WATCH: Jarrian Jones Houses A Pick Six As FSU Continues To Beat Up Southern Miss
There were questions entering Saturday about Florida State's mentality after thrashing LSU in Orlando last week. The Seminoles quickly put those worries to bed with a strong first half, leading 31-3 at the break despite a couple of miscues on both sides of the ball.
READ MORE: How To Watch Florida State And Southern Miss
FSU hasn't missed a beat to begin the second half, either. After forcing Southern Miss into a three-and-out on their opening drive of the third quarter, the Seminoles continued to beat up the Golden Eagles on their next possession.
The latest punch came at the hands of redshirt senior cornerback Jarrian Jones, who picked off Southern Miss quarterback Billy Wiles and returned it for a 30-yard touchdown. Jones undercut a slant route, running it back fairly easily as Fentrell Cypress II followed him into the end zone.
The pick-six marked Florida State's first interception returned for a touchdown since Jarvis Brownlee's house call against UMass in 2021. It was also the first score of Jones' college career and his third interception since transferring to Florida State in 2020.
With the game more than halfway through the third quarter, Jones has one tackle and one interception after starting the contest. The Seminoles have limited Southern Miss to 175 yards of total offense and just ten points.
Holding a 52-10 lead, expect to see plenty of younger players and reserves throughout the remainder of the night.
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Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2023 season.
