Four Plays That Changed the Game as Florida State Dominates Boston College
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“College football, quite honestly, is better when Florida State is good.”
That’s what commentator Tim Hasselbeck had to say at the top of Saturday night’s broadcast in response to the outpouring of support and excitement that the fanbase brought to Tallahassee over the course of the weekend. After achieving the first 3-0 start since 2015, the Seminoles returned home to face off against an ACC opponent in Doak Campbell Stadium for the first time this season. Spirits in Tallahassee were high and the buzz was definitely building, but it was cautious optimism that many possessed leading up to kickoff.
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While the team had shown flashes of greatness in the three games prior, the looming threat of a “trap game” was on everyone’s mind. The possibility of Boston College’s Jurkovec and Flowers duo finding their rhythm and catching an injury-riddled ‘Noles team off guard was high. Would the Seminoles lock this duo down? Would they shake off the emotional victory from a week prior and dial into the task at hand? Were they even capable of winning without impact players on both sides of the ball? So yes, the Florida State faithful were cautiously optimistic as they settled into a sold-out Doak Campbell to cheer on the Seminoles.
That anxiety did not last long.
From the first kickoff (literally) to when the clock hit zero, Mike Norvell’s team controlled every aspect of the game. The ‘Noles cruised to a 44-14 victory over BC, and they did so on the backs of an explosive offense, a stifling defense, and some electric playmaking.
Let’s take a look at some of the moments from Saturday night that helped propel the Seminoles to a 4-0 start and their first AP Poll ranking since 2018.
1. Trey Benson returns the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown
Boston College won the coin toss, elected to defer, and kicked the ball off to the Seminoles. FSU running back Trey Benson received the ball at the 7-yard line and charged forward with a full head of steam. He worked his way between the hash marks. Breaking a few arm tackles here and there, Benson found himself in the open field with just two men to beat. He broke another arm tackle around the 40-yard line, stiff-armed the other defender around the 10-yard line, and waltzed into the end zone.
Thirteen seconds.
Thirteen seconds is all it took for Trey Benson to return the opening kick 93 yards for a touchdown.
Thirteen seconds is all it took for the Seminoles to attain their first lead of the game, and they never looked back.
Florida State put the “trap game” worry to bed early on in Saturday night’s matchup against the Eagles, and Trey Benson saw to that himself. With a score on the opening play, the Seminoles set the tone from the get-go and with an exclamation point at that.
2. Omarion Cooper intercepts Phil Jurkovec on the Eagles’ first drive
Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec entered this season as one of the ACC’s most prolific passers. Jurkovec’s connection with the dynamic WR Zay Flowers is a threat to every defense in the country. Stopping the Jurkovec-Flowers connection was a point of emphasis for the Florida State defense and imperative if the Seminoles wished to leave with a victory.
Down 7-0 early in the first quarter, Phil Jurkovec and the Boston College offense took the field. He targeted Zay Flowers on his first pass attempt of the game but the ball fell incomplete. BC then elected to run the ball on second down for a gain of 4 yards. On third down, he dropped back to pass, scanned the field, and delivered a strike to Zay Flowers on an out route. The ball was thrown behind the intended receiver and was tipped right into the arms of a diving Omarion Cooper.
The Florida State defense would continue to limit Boston College’s production on offense for the remainder of the night. Jurkovec would end the game with 15 completions for 105 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. The Boston College quarterback posted a measly QBR of 6.2 against the stingy Seminoles. Flowers also found himself locked up on the night finishing the game with just 7 receptions for 45 total yards. In line with the theme of the game, Florida State would dominate on the defensive side of the ball having yielded 235 yards of total offense, secured 2 turnovers, and allowed just 14 points.
3. Jordan Travis connects with Kentron Poitier in the end zone for a touchdown
With time winding down in the first half, the Seminoles already had the game well in hand up 24-0. The Florida State offense was rolling due, large in part, to quarterback Jordan Travis and the passing attack. Facing 3rd & 10 on the Boston College 31-yard line, Travis set up in an empty backfield, snapped the ball, and dropped back in the pocket. The quarterback had plenty of time in the pocket to loft a deep ball in the end zone to a streaking Kentron Poitier. In yet another “You Got Mossed” moment, Poitier flew right above the Boston College defender and muscled the ball in for a 31-yard touchdown grab.
Once again, Florida State’s offense was firing on all cylinders having posted 530 yards of total offense and put up a total of 44 points. Travis, who spent most of the week recovering from an injury that sidelined him in the Louisville game, was at the forefront of that performance. He showed no signs of ailment and finished the game with 16 completions for a career-high 321 passing yards and 1 touchdown. Travis picked up right where he left off and notched yet another masterful performance in the 2022-2023 season.
4. Trey Benson ends the night with a 36 yard touchdown run
Running back Trey Benson, having already returned a kickoff for a touchdown and punched another in on the ground, continued a career night in Doak Campbell Stadium right up to the very end. Late in the fourth quarter, Benson received a handoff from quarterback Tate Rodemaker at the 36 yard line and ran untouched through the heart of the defense on the way to his third touchdown of the night. He finished the game with 10 carries for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns in addition to his 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
In addition to a sound passing game, the Florida State rushing attack outmatched the Eagle defense with 4 touchdowns coming on the ground. Benson’s performance earned him the honor of wielding the “Work” branded sledgehammer and breaking the Boston College rock.
With the win, Florida State moves on to 4-0 and earned a No. 23 ranking in this week’s AP Poll. The Seminoles now focus their attention on a No. 22 ranked Wake Forest team and prepare to defend Doak Campbell Stadium for a second week in a row.
READ MORE: Florida State crushes Boston College to remain undefeated
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