Florida State’s redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns in the first half as the Seminoles thrashed N.C. State 49-17 on Saturday afternoon at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Seminoles (7-0, 5-0 ACC) scored 35 points in the first quarter, and led 42-0 at halftime.
Winston, a Heisman Trophy frontrunner, went 17 for 26 with 312 yards and three touchdowns in barely more than one half of play. After FSU’s first drive of the second half, Winston was relieved of his duties with the Seminoles in front, 42-0.
Florida State outgained the Wolfpack 586-316 in the game, the most State’s defense has given up all season. The ‘Noles also held a 30-16 advantage in first downs.
Saturday’s game marked the return of graduate student quarterback Brandon Mitchell for the Pack (3-4, 0-4 ACC). Mitchell, who has been sidelined since Aug. 31 after breaking a bone in his foot, completed 17 of 33 passes for 128 yards and a pair of interceptions.
The first of Mitchell’s interceptions came on the second play from scrimmage. Mitchell lofted a pass down the left sideline, but senior defensive back Terrance Brooks made a diving interception at the FSU 35-yard line.
Brooks’ second interception of the year led to an 18-yard touchdown run by Karlos Williams, giving the Seminoles a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
Mitchell was picked off again in the second quarter, this time by sophomore defensive back Ronald Darby. It ended up not costing the Pack as it held FSU out of the end zone, but by that point the ‘Noles had already amassed a commanding 42-0 lead.
All of Winston’s touchdown passes came in the first quarter, as the freshman hooked up with sophomore receiver Kelvin Benjamin, junior tight end Nick O’Leary, and junior receiver Rashad Greene to hand Florida State a 42-0 lead going into halftime.
State finally got on the scoreboard thanks to a 36-yard field goal by junior kicker Niklas Sade with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter.
The Wolfpack made the score slightly more respectable as sophomore running back Shadrach Thornton broke free for a 72-yard score with a minute left in the third, then took in a one-yard touchdown run midway through the final period to account for both of N.C. State’s touchdowns. Thornton finished with 173 yards on 23 carries, a career-best effort.
The Seminoles added a late touchdown on a 31-yard run by freshman receiver Levonte Whitfield, closing out the scoring for both teams.
The Wolfpack has not won in Tallahassee since 2005, with the home team winning the past five meetings in the series.
