard pass, the second-longest of his career and tied for FSU's second-longest of the season. It was quarterback Brock Glenn's longest completion of the season and second-longest of his career. 

• Sophomore Hykeem Williams caught a 35-yard pass to set up FSU's field goal in the first quarter. Williams's catch was his longest of the season and second-longest of his career.

• Freshman Elijah Moore made his third appearance and earned his first career catch. 

• Safety Shyheim Brown led Florida State with nine tackles. His sixth tackle of the day gave him 150 for his career; he leads FSU with 61 this season. 

• Linebacker Omar Graham Jr. stopped North Carolina on a 4th-down tackle at the goal line in the first quarter. Graham finished with six tackles. 

• Darrell Jackson Jr. had FSU's only sack of the game, a 9-yard loss before halftime. He has 3.0 sacks over the last two games. 

• Florida State had 5.0 TFL against the Tar Heels and has at least 5.0 TFL in eight straight games, the Noles longest streak since an eight-game stretch in 2021-22. 

• Cornerback Azareye'h Thomas tied a career high with six tackles. Defensive tackle Daniel Lyons set a career high with five tackles, while defensive tackle Grady Kelly tied his career high with five tackles.

• Junior Jacob Rizy made his second consecutive start and first at center. Florida State has had eight different starting offensive line combinations through the first nine games, the most in the country. 

• Saturday was the 900th game in Florida State history. 

• Linebacker Shawn Murphy made his Florida State debut in the fourth quarter. He is the 27th player to make his Seminole debut this season. 

• Saturday's pregame flyover was performed by HSM-46 from Jacksonville Naval Air Station and featured two MH-60 Seahawks. As part of Military Appreciation Day, offensive lineman Darius Washington led the team on the field carrying the American flag, defensive lineman Malakai Menzer carried the POW/MIA flag and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald carried a Florida State flag.

• On offense, quarterback Brock Glenn, running back Lawrance Toafili, tight end Landen Thomas, wide receiver Malik Benson, wide receiver Ja’Khi Douglas, wide receiver Hykeem Williams, left tackle Darius Washington, left guard Andre’ Otto, center Maurice Smith, right guard Jaylen Early, and right tackle Jeremiah Byers were the starters.

• On defense, defensive end Patrick Payton, defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, defensive tackle Darrell Jackson, defensive end Marvin Jones Jr., linebacker Blake Nichelson, linebacker Omar Graham Jr., cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, cornerback Fentrell Cypress II, nickel cornerback Kevin Knowles II, free safety Shyheim Brown, and buck safety KJ Kirkland were the starters.

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