Florida State moved within one victory of bowl eligibility following a 16-10 win over Pittsburgh on Friday at Acrisure Stadium.
The Seminoles, now 5-5 overall, secured their second consecutive road victory under interim head coach Rick Stockstill.
Florida State overcame an inconsistent offensive performance by relying on a dominant defensive effort that limited the Panthers to 306 total yards, according to the FSU Wire.
The defense registered several critical fourth-down stops and forced three turnovers on downs to preserve the lead.
Kicker Gabe Panikowski proved essential to the victory by accounting for 10 of the team’s 16 points, including a 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Offensively, the Seminoles managed only 260 total yards and relied on a single touchdown run by freshman Amari Thomas.
Quarterback Ashton Daniels finished the night with 163 passing yards, though he faced challenges with consistency throughout the game.
Pittsburgh quarterback Corey Dailey completed 16 of 34 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown, but he also threw a costly interception to Rylan Kennedy.
That turnover set up the Seminoles’ only touchdown of the evening, as detailed in reports from local sports media.
The Panthers struggled to capitalize on their opportunities, finishing just 1-of-4 on fourth-down conversion attempts.
Under the guidance of interim defensive coordinator Ernie Sims, Florida State has shown significant improvement in recent weeks.
The team’s defensive front consistently disrupted the Pittsburgh offense, highlighted by a crucial fourth-down sack from Caleb LaVallee.
With this win, the Seminoles reach .500 and now look ahead to their remaining regular-season matchups against the NC State Wolfpack and the Florida Gators.
Stockstill has received credit for keeping the team motivated during a difficult transition following the dismissal of former coach Mike Norvell.
The Seminoles now control their own path toward bowl eligibility as they prepare for the final stretch of the season.