Florida State Seminoles (FSU) Carrying “Noles” Sign Across Football Field – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Tony Strong
No. 3 Florida State made the trip to No. 23 Clemson on Saturday to perform an action it hadn’t taken in a decade.
In Death Valley, triumph.
It wasn’t a flawless game for the Seminoles against the team that has won the ACC seven out of the last eight seasons.
But they were sufficient.
Keon Coleman’s highlight-reel catch gave Florida State the lead in overtime, and a stop on fourth-and-1 earned the Seminoles a 31-24 victory.
Florida State should be competing for its first ACC conference championship since 2014 if it can keep getting better and show the toughness it did on Saturday.
Florida State won for the first time against Clemson since 2014 and at Death Valley since 2013. The victory also ended Clemson’s 25-game winning streak in ACC home games.
At the very end, Florida State’s defense saves the day.
The defense put on a less-than-stellar performance, but it delivered when it mattered most.
The entire game was marred by mistakes, notably a third-quarter drive in which Clemson essentially strolled down the field and scored to take the lead 24-17.
The defense, however, would ultimately win the game and tie it.
Cade Klubnik, the quarterback for Clemson, was sacked hard by linebacker Kalen DeLoach, who made him throw the ball away. DeLoach snatched it up and tied the score at 24 by running it 56 yards to the house.
DeLoach’s first career touchdown, Jarrian Jones’ pick-six against Southern Miss for FSU’s second defensive score of the season, and the school’s first scoop-and-score since Jermaine Johnson II at Clemson in 2021 all occurred on one play.
“We felt like a play needed to be made,” DeLoach said.
“We were down 17-24, we played our defense and we played fast. We knew we needed a stop, so we just went out there and made a play.”
FSU led 31-24 after the opening possession of overtime.
The Tigers were forced into a fourth-and-1 position where they needed to score in order to win the game because the defense held strong. The FSU supporters were enthused by a huge pass breakup, which represented a full defensive turnaround from the game’s beginning.
Even though there is certainly much room for improvement, the defense did its job when it mattered most. There were several missed tackles in the early going.
Keon Coleman contributes significant plays.
Coleman continues to shine brightly on the biggest platforms, making him that big-time player for Florida State. He caught three touchdown passes from quarterback Jordan Travis in Week 1’s game against LSU, which was also his first as a Seminole. The result was a commanding 45-24 victory.
He recorded two touchdown receptions and 86 receiving yards against Clemson. After falling behind 10-0, he scored the Seminoles’ first touchdown by making a wide-open grab from Travis. He was surrounded by Clemson defenders the entire game, but in overtime, his athleticism stood out.
“It was really just great play calling by coach Norvell and coach [Alex] Atkins,” Coleman said. “They trust to give me the ball. We were trying to get it at the end of regulation, but we didn’t get the flag we should’ve got. They trust me and said it’s coming back to you. They just let me do what I do best.”
Travis connected with a leaping Coleman on second-and-9, and Coleman made a grab near the sideline and rolled into the end zone. Coleman’s teammate Johnny Wilson also had a strong performance, amassing 94 yards on five grabs. Since the LSU game, Coleman and Wilson have only combined for two receptions in this contest.
Florida State provides some clarification.
The Seminoles’ victory over Boston College came in a close contest after they blew a sizable lead the previous week. A 19-point lead was lost in the second half due to a collapse, almost ending their chances of making the College Football Playoffs. The Seminoles demonstrated this week that they are still in the running for the national championship in a game that saw the margin of victory becoming less and smaller.
There is still much room for development. At the end of the regular, the offense stumbled while the defense struggled to get going until the very last second. Late in the fourth, with what was probably the winning score, Clemson kicker Jonathan Weitz missed a 29-yard field goal attempt, giving FSU a chance to seal the deal.
The offense recovered possession of the ball but was unable to score. All of that will now take place during the Seminoles’ workouts the following week. Norvell and Travis ultimately defeat Clemson, and FSU ends the valley’s 10-year drought.
Going into their bye week, the Seminoles couldn’t ask for a better situation.
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
