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FSU football: 5 major takeaways from Syracuse blowout

By Kelvin Hunt

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Mike Norvell of the Florida State Seminoles looks on before the start of a game against the Syracuse Orange at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 14: Head coach Mike Norvell of the Florida State Seminoles looks on before the start of a game against the Syracuse Orange at Doak Campbell Stadium on October 14, 2023 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) /

Running Game

One of the things I wondered going into the Syracuse game was how the running game would look. FSU struggled to run the ball in the first few games, but showed some life against Virginia Tech.

However, Virginia Tech’s run defense was suspect, so it wasn’t clear if the Noles had found something coming out of the bye-week.

Syracuse allowed 3.95 yards per rush in their last two games agaisnt Clemson and North Carolina, and averaging 3.04 yards per carry overall. It was safe to say their run defense wasn’t terrible.

Trey Benson had 14 carries for 74 yards (5.3 ypc) and had some strong runs before the game was a full blowout. Lawrance Toafili had 94 rushing yards on seven carries, including his 50-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

FSU averaged 5.6 yards per carry, but the Syracuse defense was on the field quite a bit and likely got worn down late in the game.

However, Syracuse came into the game as one of the top defenses in tackles for a loss and only had four, and two were sacks. Overall, it is promising to see the running game have success.

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