FSU Tops Florida for 28th Straight Win

FSU has played several classic games against the University of Florida over the course of their in-state rivalry. Some have gone down as classics. This game was close– but probably not a classic, as each team stumbled its way to the finish line– the ‘Noles just got there a hair quicker, securing a 24-19 win front of yet another sellout crowd in Tallahassee.

The Defense Picks Up Jameis

I’d say Jameis Winston started slowly, but that would be an understatement. FSU sought to establish dominance through the air after receiving the opening kickoff, but Winston struggled to connect with anyone not wearing a white jersey. The Seminoles’ first four drives went interception, interception, punt, interception.

The Gators had the ball in Florida State territory on each occasion, but they were unable to open any significant holes against an FSU defensive line that played its best game of the season. In this hostile environment, Florida desperately needed to turn some of Winston’s mistakes into sixes. But they kept coming away with threes, and led 9-0.

Fittingly, it was the defense that got the ‘Noles on the board. With a little over a minute left in the first quarter, UF had the ball at the FSU 6 and was looking to extend its lead when Terrance Smith picked off a Treon Harris pass, found a convoy, and returned it 94 yards for the score. The Gators struggled to establish their vaunted running game all day, finishing with just 113 yards on 33 attempts.

Coming Back

Then Jameis woke up a bit. The offensive line looked much more dominant than a Florida unit billed as a smash-mouth run team, and they opened up great holes. Karlos Williams and Dalvin Cook combined for 111 first-half rushing yards, as the ‘Noles worked the ball down the field patiently on consecutive 93 and 83 yard scoring drives, respectively, each of which was punctuated by a Winston to Nick O’Leary touchdown pass.

The senior tight end playing his last game at Doak gave FSU all the momentum, not to mention a 21-9 lead. Florida looked lost, and reeling, and when they went three and out and Jimbo Fisher called a timeout late in the first half, it looked like the ‘Noles were going for the Gator jugular.

But FSU went backward, and the Seminoles’ porous punt blocking allowed Florida to maul Cason Beatty, letting UF to take over deep in Seminole territory. A play later, Treon Harris found Clay Burton in the corner of the end zone to make it 21-16 at halftime. Burton beat Mario Edwards, Jr. on the play, which was reminiscent of Chris Casher finding himself burnt in coverage, most notably against Miami.

When it looked like it was about to be over, it was suddenly a game again.

An Ugly Finish

The second half was essentially a comedy of errors by both teams, as turnovers, penalties, and mistakes plagued the third and fourth quarters. This one really looked, for all intents and purposes, like neither team wanted to win it. FSU had eight penalties for 63 yards. Florida was whistled 10 times for 105 yards. Winston tossed his fourth interception, a new career high. He also took a bad sack that took FSU out of field goal range. Florida kicker Austin Hardin missed a pair of field goals. FSU flailed on a fake punt attempt to Edwards, and UF drew some boneheaded personal fouls, one of which resulted in an ejection.

The Gators registered the third quarter’s lone points on Hardin’s fourth field goal, which cut the FSU lead to 21-19. The ‘Noles looked to ice the game late, riding Cook after Williams left with a concussion. The freshman delivered, producing 144 yards on 24 carries (a 6.0 YPC average). But the Seminoles shot themselves in the foot too often, and had to settle for a 37-yard Roberto Aguayo field goal and a tenuous 24-19 lead with 3:23 left. How off did FSU’s offense look for much of the night? Winston finished with 125 passing yards, easily a career low.

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As time wound down, Florida drove the ball to midfield, at one point converting on a fourth and eight due to a Tyler Hunter pass interference call. But the Gator WRs couldn’t shake the FSU DBs, and a subsequent fourth and ten saw the ball glance off the hands of Demarcus Robinson. The ‘Noles were able to run the clock down and punt to the dangerous Andre Debose, who was quickly tackled to seal the Seminole victory. The win gives Florida State two straight undefeated regular seasons– a feat never before accomplished at FSU.

Next Stop: Charlotte

Postseason play now commences for the ‘Noles, beginning with the ACC Championship game in Charlotte, NC. The Seminoles will take on Georgia Tech, which defeated the Georgia Bulldogs, in Athens, earlier today.

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