When Virginia Tech and Florida State played for the first time in the 2000s, it was for the biggest prize possible — a national championship.
Since that Sugar Bowl matchup, where Chris Weinke and Seminoles held off Michael Vick and the Hokies to claim the 1999 title, the two teams have faced each other in another bowl game, twice in the ACC championship game and four other times in regular-season conference games — many of which were pivotal games for one or both sides.
Other than keeping on track for bowl eligibility, Saturday night’s game at Doak Campbell Stadium does not have the shine as some of the past matchups.
For those watching the bowl picture for programs out of the College Football Playoff picture, the Hokies (3-6, 2-3 ACC) are the more desperate team. After winning its first two games under interim coach Philip Montgomery, Virginia Tech has since lost three of four and needs a win over the Seminoles — as well as victories over upcoming top-20 opponents Miami and Virginia — to become bowl-eligible.
The Hokies, which had one of their best games of the year with an exciting come-from-behind overtime win over California on Oct. 24, are coming off a bye week that followed a disappointing 28-16 home loss to Louisville eight days after the Cal game.
Montgomery said he is confident that this bye week — the team’s second in less than a month — will allow the team to be successful in its last three games of the regular season.
“We have a really unbelievable three-game stretch right here in front of us, and we’ve got a chance to still write the story of what (this season) is going to be,” he said. “For the next three weeks, we get to continue to do that and try to write the ending that we want.”
Florida State (4-5, 1-5), is nearing the second full season of a stunning freefall that began following their omission from the 2023 College Football Playoff despite going 13-0 and winning the ACC championship. Since then, Florida State has gone 7-16 and lost five of its past six games after a 3-0 start to the 2025 season, highlighted by its 31-17 victory over then-No. 8 Alabama.
That 2023 team was not selected into what was then a four-team playoff in part due to the loss of quarterback Jordan Travis, who suffered what turned out to be a career-ending injury late in the regular season.
A double-overtime loss at Virginia in its league opener began a slide of four losses by a touchdown or less. The Seminoles appeared to shake that issue two weeks ago when they thrashed a very good Wake Forest team 42-7, but then came last week’s 24-10 loss at Clemson.
“As you go through a season where you know you didn’t either execute or finish certain situations (right), … owning that and being able to grow from it is critical,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said during his weekly press conference. “As for our own path of where we are going and what’s in front of us, I do see and feel this is a team that has an unbelievable sense of urgency for that.”
Seminoles quarterback Thomas Castellanos is someone who has a past with the Hokies. While this will be the first time he takes on Virginia Tech in an FSU uniform, it’s game No. 3 overall for the Miami native, who played at Central Florida and Boston College before transferring to FSU prior to this year.
Castellanos faced the Hokies in both of his seasons at BC and had a few good moments, but was on the losing side on both occasions. In a 48-22 home loss in 2023, he threw for just 110 yards and one touchdown while being intercepted twice. A year later at Lane Stadium, Castellanos was better — throwing for 205 yards and two scores. He led BC to three third-quarter touchdowns after falling behind 28-0 in the first half. But an overall dominating day for the defense, led by Antwaun Powell-Ryland’s four sacks, and Bhayshul Tuten’s career-defining 266 rushing yards and four total touchdowns resulted in another Hokies win.
Castellanos has been a consistent performer, passing for at least 240 yards in all six of his conference matchups this year. But his performance has not translated into many wins. Montgomery said the defense will need to limit the number of big plays Castellanos makes with his arm.
“We have to do a great job of understanding when the (big-play pass attempts) are going to be taken, how can we get him off of his spot and create some pressure,” Montgomery said. “We don’t want to let him outside of the pocket because he does have some really explosive-type scrambling plays.”
When it comes to dealing with Florida State’s defense, Montgomery said the unit is full of athletic and physical players, led by defensive back Earl Little, who leads the team in total tackles and interceptions. The Seminoles are good at disguising their schemes down after down. That means Virginia Tech’s offense will have to be just as unpredictable.
“We’ve got to do a good job of being able to create double teams, find movement … and give our backs an opportunity to be able to play downhill,” he said.
