FSU football: Grading our 5 keys to defeating LSU piece

I thought FSU football was the much more improved team over LSU going into the 2023 season.

The more I looked at last year, and how many question marks FSU had going into that game, and understanding additions they made to plug in some holes, I was confident FSU should have been the higher ranked team.

Nevertheless, the game had get played, and I knew there were critical areas the Noles would need to perform well to make that win come to fruition.

It was a combination statistical categories(i.e. success on third down) and taking advantage of key opportunities when they presented themselves.

Below are the five areas I named where FSU needed to do well before the game:

5. Establish The Run Game

4. Defense Get Off The Field On Third Down

3. Win On Early Downs(On Both Sides)

2. Capitalize In Scoring Situations

1. Contain Jayden Daniels-

I’m going to take a look at each area and present the statistics(when available) to see how the team did and where they need to improve.

It was tough sledding early, and FSU seemed to get unbalanced with the playcalling, throwing 21 passes and only running it 11 times in the first half.

However, the first drive of the second half was a different story, with Lawrance Toafili beginning to find success on consecutive runs. FSU settled for a field goal to tie the game at 17-17.

Their next drive saw Rodney Hill hit a seven-yard run, and Toafil ran it on 3rd and three for one yard to set up the 4th and two play. The fact FSU had tried to run the ball forced LSU to respect it, which opened up the huge pass to Toafili for the big 41-yard gain to set up a rushing touchdown from Jordan Travis, where he walked into the end zone.

FSU saw Trey Benson get going from that point, hitting runs of 14 and four yards and Jordan Travis running for 13-yards. The pick your poison effect came into play at that point, and LSU couldn’t do anything about it.

FSU scored a touchdown before halftime, a field goal, TD, TD, TD, TD to end the game, and bullied LSU in the run game in the second half. They have to find success earlier, but LSU’s defensive front is no joke, so credit to them early in the game.

Defense Get Off The Field On Third Down

This stat was one of the biggest keys from the game and improvement over last year’s contest. FSU held the LSU offense to three of 10 on third conversions and 0-3 on fourth down conversions.

That is ELITE, not to mention where two of those fourth down conversions took place, deep in the red zone. LSU was 2 of 6 on third down in the first half and went 1 of 4 in the second half. I know the defense gave up some yards, and some LSU wide receivers were wide-open.

However, LSU finished the 2022 season with a top-10 offense and has big-time talent at wide receiver.

Also, the defense has to account for Jayden Daniels running with the ball. It’s not an easy offense to defend at all, and holding that team to 30 percent on third downs and 0-3 on fourth downs is outstanding.

The people criticizing Adam Fuller either don’t know football or refuse to remove whatever bias they had against him going into the season. That was a hell of an effort from the defense. They were physical and held LSU scoreless until the game was in garbage time.

Win On Early Downs(On Both Sides)

The FSU defense struggled on early down on the first two LSU drives, but it didn’t help the referees refused to call holding on the LSU offensive line. However, they finally settled in and put LSU in a third and seven spot, forcing one of the fourth and one plays they failed to convert.

FSU would win on first down at times, but the LSU offense is tough to contain with such a mobile QB. They forced two third and 10’s on LSU’s final drive before halftime, and allowed an inexcusable conversion off a run play to put them in field goal range.

However, they got off the field on the second third and 10, holding LSU to a field goal. The second half saw the FSU defense contain LSU much better. The FSU offense had a mixed bag on early downs.

They would be 3rd and five at times, and other times they’d be third and long, but found ways to convert against the LSU defense, just as they did last year. The FSU offense converted 9 of 14 third down conversions and were 1 of 1 on fourth down. That is outstanding.

I felt like the FSU offense imposed their will against LSU in the second half.

Take Advantage of Scoring Opportunities

The FSU offense wasted some prime opportunities in the 2022 game. The offense had a missed field goal, a turnover on downs, and a fumble on the goal line.

However, aside from failing to take advantage of a muffed punt, the FSU offense scored every time they crossed midfield against the LSU defense.

They only punted twice in the game and scored on six consecutive possessions before ending the game.

That is ELITE play from the offense. They scored touchdowns instead of settling for field goals. I know some folks questioned Brian Kelly for not kicking the two-field goals instead of going for it on fourth down.

However, Brian Kelly knew settling for field goals wouldn’t win the game. He was right, but LSU couldn’t convert on those opportunities, and was one of the biggest differences in the game.

Contain Jayden Daniels

Jayden Daniels got beat up Sunday night. His raw stats were impressive, largely boosted by the TD pass in garbage time.

He’s a difficult player to corral, but I thought the FSU defense did an admirable job. I did a video about how to contain him, and aside from a few plays here and there, they did so.

Daniels got sacked four times and hurried on several other plays. He only had 64 rushing yards on 15 carries(this likely includes sack yardage).

He only completed 58 percent of his passes, but his receivers dropped at least three passes too, one of them a key drop on third down. It’s like the old adage, you can’t stop the LSU offense, but only hope to contain them, and that’s what the FSU defense did.

They gave up some plays here and there, but bowed up in the red zone when it mattered most. They were dominant in the second half, and were the more physical team.