FSU Halftime Reaction: FSU 21 UF 16

The game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida Gators has gone to the half, here’s some FSU Halftime Reaction.

If you had to pick a winner so far in the game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida Gators, it’s probably been the commercials.

Neither team has gotten off to the start it hoped for in Tallahassee today as FSU narrowly leads UF at the half, 21-16.

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For Florida State, it was more of the same. Another poor start accented by three first quarter Jameis Winston interceptions gave the Gators ample opportunity to take control of this one early. But as UF fans have become accustomed to, the Gator offense — despite excellent field position — could only manage field goals.

Florida took an early 9-0 lead and looked poised to build it even bigger following Winston’s third interception, but Treon Harris tossed a pick of his own — this one coming off a deflection — and FSU LB Terrance Smith grabbed it and took it back 94 yards for FSU’s first touchdown.

Then Jameis Winston woke up and started doing Jameis Winston things. Florida State forced UF to punt on its next possession and then drove the ball 93 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. A series later Florida State went another 83 yards on the next drive for another touchdown. Both ended in TD passes to Nick O’Leary.

And now, with the game at the half, Florida State almost found itself in fairly uncharted territory. FSU was almost in control of this game.

The momentum switched on the Smith interception return. But the Seminoles have effectively served notice to the Gators that they are not scared of that vaunted SEC defense with two 80-plus yard TD drives.

Right now FSU is giving the Gators a taste of their own medicine. The run game has been huge in the first half with both Karlos Williams and Dalvin Cook connecting on long runs and FSU gaining over 100 first half yards. That’s opened up the pass slightly — UF was squatting on the pass early — and has allowed the Seminole offense to really come alive.

But more importantly, when FSU got the ball back with about eight minutes to go in the half and a slim five-point lead, it marked a position this Seminoles team has been in before– with a chance to really take control.

And unlike in weeks past — when the Seminoles faltered — this time FSU struck. It looked like Florida State had turned a corner.

But the Seminoles couldn’t maintain.

Florida State should have gone into the locker-room ahead of UF by 12, 21-9. Instead a blocked punt inside FSU territory set up a UF touchdown pass — Mario Edwards got caught in coverage — and the Gators were able to get back to within a score before the game went to the half.

Once again FSU had a chance to take over and instead let it slip between its fingers.

There’s a lot of football left to play. FSU has proven it can drive the ball, it’s proven it can stop the Gators on offense. But as long as the Seminoles let UF hang around this Gators team is dangerous.

UF is an inferior team. But an upset doesn’t require the best team to win. And the longer the Gators hang around, the more likely that becomes.