Florida State fans are upset with ACC refs (and they couldn't be more wrong)

Oh, what a night in Charlottesville. The No. 8-ranked Florida State Seminoles (per the Associated Press) lost to their ACC foe Virginia Cavaliers on Friday. The Noles suffered their first defeat of the season, and while they remain in control of their College Football Playoff destiny in the relatively weak ACC, this is a team that went 2-10 just last season, and are just a couple of years removed from being left out of the CFP due to an injury to then-quarterback Jordan Travis. This fanbase knows how quickly a season can be derailed, and because of that, they are...let's just say sensitive.

It took double-overtime for Virginia and quarterback Chandler Morris – who the Hoos acquired from the transfer portal this offseason – to notch their first real impact win of 2025. Morris had two touchdowns and three interception, and was a real threat in the running game, with 37 yards on eight carries and three scores on the ground.

“They started fast, took advantage of some of the mistakes we had early," Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. "We did not get off to the start that we needed to have. i was pleased with the way our guys responded.”

Did Virginia have help from the officials in upset of Florida State?

Clarity is key when it comes to officiating collegiate or professional athletics, and the ACC has found a way to perfect that process in their replay review system. Rather than keep the replay reviews secret, the ACC gave ESPN access to the conversation between the officials on the field and their replay office. It's a tactic more conferences should use, and if anything would make rare mistakes a bit more understandable.

In the second overtime, Florida State faced a third-and-7 from the UVA 22 yard line. Thomas Castellanos made a beautiful throw to the back of the end zone to his favorite target Duce Robinson, who appeared to make a great catch for a touchdown. Unfortunately for the Noles, the play was reviewed, and overturned rather quickly.

Here was exchange with the replay review official, as heard on ESPN: "We're going to try to see that there is control...He's still moving [the ball] here...still moving...bring that back...moving...still moving...and then first step out of bounds. Do we agree that there's no control until he gets out [of bounds]? Yes. Are we all in agreement? Yes."

Florida State fans were upset how quickly that decision was made, but review can often work that way. The job of instant replay is to keep the game moving, rather than to force a minutes-long stoppage of play. If anything, most fanbases would prefer the opposite.

Castellanos and Florida State were whistled for a false start shortly thereafter, and the quarterback's fourth-and-12 attempt fell incomplete as Virginia completed the upset. Mayhem ensued shortly thereafter.

Florida State and Mike Norvell did have a point about one thing

While Norvell didn't protest the overturned touchdown, he was upset about inaction from the officials just a few plays prior. Virginia had just scored a touchdown to go ahead, but Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott was unaware of college football's overtime rules, which force each team to go for a two-point conversion starting in the second OT. Elliott initially sent out Virginia's field goal unit to kick the extra point after the touchdown, but was allowed extra time to make the change when an official pulled him aside to explain the rule.

If anything, this should've been ruled a delay of game or some form of rules infraction on Virginia, which would've made their two-point attempt all the tougher. Of course, none of it would've mattered since Florida State failed to score on their own possession.