Head coach Mike Norvell talks win against LSU

The Florida State Seminoles were in New Orleans on Labor Day weekend to face off against the LSU Tigers in the Caesars Superdome. What might’ve been the most anticipated Week 1 game in college football, turned into an offensive bout against two dual-threat quarterbacks. Except, one quarterback had one of the best games of his college career. FSU’s Jordan Travis put the Noles offense in every position to win the entire night.

Head coach Mike Norvell and company squeezed a win away from the Tigers. It was an uncomfortable second half for the Seminoles, but defensive back Shyheim Brown blocked the final attempt at a comeback for LSU. The Noles won 24-23 and ultimately go home with a 2-0 record; their first 2-0 record since 2016.

It was a game where the special teams were definitely highlighted and it might’ve been the biggest reason the Noles were on top. Norvell spoke on the importance of special teams after the game, along with Travis’ development and FSU’s continued climb.

The full interview will be listed below (via, Warchant):

Here’s a look at Norvell’s introduction to the press conference, via Allstate Louisiana Kickoff PR:

NORVELL: What a finish. We talked to our team all week that this game could come down to one play, to one opportunity. And, you know, as you watch throughout the course of the game, I thought our guys put on display an incredible heart. You know, the passion which they played with, just the effort, the physicality, I thought we dominated the game for the majority of it. Obviously, there at the end, you know, we had some things that happened that we just can’t have. But the one thing that happened on the last play is what we absolutely need.

It’s determination. It’s heart. It’s a willingness that, even after a disappointing moment, our guys responded. Anybody that’s around our program, they know they hear that word all the time, “respond.” How do you respond when the challenges arise? And effort showed up, guy made a play there at the very end and gave us an opportunity to win that game.

We needed that game. It’s big for our program. It’s big for those kids that are in that locker room. It’s big for everybody because we did have a great stage to put on display the identity of what I believe this team is made up of. And it’s young men with character that love to work, that believe in each other, that believe in the process.

I would have liked to have probably finished that game a lot cleaner than what we did. But as I’ve said before, sometimes you need to go through what you need to, to prove you can get there.

And even in that moment, it came down to one play, and our guys rose to the occasion for that last play. So very proud of them. It will be a lot to grow from, from this game. A quality opponent, a lot of draft picks out there on that field. And our guys, they rose to the occasion there at the end to be able to finish it. Proud of our football team.

Everything Florida State Seminoles, all the time.

The Tomahawk Nation podcast channel, presented by SB Nation, features insider Seminoles recruiting, football, basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer analysis and commentary, featuring shows hosted by staff writers Tim Alumbaugh, Matt Minnick, Michael Rogner, Brian Pellerin, and Ben Meyerson, featuring contributions by Joshua Pick, David Stout, Jon Marchant, Max Escarpio and the entire Tomahawk Nation staff, produced by managing editor Perry Kostidakis.

You can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to your shows.