Virginia upsets No. 8 Florida State in double overtime as field storm overshadows victory

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Virginia defeated No. 8 Florida State 46-38 in double overtime Friday night at Scott Stadium, producing a dramatic finish and a field-storming scene that drew attention away from the on-field play. The ACC fined Virginia $50,000 for its first field-storming violation, a consequence tied to a chaotic moment immediately after the game ended. Florida State wide receiver Squirrel White, the target on the game-ending interception, was briefly overwhelmed by the crowd but was later deemed fine; On3’s Pete Nakos reported White reached the locker room and was walking in the aftermath.

Virginia’s Chandler Morris accounted for five total touchdowns, including a go-ahead four-yard run in the second overtime and a successful two-point conversion to follow. After a defensive stand in the second OT, Virginia’s defense sealed the win by intercepting Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos on fourth-and-12 to end the game. The Cavaliers improved to 4-1 on the season, a mark that stands as one of the program’s better starts in recent years, given Virginia had not recorded a winning season since 2019, though they did play in a bowl game in 2021.

The dramatic finish overshadowed a standout night for Morris and a late rally by Virginia, which faced a ranked opponent and emerged with a marquee victory at home. Florida State dropped to 3-1 and is expected to drop in Monday’s rankings. The afterglow of the win will be tempered by the league’s review of the field-storming episode, which led to the substantial fine for the Cavaliers.

Virginia will owe the $50,000 fine to the Weaver-James-Corrigan-Swofford Postgraduate Scholarship as a result of the storming, according to ACC policy. The incident marks a notable moment in Virginia football history: a dramatic victory over a top-10 opponent, a double-overtime finish, and a field-storming celebration that will be remembered long after the final play.