30 Notes Regarding Florida State's Sizable Win Over Charleston Southern

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

Nov 23, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Ja'Khi Douglas (0) runs the ball during the first half against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Florida State led wire-to-wire for the first time this season in its 41-7 victory against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Saturday afternoon. The Seminoles racked up a season-high in total yards (415) and points (41).

READ MORE: Florida State Snaps Six-Game Losing Streak With 41-7 Victory Against Charleston Southern

Here are 30 notes surrounding various data-points from the game.

• Florida State improved to 3-0 all-time against Charleston Southern, following wins in 2011 and 2016. 

• The win was the 330th at home in FSU history, with 322 at Doak Campbell Stadium since 1950 and eight at Centennial Field from 1947-49.

•  FSU improved to 62-12-1 (.833) all-time in Homecoming games and has won 11 consecutive Homecoming contests. The Noles improved to 2-0 in Seminole Heritage games. 

• Making his first career start, freshman quarterback Luke Kromenhoek set career-highs with 13 completions, 209 yards and three touchdowns, the first of his career and tied for the 2nd-most in a game by a true freshman in Florida State history. His 71-yard touchdown pass to fifth-year senior Ja'Khi Douglas on the first play after halftime was Kromenhoek's longest career pass, Douglas' longest career catch and Florida State's longest offensive play of the year. 

• Douglas led Florida State with 82 receiving yards. His four touchdowns in 2024 and nine career touchdown catches are both best on the team. Douglas passed the 1,500-yard mark for all-purpose yards in his career on the touchdown. 

• Punter Alex Mastromanno tied the Florida State record by playing in his 58th career game. A Ray Guy Award semifinalist, Mastromanno is tied with Camren McDonald (2018-22) and Leonard Warner III (2017-22) and can break the all-time mark on Senior Day next week. 

• Mastromanno entered Saturday leading the country with a 48.9 punting average and 26 50-yard punts. His two punts against CSU went 52 and 54 yards. 

• Freshman Amaree Williams caught the first touchdown from Kromenhoek, his second of the year. 

• Freshman Willy Suarez made his collegiate debut. On his first snap, he made a special teams tackle. On his second, he forced a fumble on a punt that was recovered by Shawn Murphy. It was also Murphy's first career recovery and FSU's second fumble recovery of the year. 

• Safety Ashlynd Barker earned his first career interception, FSU's third of the season. 

• Running back Caziah Holmes ran for a season-high 38 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns. He leads FSU with three rushing scores on the season. 

• Receiver Hykeem Williams caught his first touchdown of the season, from 10 yards out. In the first half, he caught a 25-yards pass with one hand. 

• Freshman BJ Gibson earned his first career catch, for 7 yards. Freshman Micahi Danzy caught a 38-yard pass, the first of his career. 

• Running back Lawrance Toafili ran for 33 yards and now ranks 25th in program history with 2,713 all purpose yards. 

• Florida State held Charleston Southern to 57 rushing yards, the 4th-fewest in head coach Mike Norvell's nine seasons as a head coach and the 2nd-fewest in his five seasons at Florida State.

• The Seminoles had 6.0 tackles for loss for their 10th consecutive game with at least 5.0 TFL, FSU's longest streak since a 12-game stretch in 2013. 

• Patrick Payton had 2.0 tackles for loss and now has 31.5 for his career, most on the team. Linebacker Shawn Murphy had 1.5 tackles for loss, the first of his career. 

• Defensive back Ja'Bril Rawls led FSU with a career-high seven tackles. He entered with seven tackles over nine games this season. 

• Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald connected on a 25-yard field goal in the second quarter to improve to 12-for-12 on the season. Fitzgerald - a Groza Award semifinalist - joins Groza Award winner Roberto Aguayo (12 in 2013, 14 in 2014) as the only Seminoles to make their first 12 field goal attempts in a season. 

• Fitzgerald's PAT after FSU's first touchdown was the 175th of his career, securing 4th place in program history and breaking a tie with Derek Schmidt (1984-87) and Xavier Beitia (2001-04). He was 4-for-4 on extra points in the game. 

• Florida State held Charleston Southern scoreless for the first 59 minutes of the game, the first time since 2016 against Boston College the Seminoles held an opponent without points in the first three quarters. 

• Florida State's 24-yard touchdown drive after the fumble recovery was its shortest by yards of the year. The 1-play, 71-yard touchdown to begin the second half took 13 seconds and was FSU's quickest by time and shortest by plays. 

• Kromenhoek was the 12th player to make his first career start this season. Defensive end Sione Lolohea and linebacker Cam Riley both made their first starts at Florida State. 

• Freshman kicker Jake Weinberg made his first appearance and scored four points on a 23-yard field goal and a PAT. 

• Suarez and Weinberg were two of nine players to make their FSU debut. The others were QB Trever Jackson, DB Ricky Knight III, DL DD Holmes, LS Peyton Naylor, OL Jonathan Daniels, DL D'Nas White and DL Jamorie Flagg. 

• Head coach Mike Norvell improved to 25-7 (.781) all-time in the month of November. 

• Florida State celebrated its second Seminole Heritage Game on Saturday. Throughout Florida State Athletics, games that feature turquoise are known as Seminole Heritage Games in recognition of our partnership with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. 

• The Seminole Heritage Initiative kicked off on October 21, 2023, with the planting of the spear by the Seminole Tribe of Florida at Doak Campbell Stadium.

• FSU’s starters on offense were quarterback Brock Glenn, running back Lawrance Toafili, wide receiver Ja’Khi Douglas, wide receiver Hykeem Williams, wide receiver Malik Benson, left tackle Darius Washington, left guard TJ Ferguson, center Maurice Smith, right guard Jacob Rizy, and right tackle Jeremiah Byers.

• FSU’s starters on defense were defensive end Patrick Payton, defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, defensive tackle Darrell Jackson, defensive end Sione Lolohea, linebacker Blake Nichelson, linebacker Omar Graham Jr., linebacker Cam Riley, cornerback Azareye’h Thomas, cornerback Quindarrius Jones, buck safety KJ Kirkland, and free safety Shyheim Brown.

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READ MORE: Charleston Southern Embracing 'Us Against The World' Mentality In Road Game At FSU

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