RECAP: Florida State splatters the Yellow Jackets, 41-16
The Florida State Seminoles (5-3, 3-3 ACC) entered Saturday's game against Georgia Tech (4-4, 2-3 ACC) with a point to prove. Not only had the Seminoles dropped three straight games prior to the contest, but the Yellow Jackets also spoiled head coach Mike Norvell's debut with the program in 2020. It was sloppy early on but FSU pulled things together to walk away with a 41-16 victory.
From the onset, this looked like a battle of two teams trying to wake up as the 'Noles played their first noon contest of the season. Hopefully, this will also be the last. '
After winning the toss, Florida State deferred the opening kick-off. The defense set the tone early as star defensive tackle Fabien Lovett entered the game as a starter during his first appearance since week 1. For the Yellow Jackets, backup quarterback Zach Gibson took the reins with starter Jeff Sims dealing with a sprained foot. The Seminoles quickly forced a three and out.
Returner Mycah Pittman was leveled on the punt by defensive back Rodney Shelley. Pittman exited the game under his own power after briefly going down while Shelley was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. From the first play, it was clear that the Seminoles were going to put an emphasis on their rushing attack.
Running back Trey Benson exploded for 22 yards while running through multiple tackles to kick things off for Florida State. Benson pushed the Seminoles into Georgia Tech with three straight touches. However, back-to-back drops by tight end Preston Daniel and wide receiver Kentron Poitier forced the offense to turn it over on downs.
The defense responded with another encouraging effort. Defensive end Leonard Warner put pressure on Gibson off the edge before linebacker Tatum Bethune brought him down for a sack. On the next play, safety Jammie Robinson came up strong for a tackle for loss on wide receiver Nate McCollum for a second consecutive three and out.
Following a 27-yard punt, Florida State took over in good field position at its own 46. A false start on Benson pushed the offense back but quarterback Jordan Travis completed passes to wide receiver Johnny Wilson and running back Lawrance Toafili to earn a first down.
Faced with another first down, Travis was able to connect with Daniel for a conversion before a pass-interference penalty in the end zone made it 1st and goal. Some confusion lining up led to Norvell burning two timeouts in three plays and he was not happy about it. Florida State elected to go wildcat with Toafili from the 1-yard line. The snap from center Maurice Smith was off-target and Toafili couldn't corral it. The fumble was recovered by Charlie Thomas, who took off upfield and looked like he was going to take the turnover to the house.
Instead, Toafili caught up to Thomas and forced him to slow down before Travis came barreling in for the tackle. Travis appeared to get banged up on the play but he was able to return for Florida State's ensuing offensive possession. Georgia Tech took over at the FSU 24 and was forced to kick a field goal - taking a 3-0 lead with only two yards of total offense.
Needing a successful drive, the Seminoles were able to get just that. Travis hit wide receiver Ja'Khi Douglas on the outside for a 27-yard gain to begin the possession. A holding penalty on Robert Scott set Florida State back but the Yellow Jackets were flagged for roughing the passer on 3rd and 20. Tight end Cam McDonald recorded a short catch before Georgia Tech was flagged again for pass interference in the end zone on wide receiver Ontaria Wilson. Inside the ten, Toafili took a handoff and scampered to the left side for a diving touchdown to get Florida State on the board.
While the Seminoles only led 7-3 after the opening quarter, Florida State held a 131-3 advantage in total yards of offense.
Georgia Tech finally gained a first down in the game after Zach Pyron's completion to McCollum over the middle for 13 yards on the second play of the second quarter. The true freshman took over in relief for Gibson in the opening quarter. Regardless, the possession ended in another punt as the Seminoles took over at their own 10.
Back to back touches from Malik McClain (one catch, one rush) gave Florida State a first down. Facing 2nd and 9, Travis took the snap out of the shotgun and tossed a fade down the sideline to Johnny Wilson. The massive wide receiver was able to bring in the pass and shed a tackle before putting a move on a defender to get into the open field. Wilson made it into the end zone for a 78-yard touchdown, the longest play for the Seminoles so far this season, to make it 14-3.
The Yellow Jackets compiled another three and out, giving Florida State an opportunity to take control of the game. Travis hit Poitier for 14 yards on the sideline to move the Seminoles into Georgia Tech territory. Benson fought forward for a conversion on third and short but Toafili fumbled for the second time as the offense turned over the football once again.
Fortunately for Florida State, the defense continued to stifle the Yellow Jackets. Pyron was brought down for a sack on the first play of the drive by Bethune and defensive end Leonard Warner. A holding penalty backed up Georgia Tech into a 3rd and 19. Defensive end Jared Verse took care of the rest with another stop for negative yardage on Pyron.
A scuffle ensued on Georgia Tech's fifth punt of the first half but it was quickly gotten under control. Three straight touches from Benson pushed Florida State around mid-field. On the next play, Travis connected with tight end Cam McDonald for a massive gain but it was called back due to pass interference on Johnny Wilson. A terrible call to say the least.
Florida State provided its best 'ball don't lie' impression with a picture-perfect pass from Travis to Toafili up the left sideline for 62 yards and a touchdown. Suddenly, the Seminoles led 21-3 late in the first half.
The defense was fired up as linebacker Kalen DeLoach read the play and attacked Pyron for a loss. Verse ended the possession with another tackle for loss - the eighth for Florida State in the opening 30 minutes. A 23-yard punt return from Pittman set the Seminoles up at the Georgia Tech 40 with 1:14 to play.
With no timeouts, Florida State had to move fast. Catches from Douglas and McDonald moved the Seminoles into the red zone. However, Travis was sacked from inside the ten and the offense had to spike the ball to preserve clock. Norvell elected to send out the field goal team for a 34-yard attempt, which Ryan Fitzgerald promptly made.
At the half, the Seminoles led 24-3 with a 360-24 advantage in total yards of offense. Georgia Tech only recorded one first down while averaging one yard per play in the first two quarters. That led to Florida State's defense racking up two sacks and the aforementioned eight tackles for loss.
The question coming out of the intermission was if Georgia Tech would continue to fight. It didn't take long for the Yellow Jackets to answer as they went onside kick to open the final two quarters and promptly recovered the attempt. The offense picked up two quick first downs. Warner got to Pyron for a sack but the true freshman found an open E.J. Jenkins on the right side. Jenkins broke away from a tackle by Shyheim Brown to get GT into the end zone.
Florida State was pinned at its own 9 to start off the second half following a questionable return from Sam McCall and a holding penalty. Pittman recorded a tough catch over the middle to give the Seminoles a conversion on third and long before a 17-yard burst from Toafili. Johnny Wilson went up and vertical to high-point a football for another third-down conversion. Travis stepped up in the pocket and took off to his right before delivering a strike to Douglas on the run for his third touchdown pass of the game. The play gave Travis a new career-high; 330 passing yards. His previous best was 321 yards threw the air against Boston College earlier this season.
The Yellow Jackets kept scrapping as they recorded three conversions in their first four plays of the next drive. Florida State's defense finally began to find life again after DeLoach and Verse combined for a sack. A penalty forced Georgia Tech out of field goal range as David Shanahan came out for his seventh punt, which went for a touchback.
Travis connected with McDonald for 19 yards to get the drive moving. On the next play, Benson burst out of a cannon for 27 yards up the left side. It was his longest rush of the day and pushed Benson over the 100-yard mark. Later in the possession, the Seminoles generated another big play when Travis hit Ontaria Wilson on the sideline for a conversion on 3rd and 16. Wilson looked down after making the catch to verify he was inbounds before cutting up.
To begin the final frame, the Seminoles faced a third and short at the Georgia Tech 10. Benson churned up the middle for a first down. Another short run from Benson and back-to-back missed passes to Johnny Wilson led to Fitzgerald's second field goal attempt. The redshirt sophomore was pure from 24 yards out to give the Seminoles a 34-10 advantage with 13:31 remaining in the contest.
Florida State went into its depth some on the next possession as linebacker Amari Gainer and defensive back Azarerey'h Thomas were among the players to enter the lineup. Thomas burned twice on the drive by Jenkins for two first downs. Gainer made a tackle on a rushing attempt. An illegal block below the waist pushed the Yellow Jackets back but an end-around from McCollum put them in a position to convert on fourth down. The Seminoles stood tall though and held Georgia Tech out of the end zone to force a turnover on downs.
In the shadow of their own goalpost, an 18-yard completion to Poitier and a 20-yard run from Toafili gave the Seminoles breathing room. Florida State elected to give true freshman Rodney Hill a couple of carries before a nice surprise for the fanbase as redshirt freshman CJ Campbell came into the game. It was his first game action with the Seminoles as the offense continued to move downfield. Campbell scampered into the end zone with 1:09 remaining for his first touchdown at Florida State.
Florida State finished with 642 yards of total offense in the victory, including 396 yards through the air and 246 yards on the ground. Travis came up just shy of his first 400+ yard passing performance, completing 24/38 passes for 396 yards with three touchdowns and zero turnovers. Benson added 18 carries for 111 rushing yards while Toafili scored on the ground and in the passing game. Johnny Wilson led the receivers with three catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Seminoles limited Georgia Tech to 264 yards of total offense. The Yellow Jackets only totaled 66 yards on the ground for an average of 2.2 yards per rush. Safety Jammie Robinson led the defense with 10 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Kalen Deloach added 6 tackles and 0.5 sacks while defensive end Jared Verse recorded 5 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks. Seven different defenders were credited with a sack or tackle for loss.
Florida State is back in action next weekend when the Seminoles travel to Miami for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC.
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