Florida State running backs set school record in season opener against Duquesne

The Florida State running backs not only led the team to a 47-7 victory in the season opener against Duquesne on Saturday, but they also made history in the process.

Three Seminoles rushers finished the game with more than 100 yards, a school record according to ESPN’s Andrea Adelson. Treshaun Ward led the group with 14 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns, while Trey Benson added 105 yards and Lawrance Toafili had 101. True freshman Rodney Hill even got in on the action with nine carries for 55 yards and a touchdown.

Benson delivered the biggest play of the evening, breaking free for a 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. FSU scored all six of its touchdowns on the ground as five different players saw the end zone. As a team, the Seminoles totaled 406 yards rushing compared to just 93 for the Dukes.

Saturday’s game provided a glimpse at what the running back rotation could look like for Florida State this season. Ward, Benson and Toafili all split carries through the first three quarters before Hill entered the game in the fourth.

The dual-threat ability of quarterback Jordan Travis should also factor in to the Florida State ground game going forward. Travis rushed for 530 yards and seven touchdowns this past season as well as 569 yards and seven scores in 2020. He scored the first touchdown of the evening Saturday, but finished with just 11 yards on four carries. Don’t expect him to be that quiet every game, though.

Florida State ranked sixth in the ACC in rushing offense this past season, but the performance from its running backs in the opener hints at a higher ceiling this year. The Seminoles backfield will face a much bigger test next week, when they face LSU at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 4 in New Orleans.