Florida State vs. Virginia

Florida State and Virginia have 21 meetings on file, the first in 1992; officially, Florida State leads 15–⁠5; as played, 16–⁠5 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Florida State 6–⁠4. The winner takes home the Jefferson–Eppes Trophy. Florida State holds it. The NCAA vacated Florida State’s win (2006); it doesn’t count officially. This page counts every game as it was played.

Scheduled 2029 at Virginia; 2030 at Florida State. As the programs’ Wikipedia articles list them (CC BY-SA).

Official series
Florida State leads 15–⁠5
Florida State wins on file
16
Virginia wins on file
5
Ties
0
Earliest on file
1992
Longest streak
9 Florida State
Current streak
1 Florida State
Last 10 meetings
Florida State 6–⁠4
Most recent
2026

The series at a glance

Every meeting by decade, colored by the winner
’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1990s7–⁠1
2000s6–⁠1
2010s2–⁠2
2020s1–⁠1
Both ranked
6 meetings: Florida State 5, Virginia 1; 1 both in the top 10
Average margin
19.1 points; 7 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Florida State
10–⁠1 Florida State’s record at home
At Virginia
4–⁠6 Virginia’s record at home
Shutouts
1

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Jefferson–Eppes Trophy

Played for since
—

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting (bowl rematches aren’t played for it); a tie leaves it with the holder (the usual rule; the article doesn’t say). From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the Jefferson–Eppes Trophy.

Games that tell the story

  1. Florida State’s biggest win2001: Florida State 43, Virginia 7by 36 points
  2. Virginia’s biggest win2025: Virginia 46, Florida State 38by 8 points
  3. Upset2011: Virginia 14, Florida State 13Virginia had a 22% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Ranked showdown2004: Florida State 36, Virginia 3No. 6 Virginia at No. 7 Florida State
  5. Ranked showdown1993: Florida State 40, Virginia 14No. 15 Virginia at No. 1 Florida State
  6. Ranked showdown1996: Florida State 31, Virginia 24No. 14 Virginia at No. 3 Florida State
  7. Ranked showdown1998: Florida State 45, Virginia 14No. 12 Virginia at No. 6 Florida State

Coach against coach

YearsFlorida StateSeriesVirginia
1992–⁠2000Bobby Bowden8–⁠1George Welsh
2001–⁠2006Bobby Bowden5–⁠1Al Groh
2010–⁠2014Jimbo Fisher2–⁠1Mike London

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Florida State’s side (Bowden 8–⁠1 against Welsh). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Florida State and Virginia, 1992 on1300150017001995200020052010201520202025

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

On television

2025ESPN4.4 million viewers
2026ESPN20.7 million viewers

Viewers: Nielsen, as compiled by nschultz7’s ratings tracker.

Every game

Oct 3, 2026Florida State 38, Virginia 7at Florida State
Sep 26, 2025Virginia 46, 8Florida State 38at Virginia
Sep 14, 201925Virginia 31, Florida State 24at Virginia
Nov 8, 20142Florida State 34, Virginia 20at Florida State
Nov 19, 2011Virginia 14, 23Florida State 13at Florida State
Oct 2, 2010Florida State 34, Virginia 14at Virginia
Nov 4, 2006Florida State 33, Virginia 0vacatedat Florida State
Oct 15, 2005Virginia 26, 4Florida State 21at Virginia
Oct 16, 20047Florida State 36, 6Virginia 3at Florida State
Oct 18, 20037Florida State 19, Virginia 14at Virginia
Aug 31, 20025Florida State 40, Virginia 19at Florida State
Oct 20, 2001Florida State 43, Virginia 7at Virginia
Oct 21, 20006Florida State 37, Virginia 3at Florida State
Oct 30, 19991Florida State 35, Virginia 10at Virginia
Nov 7, 19986Florida State 45, 12Virginia 14at Florida State
Oct 25, 19973Florida State 47, Virginia 21at Virginia
Oct 26, 19963Florida State 31, 14Virginia 24at Florida State
Nov 2, 199524Virginia 33, 2Florida State 28at Virginia
Sep 3, 19944Florida State 41, Virginia 17at Florida State
Oct 16, 19931Florida State 40, 15Virginia 14at Florida State
Oct 31, 19926Florida State 13, 23Virginia 3at Virginia

Every game is listed as played on the field; a win the NCAA later vacated is marked “vacated”; the official series above counts them the NCAA’s way.