With starting quarterback Everett Golson and starting running back Dalvin Cook both out, No. 17 Florida State racked up 575 yards of offense in a 45-21 victory over Syracuse at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.
In place of Golson, redshirt junior Sean Maguire threw three touchdowns to Travis Rudolph and freshman running back Jacques Patrick rushed for three more as the Seminoles (7-1, 5-1 ACC) easily avenged their first loss of the season.
Quarterback Eric Dungey’s first of two rushing touchdowns gave Syracuse (3-5, 1-3 ACC) an early 7-0 lead, but that would be the last time the Orange would go ahead. Maguire put FSU ahead for good with 75 and 45-yard touchdown passes to Rudolph in the first quarter.
Patrick extended the lead to 21-7 on a 2-yard touchdown run — the first of his career — but Dungey answered with his second score of the day with under a minute to play in the first half. The Seminoles however, would respond by going 58 yards in seven plays and 47 seconds with a 1-yard Patrick touchdown run capping the drive to give FSU a 28-14 halftime lead.
Maguire found Rudolph from 19 yards out midway through the third quarter before Patrick scored from 28 yards out in the fourth quarter to put the exclamation point on the victory. After Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo hit a 35-yard field goal, Brisly Estime returned a Cason Beatty punt 59 yards for a touchdown to conclude the scoring.
In just his second career start, Maguire passed for a career-high 348 yards. Maguire passed for over 300 yards in his first career start against Clemson last season.
Rudolph’s 191 yards receiving was a new career-high and Patrick finished with 162 yards on the ground on 24 carries in his first career start. Dontae Strickland led Syracuse with 75 yards from scrimmage with 62 coming on a screen pass to set up the Orange’s first score.
With the victory, FSU clinches a 39th straight winning season. The Seminoles will head to Clemson next Saturday for a contest that could decide the ACC Atlantic. Syracuse will look to snap a 5-game skid as it travels to take on Louisville.
