Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee, Florida State was cruising against Kent State. The Seminoles were building a 35-7 lead with less than three minutes left in the first half. Everything was going too well. And then suddenly, a moment arrived that gave Mike Norvell palpitations. His star QB, Thomas Castellanos, went down. But the Noles nation didn’t have long to worry.  

In a live reel on X on September 20, Thomas Castellanos flashed his signature grin and told fans, “I’m good! I’m straight y’all.” The Seminoles dodged a bullet. In a week where health is at a premium, Friday night’s game at Virginia looms large, the team can breathe a little easier. That kind of update is gold in college football, where a single ankle tweak can domino through a season.

The injury itself came late in the second quarter, just before a weather delay hit. After throwing a crisp pass, Castellanos got rolled up on by a couple of Golden Flashes defenders. He popped up, but you could see he was hobbling, hopping on one foot toward the sideline. FSU’s medical staff swarmed him, checking every step before the storm of rain pushed the teams off the field. Per Warchant.com, he slowly walked back to the locker room under his own power, and fans collectively held their breath.

Before the scare, Thomas Castellanos was in vintage form. Completing 10 of 13 passes for 205 yards, he looked locked in, though he threw one interception and no touchdowns. Still, he was on pace for a career-high 300-plus passing yards, slicing through Kent State’s defense. With the Seminoles rolling, the possibility that he wouldn’t return to the game was a real worry. When he exited, freshman Kevin Sperry stepped in for his first-ever game action, a baptism by fire in a surprisingly intense buy game.

Can Thomas Castellanos retain the momentum?

This is the last buy game for Florida State this season. Kent State, arguably the most hapless program in recent college football history, rolled into Doak Campbell Stadium with a 1-2 record. Since 2023, the Golden Flashes are 2-25, with wins against FCS teams, a far cry from their 2021 MAC championship run. First-year coach Mark Carney nearly stole a win last week against Buffalo, but the late touchdown slipped through his fingers.

This is the first-ever meeting between FSU and Kent State, though it comes with a hefty price tag. $1.2 million, according to USA TODAY Sports. For context, Florida paid USF just $500,000 to visit The Swamp this season. Yes, that’s nearly triple. FSU is betting big and expecting no surprises. They beat the socks out of their cupcake opponent 66-10. 

Looking ahead, the Seminoles have a short week before Friday night’s date with Virginia. Thomas Castellanos’ health is non-negotiable. He’s the quarterback, the pulse, and the engine of a team chasing a 5-0 start for only the second time in three seasons. Keep him healthy, and the playoff conversation stays very real.

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