Florida State Football: Nyqwan Murray suspended for half vs NC State

Florida State football has had a taxing season that continues to get more and more challenging following the suspension of wide receiver Nyqwan Murray.

Head coach Willie Taggart announced during his weekly press conference Monday that leading receiver Nyqwan Murray and reserve linebacker Zaquandre White have both been suspended for Saturday’s ACC game with NC State.

However, the suspensions will last for just the first half for both players, who each threw punches at Clemson players last week in separate incidents.

Murray, a senior, has 40 receptions for 536 yards and three touchdowns this year. He was held to just 49 yards on five catches vs. the Tigers in a 59-10 loss.

Twice this season Murray has eclipsed the 100-yard mark, posting six catches for 114 yards and a score in a win over Louisville, and recording eight receptions for 131 with a touchdown in a victory vs. Wake Forest two weeks ago.

Since joining the lineup at Florida State as a sophomore, Murray has hauled in 113 passes for 1,646 yards with 12 touchdowns. White, a redshirt freshman, has played in three games this season. He has recorded 12 total tackles, including seven solo stops.

The Seminoles are coming off their worst home loss to the Tigers and are sitting at just 4-4 overall with games at NC State, at Notre Dame, vs. Boston College and vs. Florida to conclude the season.

Last year, Florida State barely kept its consecutive bowl streak appearances record intact that dates back to 1980 by qualifying for the Independence Bowl. The Seminoles went on to defeat Southern Miss, 42-13, but that ended a run of five consecutive appearances in either a New Year’s Six game, the College Football Playoff or a BCS contest.

Taggart had the team playing better before this past Saturday, winning two of three. Florida State started the season 1-2, but rebounded with victories over Northern Illinois and Louisville before falling in dramatic fashion to rival Miami.

A week before the loss to Clemson, the Seminoles posted a convincing 38-17 victory over Wake Forest, a game in which Deondre Francois threw for 353 yards. Francois will need to find a new target Saturday with Murray suspended for the first half.