TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State scored 28 first quarter points to take control early and defeat Charleston Southern, 52-8, on Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium. The third-ranked Seminoles took advantage of two CSU fumbles to build a big early cushion and push the nation's longest home winning streak to 22 games.

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CSU (1-2), playing short-handed, competed until the final whistle in its fifth-ever game against a top-five ranked team. The Bucs recorded 294 yards of total offense and were nearly even with the Noles in yardage after halftime.

Junior quarterback Robert Mitchell made his CSU debut and completed 7-of-20 passes for 142 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown to redshirt freshman Kameron Brown. Redshirt sophomore Solomon Brown paced the Bucs' defensive effort with three tackles for loss and a sack, while senior Seth Harrelson posted six stops and an interception in his first career start.

CSU now enters an open week in advance of its Sept. 24 Big South Conference opener at Monmouth. Head coach Jamey Chadwell was pleased with the grit his team displayed against one of the elite programs in college football.

"I was very proud of the guys that came down here under the circumstances and the way they fought," Chadwell said. "I was real disappointed in the way we executed at times with turning the ball over and some other things that were self-inflicted but I knew they would compete and fight and that's what they did the whole game. That's what we've been about so it was good to see that."

FSU (2-0), facing a quick turnaround following its season opening win over No. 11 Ole Miss, made a host of big plays in the first quarter. Quarterback Deondre Francois hit Travis Rudolph for a 36-yard touchdown on a third-and-12 play to start the scoring. The duo hooked up again on a 21-yard strike following CSU's second turnover. Jesus Wilson returned a punt 89 yards for a touchdown to stake the Seminoles to a four-touchdown lead.

Francois finished 25-of-32 through the air for 262 yards and three touchdowns. Rudolph notched seven receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half. Dalvin Cook, an early season Heisman Trophy favorite, tallied 83 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries.

Mitchell relieved London Johnson early in the game and got the Bucs on the scoreboard with 2:50 left in the second quarter. Brown ran wide open down the left sideline thanks to a blown coverage and Mitchell hit him in stride for a 57-yard score.

CSU scored again on a Mike Taylor safety 18 seconds into the fourth quarter. FSU was backed up against its own goal line following a strong Truett Burns punt and J.J. Cosentino dropped the shotgun snap, allowing Taylor to sack him in the end zone.

CSU next heads to New Jersey for a meeting with Monmouth on Sept. 24. Kickoff at Kessler Field is slated for 1 p.m.