FSU Captures Third Consecutive ACC Title

FSU has been here before. In many ways. Down early. In a tight game throughout. Needing to make plays to pull out a narrow victory. And, ultimately, in the winning locker room. The Florida State Seminoles remained undefeated on the 2014 season tonight after topping the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets by a 37-35 score to claim their third-straight ACC crown.

It was beyond ugly early. After FSU’s somewhat customary three-and-out to open the game, any talk of Florida State defensive coordinator Charles Kelly’s insight into the option offense of Tech, where he used to coach, seemed immediately in question. FSU didn’t just look unprepared for the option; it looked like it had never heard of the option. GT took a quick 7-0 lead without having to throw the ball once. But, as Seminoles fans have learned well this season, it’s a long game.

And it felt like this might be a particularly long contest for FSU. Although the ‘Noles looked better on defense in their second and third possessions, Florida State simply could not get Georgia Tech off the field, and the Yellow Jackets scored touchdowns on their first three possessions.

Fortunately for FSU, the good Jameis Winston showed up tonight. Winston found a wide open Nick O’Leary to knot it at seven, and freshman phenom Dalvin Cook gouged the spotty Tech defense en route to a one-yard plunge to tie it at 14. An open Rashad Greene made it 21 all in the second quarter.

And then it happened.

The FSU defense did what seemed impossible early in this one: it got a stop. And Winston, who would finish 21-30 for 309 yards, three touchdowns, and, most importunely in a game in which possessions were so incredibly valuable, no picks, again found Greene in the end zone. In his final ACC game, Greene went out in style, snagging seven balls for 123 yards and two scores. Greene is now two touchdown catches from tying Peter Warrick’s FSU record. The ‘Noles took a 28-21 lead into halftime.

The second half saw much less scoring than the first. Tech took the opening possession right down the field to tie things up, as Seminole defenders dropped like flies throughout the game due to GT’s cut blocking. Eddie Goldman remained out after an early injury. Ronald Darby suffered an arm injury. Terrance Smith tried to go, but was largely ineffective.

Cook continued to run extremely well, and set the Florida State record for the most rushing yards by any freshman in school history (he’d finish with a career-high 177 yards on the ground, not to mention 43 receiving yards). But for the second-straight game, the ‘Noles could not find the end zone in the second half.

But Roberto Aguayo was clutch (that’s a redundancy, at this point). The FSU defense continued to get stops, including a key fourth-down hold and an interception by Lamarcus Brutus. Aguayo scored nine-straight points on field goals, and staked Florida State to a 37-28 lead with 4:28 to go.

With a two-score lead, many started handing FSU the conference championship, but Georgia Tech wasn’t quite ready to make the concession. A great punt from Cason Beatty pinned the Jackets at their own 3, but they needed just 6 plays and 1:09 to find the end zone, and draw to 37-35. But the onside kick was recovered by Brutus, and Cook, quite fittingly, was able to run through a Tech defense fully expecting the rush to seal it.

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And so the ‘Noles claimed their 15th ACC title, the most of any school in conference history (the ‘Noles had been tied with Clemson at 14).

This one wasn’t always pretty, but there are certainly bright spots moving ahead for FSU. The offensive line continues to look better and better with Cameron Erving at center, as Winston was not sacked. Cook is not going to be a star– he is a star. And against the No. 16 scoring offense in the country, which came in averaging over 37 points per game, the Seminole defense allowed just 14 in the second half.

Now we wait. The College Football Playoff committee will announce the four participants of the inaugural playoff tomorrow afternoon. Alabama and Oregon are locks. And given the discussion of the usually salty national media after the FSU victory, the ‘Noles are as well.

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