Honestly, if you looked at the preseason rankings back in August, you would’ve bet the house on Florida State. They were the darlings of the ACC. Everyone thought they were playoff-bound. But by the time the FSU vs UNC football 2024 matchup rolled around on November 2nd, the vibe in Tallahassee wasn't just "off"—it was funeral-quiet.
North Carolina walked into Doak Campbell Stadium and basically dismantled what was left of the Seminoles' pride. A 35-11 scoreline doesn't even quite capture how lopsided this thing felt. It was a historic afternoon for one specific Tar Heel, and a total system failure for Mike Norvell’s squad.
Omarion Hampton vs Everybody
Let’s talk about Omarion Hampton. The guy is a human cheat code.
Coming into this game, everyone knew Mack Brown was going to feed him. FSU knew it. The fans knew it. The concessions guys knew it. Still, nobody could stop him. Hampton ended the day with 265 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns. Five. He’s the first Tar Heel to hit that mark since 1981.
He didn't just run the ball; he bruised the defense. He carried it 32 times for 172 yards on the ground and then decided to show off his hands with a 49-yard shovel pass reception that he took to the house. It was demoralizing. You could see the FSU linebackers just guessing by the fourth quarter.
The Quarterback Carousel that Went Nowhere
FSU’s offense was, in a word, stagnant. Brock Glenn got the start, but he couldn't find a rhythm. He went 6-for-11 for 123 yards. Not terrible on paper, but when your rushing attack only produces 42 total yards, your QB has to be Superman. Glenn wasn't.
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True freshman Luke Kromenhoek saw some action too, but he ended up throwing two interceptions late in the game to Will Hardy and Alijah Huzzie. It’s that classic "two-quarterback" problem. When you have two, you usually have none. The Seminoles' offensive line looked like a revolving door, allowing seven sacks. Beau Atkinson was living in the backfield, racking up 3.5 sacks by himself.
Why the Score Was Actually Worse Than It Looked
You look at 35-11 and think, "Okay, a three-score game." But look at the total yards: 500 for UNC, 201 for FSU.
UNC held the ball for nearly 40 minutes. FSU had it for about 20. Basically, the Seminoles' defense was on the field so long they probably needed oxygen tanks by the start of the third quarter. The only real highlight for the home crowd was a 56-yard field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald early on and a 28-yard touchdown grab by Ja’Khi Douglas. After that? Crickets.
Actually, the stats tell a pretty grim story of the 2024 season for FSU:
- Rushing Yards: UNC 289, FSU 42.
- First Downs: UNC 23, FSU 10.
- Third Down Conversions: UNC 11-of-16, FSU 2-of-10.
It’s hard to win football games when you can't stay on the field.
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Mack Brown’s Personal Victory
This wasn't just another win for North Carolina. This was Mack Brown’s first-ever win against Florida State. For a guy who has been in the game as long as he has, that’s a massive monkey off the back. He’d been 0-11 against the Seminoles previously.
"I’ve said since the beginning this would be a team that would finish better than it started," Brown told reporters afterward. He was right. UNC had just come off a 41-14 thumping of Virginia, and this win over FSU moved them to 5-4, keeping their bowl hopes alive and well.
The Injury Bug Bit Hard
To be fair to the Noles, they were playing with a skeleton crew. By November, the injury report looked like a CVS receipt. They were missing:
- Kam Davis (True freshman RB)
- Darius Washington (Starting LT)
- Roydell Williams (RB)
- Richie Leonard IV (Starting Guard)
When you're already struggling with identity and confidence, losing your veteran anchors on the offensive line is a death sentence. It showed.
What This Meant for the ACC
This game effectively cemented FSU’s status at the bottom of the conference for 2024. They fell to 1-8 overall. For a team that was suing the conference over TV revenue and claiming they were "too big" for the ACC, losing by 24 at home to a middle-of-the-pack UNC team was a tough pill for the fanbase to swallow.
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For North Carolina, it was proof that their defensive turnaround under Geoff Collins was real. Holding any ACC opponent to 201 yards of offense is a feat, regardless of how much that opponent is struggling.
Next Steps for Your Weekend Research:
If you're looking to really understand the collapse of the FSU dynasty in 2024, I’d suggest watching the condensed game highlights of the FSU vs UNC football 2024 matchup specifically to watch the line play. Notice how often FSU's guards were pulled out of position by simple stunts.
Also, keep an eye on Omarion Hampton’s draft stock. After a 5-TD performance like this, he’s moved from a "maybe" to a "must-have" for several NFL scouts looking for a three-down back who can pass protect. Check out the latest ACC availability reports if you're tracking FSU's rebuild heading into the next season; the roster turnover is going to be massive.