Interim HC Stockstill wins debut as Seminoles end almost 3-year road skid

• Associated Press

Nov 7, 2026, 03:48 PM ET

BOSTON -- Amari Thomas ran for two touchdowns, including an 11-yarder to take the lead late in the fourth quarter, as Florida State beat Boston College 31-24 on Saturday to make interim coach Rick Stockstill a winner in his first game.

Ashton Daniels completed 15 of 26 passes for 178 yards with an interception for Florida State (4-5, 2-4 ACC), which won on the road for the first time since Nov. 25, 2023.

Mason McKenzie hit 15 of 27 passes for 166 yards and two TDs and a pick for Boston College (4-5, 2-4).

Tied at 24, the Seminoles marched 90 yards in 14 plays, with Thomas breaking to the outside for the go-ahead score with 2:29 left.

McKenzie was shaken up and left midway into the third quarter, but he returned the next series and capped off a crazy trick play when everyone on offense spun around in a circle before they lined up in a spread formation, snapped it and he tossed an underhanded pass for a two-yard TD to Javarius Green that pushed BC ahead 24-21.

Gabe Panikowski's 22-yard field goal tied it.

Playing its first game since firing coach Mike Norvell after six-plus seasons, Florida State erased a 17-7 second-quarter deficit by putting up two TDs in the final six minutes of the half. Thomas' 20-yard TD run down the right sideline sliced the gap to three points.

Kicker Gabe Panikowski had a 1-yard scoring run on a fake field goal with 51 seconds left, pushing Florida State in front 21-17.

Coming off the most lopsided loss in the two-plus-year tenure under coach Bill O'Brien last week at Duke, the Eagles scored on the game's opening drive with Bo MacCormack III going in for a 6-yard TD run en route to a 10-0 lead.

Seminoles center Bradyn Welch-Joiner was carted off with what appeared to be an inflatable cast on his right foot/ankle.

Trailing 17-14, the Seminoles lined up for what looked like a chip-shot, 20-yard field goal, but holder Carter Jula flipped a perfect lateral over his shoulder to Panikowski, who caught it in stride and scored.