FSU Rapid Reaction: FSU 42 Louisville 31

The game between Florida State and Louisville has gone final, here’s some FSU Rapid Reaction:

You may think you’ve got the game in hand when you go up on FSU 24-7.

You would be wrong.

Jimbo Fisher has you right where he wants you.

For the second time this season Florida State came back from a 24-7 deficit — at one time the Seminoles trailed 21-0 in this one — to beat a quality opponent on the road and stay unbeaten. Think about that, FSU has been down 24-7 in two different games this year and went on to win both by double digits.

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The first time was at NC State, tonight it happened at Louisville with a 42-31 win over the Cardinals.

Both times it came down to Florida State’s Heisman-winning quarterback — along with some contributions from freshmen — to pull FSU out of the thick of it. This time it was Dalvin Cook leading the freshmen, running for 110 yards and two long scores — including 38 yards on the go-ahead touchdown — along with Ermon Lane and Travis Rudolph making big catches at receiver. The future looks bright at Florida State, even if it’s coming a bit sooner than expected.

Think about that, FSU has been down 24-7 in two different games this year and went on two win both by double digits.

It still wasn’t a complete performance, but once again FSU’s ho-hum was better than another team’s best shot. Once again FSU took the full force of a team’s fury, weathered it and then responded in kind– winning by double digits.

This might not be last year’s team, but this team can scrap and perhaps — when it comes playoff time — that might actually count more. FSU isn’t winning on style points, but it knows when it comes down to crunch time that the plays are going to get made and someone is going to step up.

It is very business-like, but that’s what happens when you haven’t lost in the last 24 games.

Or maybe FSU just likes to spot other teams a few scores to make it more sporting. Maybe they’re bored. Either way the ‘Noles are still unbeaten.

What this Means: FSU is still in control of its own destiny. As far as the playoff goes, it’s still win and you’re in. FSU hasn’t blown the doors off the stadium like they did a year ago but this team knows how to fight and it knows how to win.

Jameis Winston threw three picks tonight– FSU never buckled.

That says a lot. It would have been easy to get rolled when Louisville stopped FSU’s opening drive of the second half and then went ahead 24-7 at the start of the third quarter but this team never got down on itself. It went right out and started making plays. And by the end of the night FSU had made enough plays to win the game and stay unbeaten.

The rest of the country might not like FSU, but as long as the Seminoles keep winning it doesn’t matter.

You knew it was over when: On third down, with the Cardinals trying to get the ball back Jameis Winston hit Freddie Stevenson with a pass that went 35 yards for the score. At that point FSU was up by 10 (with an extra point pending) and this one was over.

More than just the result though, the play showed how Jimbo Fisher got the best of Todd Grantham on Thursday night.

Early on, Grantham was giving Fisher’s offense fits. But over the second half Fisher absolutely torched his old friend. Fisher’s halftime adjustments were masterful and for the entire second half it seemed as if Fisher was two steps ahead of Grantham’s every move. That final play was no different. Fisher more or less borrowed a staple from Bobby Petrino’s own play-calling — something that broke tendency in a big way for FSU — and used it to break Grantham’s back. The play worked perfectly, Stevenson was never touched. FSU wins. Fisher comes out ahead.

Who Stepped Up: Dalvin Cook was huge in this one. Karlos Williams — who many believed wouldn’t even play — was a non-factor in the second half as Cook made a play for the starting RB job. On the day the true freshman had 150 total yards and two touchdowns.

Mostly, he looked dangerous with the ball in his hands. Whether it was just going out in the flat as the check-down for Winston on pass plays or cutting back against the grain and going for big yardage a couple of times, Cook looked like a real weapon– one that’s worth getting more touches.

Tonight we may have seen a new star created.

Travis Rudolph and Ermon Lane also stepped up. At this point you almost never see FSU’s two fifth-year seniors — Christian Green and Jarred Haggins — and that’s because these two have developed. Lane had two catches for 58, Rudolph had two for 70– both scored.

The future is bright. FSU is still unbeaten. You can breath easy now, FSU fans. The Seminoles survive yet another week.

Statistical Leaders:

Passing: Jameis Winston (25/408, 401, 3TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Dalvin Cook (9-110, 2 TD)
Receiving: Nick O’Leary (6-76)

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