Charleston Southern will be facing off against Florida State this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. EST, with the game available on ACC Network Extra. Currently, the odds for this matchup are unavailable, and Florida State leads their historical series against Charleston Southern 2-0.

Florida State aims to end a disappointing six-game losing streak, marking their longest such streak since the beginning of the 1974 season when they lost eight consecutive games. The recent struggles led to the firing of offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, and receivers coach Ron Dugans following a significant 52-3 defeat at the hands of Notre Dame. While there may not be much for a Power Five team to gain against an FCS opponent, securing a victory at home could serve as a morale booster before their rivalry game against Florida.

One critical area to watch will be the matchup between Charleston Southern’s rushing attack and Florida State’s rush defense. The Buccaneers employ a triple-option offense, but they have faced challenges, averaging only 15 points per game. Leading the charge for Charleston Southern is Autavius Ison, who has accumulated 767 rushing yards this season, with an average of 4.9 yards per carry. However, he has struggled recently, totaling 51 yards or less in his last three outings. Florida State should benefit from a size and athleticism advantage up front, but they must address their third-down defensive woes, which allow opponents to convert nearly 46% of the time, ranking 122nd among 134 FBS teams.

For the Buccaneers, linebacker Steve Zayachkowsky is a key player to observe. Zayachkowsky leads the team in tackles with 76 and boasts three sacks to his name. In a recent overtime loss to Eastern Illinois, he contributed four tackles, two sacks, and a pass breakup. On the other side, Florida State’s standout running back Lawrance Toafili has been a reliable option, accumulating 380 rushing yards alongside 176 receiving yards this season. After a solid performance against Notre Dame, where he rushed for 77 yards, Toafili now ranks as the 19th all-time leading rusher at FSU with 1,819 career rushing yards.

In terms of statistics, the Seminoles have used nine different combinations on their offensive line throughout the ten games played this season, and they currently hold the lowest scoring average in the FBS at 13.3 points per game. Florida State has a strong homecoming tradition, having won their last ten homecoming games. On the contrary, Charleston Southern has a bleak record of 0-26 against FBS teams historically, although they came close to an upset in 2021 when they lost to East Carolina by a narrow margin of 31-28. The Buccaneers have faced their share of challenges, losing nine straight games, with five of those losses coming by a single touchdown or less.