Florida State · ACCFlorida State clears Jones, LaVallee before Virginia game
Chris Jones, Ashlynd Barker and KJ Kirkland also were cleared, while 11 Seminoles remained listed as out.
OCT 3, 2026
Florida State cleared starting cornerback Quindarrius Jones and linebacker Caleb LaVallee from its probable list Friday, Oct. 2, before Saturday, Oct. 3, home game against Virginia, giving a 2-2 Seminoles team more defensive help as it tried to avoid an 0-2 ACC start.
Chris Jones, Ashlynd Barker and KJ Kirkland also were cleared after earlier availability questions. The moves ease pressure on Florida State’s secondary and linebacker corps against a Virginia team that entered 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the ACC.
Florida State entered the game 0-1 in ACC play and needed a win to stay above .500 before a difficult stretch featuring Louisville, Miami and Clemson. The Seminoles’ next listed game was Friday, Oct. 9, at Louisville.
Eleven Florida State players were listed as out, including Karson Hobbs, Izayia Williams and Daylen Green, who were out for the season. The National Weather Service forecast a 70% chance of precipitation, with showers likely through about 5 p.m. and thunderstorms possible throughout the day.
Kickoff was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The clearances gave Florida State more defensive options.
01 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The five clearances recover help at the positions where Florida State’s availability report remains most depleted. Nine of the 11 players listed as out are defenders: one defensive end, four defensive backs and four linebackers. The three season-long absences — Karson Hobbs, Izayia Williams and Daylen Green — also fall within that defensive group.
That depth must cover more than the Virginia game. Florida State plays at Louisville on Friday, Oct. 9, six days after facing the Cavaliers, then visits Miami on Oct. 17. The Seminoles went 2-6 in ACC play in 2025 and entered this three-game sequence 0-1 in the league, so the return of five defenders arrives before conference games on three consecutive available dates from Oct. 3 through Oct. 17.
02 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
How much will the five cleared defenders actually play against Virginia?
Florida State removed Quindarrius Jones and Caleb LaVallee from the probable list and cleared Chris Jones, Ashlynd Barker and KJ Kirkland, but it did not specify their roles or workloads. The participation report and defensive snap counts from Oct. 3 will show whether the Seminoles regained regular contributors or limited options. That distinction carries into the Friday, Oct. 9, trip to Louisville, with nine defensive players still among the 11 listed as out.