Daniels was named ACC Quarterback of the Week and to the Davey O’Brien Great 8. He’s the fifth FSU quarterback to win the ACC weekly award since 2018, and he also won it at Stanford in 2024.

Senior André Otto, a Key West native, was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. He graded at 99% effort and 86% job, with seven knockdowns and nine blocks that sprung touchdowns or first downs, and played 66 of 67 snaps.

The five rushing TDs tied the ACC record for a quarterback, set by Georgia Tech’s TaQuon Marshall in 2017. Daniels is just the ninth FBS QB since 1995 to run for five scores against a Power Four opponent, and the first since at least 1995 with 180 passing yards, 130 rushing yards and five touchdowns in one game.

On the season, he’s 70-of-116 for 1,111 yards with six TDs and six INTs through the air. On the ground, he has 278 yards and nine touchdowns, third-most nationally. His 15.9 yards per completion also ranks third in the country.

Norvell told Tomahawk Nation the 81-yard touchdown came out of a different formation “we hadn’t repped.” Daniels read the pressure, and Norvell remembered the moment: “(I) heard Ashton say, ‘Go, go.’”

The Bainbridge, Ga., native was hired Dec. 11. He coached Syracuse’s edges during its 10-3 season in 2024, when Fadil Diggs posted 7.5 sacks, after stints at Colorado (2023) and Texas A&M (2021-22). Every starter on his 2021 Aggies defensive line went on to sign an NFL contract.

FSU entered the Virginia game averaging 1.75 sacks per game (76th nationally), then got 10. Per SI, the Noles now rank eighth nationally and second in the ACC at 3.4 sacks per game, and have allowed just 14 points over their last two games.

Norvell: “Nick, outstanding job of bringing guys along.” He also credited defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, and said the defense “overwhelmed them with physicality, speed, just emotion.”

He was just as happy with the five three-and-outs and the fourth-down stops: “Every one of those fourth-down stops is a takeaway.”

SI also noted FSU’s +244 rushing margin was the largest in an ACC game since 2020.

Louisville averages 38.6 points (22nd nationally) and 486 yards per game (17th). QB Lincoln Kienholz, an Ohio State transfer, is 96-of-139 for 1,394 yards with nine TDs and one interception, plus six rushing scores. On deep balls, he’s 13-of-21 for 508 yards and six touchdowns. Norvell: “He can do it all.”

Keyjuan Brown has 367 rushing yards at 9.7 per carry, and Isaac Brown (125 yards on nine carries) broke a 70-yard touchdown at NC State.

Tre Richardson leads the team with 28 catches for 445 yards. A familiar face, former Nole Lawayne McCoy, has 17 catches for 342 yards and four TDs. On defense, DE Clev Lubin has 3.5 sacks.

Louisville ranks 125th in total defense (423 yards per game), 130th against the pass and 113th in scoring defense (29.2). NC State threw for 373 yards on them.

The secondary is short-handed. The Kentucky Court of Appeals ended the eligibility of LB Kalib Perry and CB Jabari Mack, Antonio Watts is out for the year, and Louisville is on its fourth cornerback combination in five weeks. Brohm: “We’ve got to simplify things and make the communication easy.”

Also worth watching: Louisville is 114th in penalties (7.8 per game), and it has outscored opponents 41-16 in first quarters but been outscored 58-38 in second quarters.

All three Louisville losses came by three points, and seven of its last eight losses were by three or fewer.

FSU leads the series 18-6 (7-3 in Louisville), including a 35-31 win there in 2022 and the 16-6 win in the 2023 ACC Championship Game. But per CBS Sports, FSU has lost 10 straight road games. The last road win was at Florida in 2023.

Micahi Danzy said Saturday felt like old FSU, and the next step is doing it on the road. Norvell: “We got to go earn it… Friday night, all eyes on us.”

Per FSU, the teams have met 70 times, the series is tied 29-29 since 1969, and FSU is 21-19 in games played in Miami.

The nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, DJ Jacobs, has his Miami visit set for the FSU game, per 247Sports.

ChopChat’s updated ACC power rankings have FSU up to 8th (from 13th), with Louisville sliding from 6th to 11th. The top five: Miami, Duke, Wake Forest, Pitt and Virginia Tech.

Blostein reports FSU’s administration is in no rush on a Norvell decision and is focused on restructuring the athletic department after Michael Alford’s departure. Norvell also has strong relationships with president Richard McCullough and trustees chair Peter Collins.

His concern is whether a few wins should really change a six-year evaluation. ChopChat raised similar questions in its four burning questions about consistency and Norvell’s future.

247Sports’ Deep South flip watch includes two FSU commits. Michigan has joined Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama in pursuit of Ta’Shawn Poole, while Cal and Mississippi State (“well in the mix”) are courting LeJeune, whose recruitment is tied to results.

On the flip side, 247Sports calls FSU a “real threat” to flip Pettigrew, who likes tight ends coach Chris Thomsen.

ChopChat notes FSU’s 2028 class ranks fifth nationally per 247Sports, with Man Robinson, Meshi Dobson, safety Chayse Brown and tight end Troy Silberzahn.

FAU transfer RB Gemari Sands has been removed from the roster after appearing in one game. No reason has been given.

Her goal: “At the very bare minimum, it’s getting to the NCAA Tournament.” That’s a big swing for a team that went 10-21 last season.

The Noles added Vanderbilt transfer Aga Makurat (6-3), and Wyckoff called junior Tatum Greene “critical to us on the defensive end.”

New assistant Ron Hughey brings what Wyckoff called “phenomenal” defensive expertise.

One more reason for optimism: the 2027 NCAA Tournament expands to 76 teams.

Men’s golf is tied for sixth at +8 at the Hamptons Intercollegiate after darkness halted play. Tyler Weaver led the way with a 69 in the opening round, and Carson Brewer is +2 competing as an individual. Play resumes this morning at 7:35 a.m.

Volleyball hosts Jacksonville on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Soccer hosts No. 1 North Carolina on Friday at 6 p.m. on ESPNU, an hour before football kicks off in Louisville.