CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Playing behind third-string quarterback Brock Glenn, No. 4 Florida State beat Louisville 16-6 on Saturday night to win the ACC championship, a goal the Seminoles believe will clinch them a spot in the College Football Playoff. is enough for.
“I don’t think there’s been any conversation,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said during the postgame news conference. “This is a team that deserves it. This is a team that has earned it. This is a team that has performed consistently and proven they have what it takes to win.”
Also without veteran starter Jordan Travis, out for the season due to a foot injury. Even without backup Tate Rodemaker, he missed Saturday’s game with an injury.
Without him, Glenn started and looked like a true freshman who enrolled at the school in January, going 8 of 21 for 55 yards – the second fewest in a conference championship win over the past 20 seasons. And yet, Florida State overcame injuries to its top two quarterbacks to win its first ACC title since 2014 — a triumphant moment for Norvell, who took the program from an all-time low in 2020 to an all-time high again. Made above.
The fact that Florida State won this title without Travis – his team leader played a vital role in the program – is a testament to the work the entire team has done to bring the program to this moment. As the final moments passed, the crowd chanted, “FSU!”
“We beat a top-15 team with a true freshman quarterback,” Norvell said. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about perspective, what people think. We win. I believe in this team. I believe in what they can do. I believe in who they are.
“So I don’t really care what everyone else’s opinion is. I know who I train, and they’re going to fight for everything they get because they’ve been doing it for the last four years.” There are, and whatever the next opportunity is, I promise you they will appear.”
Will that be enough for the playoff committee? ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said he believes that should happen.
“Finishing the regular season undefeated and now winning the ACC Football Championship Game is a historic accomplishment,” Phillips told ESPN. “There is no doubt that Florida State is one of the best four teams in the country and has made the College Football Playoff. History has shown that the CFP committee consistently honors Power 5 undefeated champions like Florida State. It’s been a tremendous year for FSU and the entire ACC, and we have tremendous confidence in the committee and expect FSU to be recognized as one of the four best and most deserving teams among playoff participants.
The Seminoles’ offense struggled to move the ball on Saturday. Its most effective play was a wildcat run with backup running back Lawrence Tofili, who finished with a game-high 118 yards and a touchdown to provide the Seminoles with a needed spark. Norvell said the wildcat package was added at the end of the week to try to gain an edge on good run defense.
“I was just trying to be ready for my moment, trying to make it if I needed to,” Tofili said.
While all the attention will be on the quarterback — and whether Florida State is good enough to clinch a playoff berth at that position, although Rodemaker is expected to be 100% healthy for the bowl game — perhaps the committee will focus on whether this game The Seminoles performed well defensively. Florida State was suffocating, overwhelming Louisville’s offensive line for most of the game. The Seminoles finished with a season-high seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss, five quarterback hurries and nine pass breakups en route to shutting down one of the best offensive offenses in the ACC.
Defensive tackle Braden Fiske – whom a Louisville assistant told during pregame warmups he was the player they were most worried about – had nine tackles, a career-high three sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. Were early.
“I’m just waiting for my opportunity to come,” Fiske said. “I knew it was coming. I was excited for this opportunity, and once it finally happened, it’s there.”
Regarding whether he believes Florida State should make the playoff, Fiske said, “13-0 speaks for itself. I’ve been asked, and that’s all I’m going to say. I “I’ll let them decide, but if you’re going to talk about the best teams, 13-0 is one of them.”
Florida State has won 19 consecutive games, second most in the nation behind Washington (20).
Louisville had chances but failed to take advantage. Sixth-year starting quarterback Jack Plummer struggled badly, overrunning receivers while going 14-36 for 111 yards and one interception.
Twice in the second half, Louisville had the ball inside the Florida State 15-yard line. Twice the Cards failed to score a touchdown. For the first time, Louisville went on downs on 7th, but Jamari Thrash lost a 9-yard pass and the Cardinals had to settle for a field goal. For the second time, Louisville was set up in good position after putting pressure on punter Alex Mastromano, who could not even punt and had to fall to the ground to cover the ball. Louisville started at the Florida State 12, but Tatum Bethune intercepted Plummer in the end zone to end that drive.
Louisville’s defense also had opportunities. Twice on the same drive with the Seminoles up 10–0 in the third quarter, Louisville dropped interceptions that could have given the offense key field position inside the Florida State 30. Jaylin Alderman and Ben Perry had the ball in their hands, but could not secure it.
Florida State had the fewest turnovers in the country this season with five. Even with a new quarterback, the Seminoles somehow avoided giving the ball away. Florida State has allowed negative yardage in the fourth quarters of back-to-back games – the first team to do so in at least the last 20 years.
So now, it’s a waiting game for the ACC champion. No undefeated Power 5 champion has ever been eliminated from the playoffs. Even with a third-string quarterback, Florida State did enough to finish 13–0 with two wins against SEC opponents. Its defense made a great statement not only on Saturday night, but also in last week’s win over Florida.
“We can strengthen our defense against any offense in the country,” Florida State athletic director Michael Alford told ESPN. “And given a month to prepare, our attack will be ready. That’s why we play the game. Otherwise, let’s just sit and watch who the troublemakers pick and throw out of the committee. Because If they leave the FSU, they will do so by significantly damaging the legitimacy of the CFP.”
Florida State defensive end Jared Vers put it this way: “The committee is going to do what needs to be done. We’re a Power 5 champion. We’ve just shown that we have a defense that’s as good as anybody in the country.” Can play. Whatever needs to be done will be done.”
On the question of whether Florida State could compete with whoever made the playoff, Versus said, “Whoever they put in front of us is going to get a rude awakening.”
Behind Vers, Fiske and others, the defense showed its full potential Saturday night, and yet there are concerns it may not be enough for the selection committee.
Florida State may not have Travis, but it does have a team that has committed to getting the job done for him. Will the committee allow this to happen?
