Florida State will be without three players against Cal, an FSU spokesperson confirmed Saturday afternoon.

Offensive tackles Jeremiah Byers and Robert Scott Jr., along with running back Roydell Williams, will be absent tonight.

This is Byers’ third straight game missing due to a lower-body injury. Earlier this week, Mike Norvell commented on how the redshirt senior takes a strong leadership role, even when he’s on the sidelines.

“That’s what a leader is. He couldn’t do anything physically to help us, but he tries to give everything he has. He was very active in training today. You hear him, you feel him.”

Meanwhile, Scott, who has filled in for Byers the last few weeks, will miss for the first time this season after playing all 57 snaps last week. With two fewer tackles and Darius Washington returning, Jaylen Early should start at RT today.

Williams will also be out of action for the first time tonight. The Alabama transfer has struggled to start the year, fumbling against the Tigers and averaging just 2.7 yards per rush on 20 carries through three games. Freshman Kam Davis should continue to see a larger workload in the backfield alongside Lawrance Toafili.

Along with Washington, ESPN reported this morning that safety Shyheim Brown and Jalen Brown will be active tonight. The network reported that linebacker Cam Riley will be a game-time decision.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Cal Golden Bears: How to Watch

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Florida State vs. Cal: Game Notes

» Florida State concludes its three-game homestand by hosting Cal in the first matchup between the schools in series history. Cal is the second team from the state of California to visit Tallahassee. Florida State’s only previous matchup at Doak Campbell Stadium with a team from California was a 30-10 win over No. 18 USC in 1998.

» FSU is Cal’s first ACC game, and Florida State will also be SMU’s first ACC opponent next week. There have been nine additions to the conference since Florida State joined the ACC before the 1992 season, and the Seminoles have been the first ACC game for five of those games, with four (Miami in 2004, Boston College in 2005, Pitt in 2013, SMU in 2024) being away games. No other team has been scheduled more than once as the first ACC opponent for a new conference addition.

» Florida State is 23-7 since the start of the 2022 season. Its 23 total wins and 76.7 winning percentage during that span are best in the ACC, with its win total ranking 9th in the nation and its winning percentage ranking 12th.

» The Seminoles are one of four ACC teams still perfect in red zone scoring opportunities this season. Since last season, Florida State has scored on 20 of its last 23 red zone drives.

» Ryan Fitzgerald’s 59-yard field goal in the season opener against Georgia Tech tied for the longest field goal in the country this year and is the longest in a conference game in ACC history. He also made a 52-yard field goal against the Yellow Jackets and made a 54-yard field goal, tied for the fifth-longest in Doak Campbell Stadium history, against Memphis.

» Fitzgerald is the only kicker in the country with multiple passes of at least 54 yards. He is one of three kickers with three 50-yard field goals in 2024 and the sixth kicker in FSU history with at least three 50-yard field goals in a single season.

» Alex Mastromanno has the nation’s best net punting average with a net punting average of 49.8 yards per punt. The Seminoles lead the ACC and rank 8th in the nation with a net punting average of 45.4 yards per punt. Last year, Florida State’s net punting average of 43.3 yards per punt was 3rd in the nation.

» Florida State held Memphis to 65 rushing yards, the Seminoles’ third-best defensive performance in a single game under head coach Mike Norvell.

» FSU recorded a season-high 9.0 tackles for loss against Memphis, the Seminoles’ most in a game since they recorded 14.0 TFLs in their 2023 ACC Championship Game win over No. 14 Louisville. It was the most TFLs Memphis allowed since Dec. 27, 2022.

» Five Florida State players have made their first college starts in 2024. Linebacker Blake Nichelson has started each of the past two games, while defensive back KJ Kirkland, offensive lineman Jaylen Early and tight ends Brian Courtney and Jackson West made their first career starts against Memphis.

» Florida State’s offensive line has played in 377 collegiate games, the most in the country, with 225 starts, the second-highest total nationally. The line features returning first-team All-ACC offensive tackle Darius Washington, all-conference center Maurice Smith and starting tackle Jeremiah Byers from last year’s group that blocked for the ACC’s top-scoring offense for the second straight year. Washington and Byers have both missed games this season due to injury, and eight different offensive linemen have made at least one start in the first three games of the season, matching last year’s total.