When Florida State lost quarterback Deondre Francois to a patella tendon injury in the final moments of its season-opening loss to Alabama, head coach Jimbo Fisher thought he would have a manageable home game against Louisiana-Monroe to break in true freshman James Blackman. Instead, after Hurricane Irma wiped two games off the Seminoles’ September schedule, Blackman was subjected to a baptism by fire, courtesy of Bradley Chubb.
Chubb and the rest of NC State’s defensive front completely disrupted the Florida State offense, allowing the Wolfpack to walk out of Doak-Campbell Stadium with a 27–21 win, their first victory in the series since 2012.