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It started off as a beautiful day in Tallahassee, fan excitement could be felt alongside the roaring engines of the United States Air Force F-16 flyovers. The crowd screamed, chopped, and belted the war chant as the Florida State Seminoles took the field for the first Sunday game in school history.
Chief Osceola charged out on Renegade leading the team, fiery spear in hand, and planted it with a loud boom to rile up the sea of Garnet and Gold packed into Doak Campbell Stadium. The total attendance today was over 68k.
First-quarter
The first quarter started off sluggish for the offense, incompletions after incompletions plagued Florida State. The biggest play was an explosive counter run by running back Jashaun Corbin making guys miss left and right in tight spaces taking it to the house for an 80-yard touchdown. A breath of life came back into Doak Campbell Stadium evening up the score seven to seven.
Second-quarter
In the second quarter, things started changing and the Seminoles got into a rhythm on offense. Big plays by running back Lawrence Toafili and wide receiver Malik McClain set the Noles up comfortably at the two-yard line. Quarterback Jordan Travis showcased his wheels scrambling to the outside and into the endzone for a touchdown, setting the score to 14-7. Penalties and bad snaps, however, are still rearing their ugly head. Multiple false starts are keeping this offense from firing on all cylinders and putting them in obvious passing downs. Even on Jordan Travis’ interception, there was another penalty that got declined. Notre Dame went on to score the following drive.
Halftime Stats
- QB-Jordan Travis, 6-10 for 45-yards and one interception, one rushing touchdown.
- Rushing, 16 attempts for 107 yards and two touchdowns, 6.7 yards per carry.
- Receiving, six passes for 45 yards, 7.5 yards per catch.
- Time of possession, 11:48
Notre Dame 17, Florida State 14
Third-quarter
The Seminoles came out of the half swinging with a long bomb from Jordan Travis to wide receiver Ja’Khi Douglas for 60-yards. The extra point was missed caused by a bad snap. Jordan Travis isn't getting much time in the pocket forcing him to scramble on multiple attempts. Two more interceptions in critical minutes by Notre Dame puts them to 21 points off turnovers alone. Towards the end of what seemed to be a very long quarter, the Seminoles started to get the run game going. Big runs by Treshaun Ward and Jashaun Corbin put them in the red zone. Corbin had an especially nice drive-saving run at 4th and 2. The quarter ends with the Noles at the one-yard line.
Fourth-quarter
A wildcat attempt by Jashaun Corbin and another offensive penalty put the Noles at 3rd and 8. Jordan Travis finds wide receiver Andrew Parchment streaking across the endzone for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was also good with another completion to wide receiver Keyshawn Helton closing the Irish’s lead to 10 points. The running game is starting to work, two nice runs by Lawrence Toafili and a long scramble by Jordan Travis put the Noles at midfield. Quarterback McKenzie Milton makes his first appearance in Garnet and Gold and his first throw goes for 22 yards after quarterback Jordan Travis was taken out of the game for losing his helmet on a sack. Milton's first drive ends in a touchdown on a handoff to Treshaun Ward. Milton leads the team down the field for a game-tieing field goal by kicker Ryan Fitzgerald which takes the Noles into overtime 38-38.
Overtime
Offensively the Seminoles did about everything they could do but a missed field goal by kicker Ryan Fitzgerald led to a Notre Dame victory 41-38.
Final Stats
- QB- Jordan Travis, 9-19 for 130 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions.
- QB- McKenzie Milton 5-7 for 48 yards
- Rushing, 48 attempts for 264 yards, three touchdowns, 5.5 yards per carry.
- Receiving, 14 completions for 178 yards two touchdowns, 12.7 yards per catch.
- Time of possession, 29:25
- Notre Dame 41, Florida State 38
Overall the offense as a whole was off and on the entire night until the run game was established. Turnovers and penalties were a major part in the final outcome of the game and should be correctable as the season moves on. The team didn’t quit, even through adversity which is a very good sign moving forward after being down by a couple of scores late in the third quarter.
Offensive MVP
Jashaun Corbin. Corbin finished the night as the leading rusher with 15 attempts and 144 yards and one very long 89-yard touchdown.
“I thought late, it was impressive,” head coach Mike Norvell said of the running game. “Those backs work extremely hard in practice. The guys up front believe in what we can do running the football.”
He was key on a fourth-down conversion to close out the third quarter which led to the touchdown and two-point conversion catches by Andrew Parchment and Keyshawn Helton to make it a two-possession game.