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Sep 13, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal head coach Frank Reich before the game against the Boston College Eagles at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Stanford's Frank Reich impressed by FSU football ahead of ACC clash

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Robert Malcolm | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 9:00 AM ET

As they search for their first win in nearly a month, the Florida State Seminoles take to the road this weekend to face the Stanford Cardinal in Palo Alto.

After a hot start to the season, playing dominant football on both sides of the ball, it seems that for each step taken in the right direction, FSU has taken two steps back. One could argue that three consecutive weeks on the losing side of one-score games is purely unlucky, but the performances on display in these games are nothing like what the team showed at the start of the season.

Florida State's short-lived success in 2025 showed the world what the program could be, but it also showcases what the current state of the program is, as games that were once thought of as all but guaranteed wins are now being written down as the worst of losses.

FSU may have its own issues in Tallahassee, but the Seminoles aren't the only team in the ACC that is struggling. Since joining the ACC last season, Stanford has a combined 5-13 record, going into this weekend's game with a 2-4 record in 2025.

Over the last decade, Stanford has gone from winning conference championships and New Year's 6 bowl appearances, to finding itself amongst the worst teams in the nation. In 2024, Stanford finished second-to-last in the ACC, placing higher than none other than Florida State.

As Stanford comes off a tough 34-10 road loss to SMU, the Cardinal looks to capitalize on Florida State's recent lack of momentum to get the program back on track to being one of the best in college football.

On Monday afternoon, Stanford interim head coach Frank Reich, who has made multiple coaching stops at all levels in the NFL, met with the media to discuss where his squad needs to improve and what challenges FSU brings to the table ahead of the first meeting between the two programs.

Reich discusses the offensive threat that Florida State poses

In what was a disappointing performance this past weekend against the Pitt Panthers, Florida State's offense still managed to produce over 400 yards of offense and put over 30 points on the board for the fifth time this season, doing so with a banged-up offensive line and a depleted receiving corps.

Reich commented on the newfound offensive success seen at FSU under first-year OC Gus Malzahn, highlighting some of the Seminoles' impact players on the offensive side of the ball, also breaking down what makes quarterback Tommy Castellanos such a threat for defenses.

"He [Castellanos] is super dynamic, he's fast, a really good runner, but can also push the ball down the field, and they got some weapons, they got two big backs that are workhorses and do a nice job in the run game. Their offensive line, I believe, all five guys have started every game, so they've had some continuity up front," Reich said.

"At receiver, it is very evident that number 19 has serious speed, and their other receiver, 0, he's a big and tall target. In the slot, number 7 is your typical, good slot receiver. And then you've got Gus Malzahn as your offensive coordinator, so it'll be a good challenge."

Reich discusses the challenges of Florida State's "unique" defensive scheme

Despite getting off to a hot start in the first three games of the season, allowing just 30 points scored by opposing offenses, the FSU defense has been less than productive to start conference play, giving up a combined 108 points in the last three games.

Although FSU is coming off one of its worst defensive showings in 2025, Reich had nothing but praise for Tony White's 3-3-5 defensive scheme, calling out some of the challenges it brings to the table.

"It's a really unique defensive scheme - a well-known, unique defensive scheme. Tony white, their defensive coordinator, does his own flair on it; they do a really good job; it's multiple, and that's what I think makes it so challenging," Reich said.

"How they mix up their fronts, and at the same time in the back end, the coverages still have a lot of variety to them, and so there's a lot of different combinations of fronts and coverages that you're going to see over the course of a game. Up front, they're big and strong, they're good versus the run and the pass."

Even in poor showings, certain players are still standing out for the FSU defense, and Reich was quick to credit some of the playmakers donning the garnet and gold.

"Number 6, he's a hoss, a big, big man. Number 10 is a good player- all up front, they are good players. Number 0, their leading tackler, he just flies all over the field, they put him in that special position they have back there, and he has instincts for the ball," Reich said.

"They play this kind of net look, and they're playing with vision, they're aggressive to the ball, and you think, 'well, we can get them on play action,' and they're still pretty good at diagnosing that stuff, so, a good defense. They're very active at linebacker; they play three-down schemes, four-down schemes, they mix it up pretty well."

Florida State's matchup against Stanford will take place on Saturday, October 18, in Stanford Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, with kickoff scheduled for 10:30 PM ET.