TALLAHASSEE � North Carolina State�s will was destroyed in a matter of nine minutes.
Florida State started fast on both sides of the ball for the third straight week and this time it was worse for the Wolfpack, who were victims of the Seminoles� overpowering desire to avenge last season�s 17-16 loss.
FSU ran out to a 28-0 lead with 6:06 to play in the first quarter and held a five-touchdown advantage in one of the most impressive starts in school history. It marked the fourth time FSU has scored 35 points in a quarter, the most recent prior to Saturday last season against Savannah State.
The Seminoles had 274 yards of total offense in the first 15 minutes. They did so while possessing the ball for only 6:08. The Wolfpack had two turnovers on their first four series, including an interception on their second play of the game, and were out of the game as quickly as it took them to warm up.
N.C. State started Brandon Mitchell at quarterback. He returned to the lineup for the first time since the season opener when he broke his foot. The rust was readily apparent on his white jersey.
Mitchell was 2 for 7 for 13 yards in the first quarter and threw his second interception with 13:04 to play in the first half. He also was penalized for an illegal forward pass and had minus-1 yard rushing while taking one sack. Will Bauman was the star for N.C. State with a 50.3 per punt average in the first quarter.
Jameis Winston passed for 274 yards in the first quarter, marking the fifth time this season he has thrown for more than 200 in the first half. Each occasion came against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
- FSU celebrated Bobby Bowden�s return by sprucing up the Sod Cemetery, which houses pieces of turf taken from road games to mark victories against ranked opponents. The cemetery typically has flowers on the �grave� for the current week�s victim, but FSU decorated each of Bowden�s wins. Bowden�s teams own 63 of the 95 sod games on display near the team�s practice field.
- Terrence Brooks and Ronald Darby each recorded second interceptions. They are among eight different Seminoles with at least one interception this season.
- FSU held a 21-0 lead with 7:02 to play in the first quarter on an 11-yard Devonta Freeman run. FSU outgained N.C. State 166-14 at that point.
- Roberto Aguayo set the FSU school record for consecutive converted extra points and field goals with 55 after FSU�s fourth touchdown of the game, a 14-yard pass from Winston to Nick O�Leary, who tied the school mark for career scores as a tight end with 10.
- FSU was forced to punt on two straight possessions after taking the 35-0 lead. The Seminoles needed a spark to end the complacency and Karlos Williams gave them that by picking up a first down on a fake punt late in the second quarter. Freeman capped the drive with a 4-yard run.
- The Seminoles had 371 total yards at halftime compared to 85 for the Wolfpack. Mitchell didn�t improve after his dreadful start, finishing 5 of 16 for 46 yards and two interceptions in the first half.
- FSU wide receiver Rashad Greene extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 22, eight from breaking the school record held by Rodney Smith. Greene also had 137 yards in the first half on eight receptions for his fifth career 100-yard game.
- Kenny Shaw had his 100th career reception on his first catch of the game. He joined Greene as the only current Seminoles with more than 100.
- Trainers looked at Kelvin Benjamin�s left hand after the FSU receiver deflected a pass in the third quarter. He didn�t return along with many of FSU�s starters and was seen on the sidelines without ice on his wrist.
- Niklas Sade�s 37-yard field goal with 7:51 left in the third quarter broke the shutout and cut the deficit to 42-3. The Wolfpack produced their best drive, moving 75 yards on 12 plays in 5:09. They had 77 yards on their previous five drives before the field goal.
- Jacob Coker took over at quarterback for FSU midway through the third quarter. It appeared as if the starters would have one more series before N.C. State recovered an onside kick.
- N.C. State�s second scoring drive was capped by a 72-yard run by Shadrach Thornton with 59 seconds to go in the third quarter. It was the longest run FSU surrendered this season with the previous high 30 against Boston College Sept. 28.
- N.C. State increased its output against FSU�s second-string defenders, amassing 246 yards by the end of the third quarter and 316 for the game. The Seminoles had 490 and trailed in rushing 158-144 at the end of 45 minutes. FSU finished with 566 total yards.
- Kermit Whitfield scored on a 33-yard reverse for his first career touchdown late in the fourth quarter. It capped the scoring and ended N.C. State�s string of 17 unanswered points.
- FSU improved to 3-5 against N.C. State since 2002 when the Seminoles are ranked in the series. FSU coach Jimbo Fisher evened his record against the Wolfpack at 2-2.