FSU football: 5 huge takeaways from Wake Forest loss

Defensive Third Downs

The FSU defense played well enough to win the game. They held Wake Forest below all of their season averages, except on third down. Wake Forest was 10 of 18, converting third downs.

The most frustrating part was that FSU had players in position to make plays in several key third-down situations, and they didn’t make them.

A key play on Wake Forest’s first touchdown drive was a third and 12 completion to move the chains. There was a touchdown catch on third and eight with Renardo Green all over the receiver, and his hand on the ball.

Wake Forest had a third-down completion where Greedy Vance should have gotten the interception.

Wake Forest got another first down on a questionable DPI call on third and forever, which goes back to how they didn’t officiate the game the same on both sides.

The biggest issue was the average distance on third down was too short and too easy for Wake Forest to convert.