NEW ORLEANS — A play as unlikely as a blocked further level with no time remaining made Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis’ highlight-filled efficiency rise up — and spared Seminoles coach Mike Norvell from having to endure an ignominious collapse.
Shyheim Brown’s deflection of LSU kicker Damian Ramos’ extra-point try despatched the ball deflecting downward off the crossbar and gave Florida State a 24-23 victory Sunday evening that spoiled Brian Kelly’s debut as Tigers coach.
“Clearly, there on the finish, you understand, we had some issues that occurred that we simply can’t have,” mentioned Norvell, who has Florida State off to its first 2-0 begin since 2016. “However the one factor that occurred on the final play is what we completely want.”
LSU’s inconceivable comeback bid got here regardless of a slew of errors, together with a muffed punt with 2:15 left.
Florida State’s Treshaun Ward fumbled on the LSU 1 with 1:20 to go, and Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels drove LSU for a landing on a 2-yard cross to Jaray Jenkins with no time left.
With LSU followers celebrating an obvious two-touchdown comeback within the ultimate 4:07 — and Florida State followers bracing for what may have gone down as an notorious implosion — Brown’s block despatched the Seminoles streaming triumphantly onto the sector.
“I simply had a giant smile on my face and a few tears eager about how a lot we have now been by means of as a soccer crew,” mentioned Travis, who handed for 260 yards and two touchdowns. “To finish the sport like that's actually particular. The sport actually shouldn’t have been that shut from the bounce. However a win is a win.”
Travis’ scoring passes got here on a 39-yard throw to Ontaria Wilson on a flea flicker and a 27-yard cross that Wilson corralled with one hand. Travis additionally rushed for 31 yards on a mix of designed runs and scrambles, repeatedly leaving LSU cross rushers greedy air as he spun or darted away from strain.
“We had him useless to rights on two or three events and we didn’t get him on the bottom,” Kelly mentioned. “Once you don’t get that child on the bottom, he makes some actually good impromptu performs.”
Tens of 1000's of garnet and gold-clad spectators helped promote out the Superdome and left joyful after Florida State — coming off 4 straight shedding seasons — extended a promising begin to Norvell’s third season.
This sport was arguably extra significant to Norvell than Kelly, who was lured from Notre Dame with a decade-long, $100 million contract designed to offer him time to remake LSU soccer in his picture.
Daniels, a switch from Arizona State, began after a decent competitors in camp with Garrett Nussmeier. He accomplished 26 of 35 passes for 209 yards and two TDS, each to Jenkins. Daniels additionally rushed for 114 yards.
One other switch, working again Noah Cain (from Penn State), scored LSU’s first TD from a yard out on fourth down late within the third quarter to make it 17-10.
Travis marched the Seminoles proper again to the tip zone, highlighted by a 15-yard completion to Johnny Wilson because the elusive QB jumped away from closing defenders. DJ Lundy completed the drive with a 1-yard TD run to make it 24-10 with 9:04 to go.
LSU took its solely lead, at 3-0, on its first possession. However that drive stalled shortly after Garrett Dellinger, in his first sport at middle, snapped the ball over Daniels’ head on second and aim from the FSU 5.
FSU’s lead was 7-3 at halftime after each groups blew red-zone alternatives.
LSU’s line didn’t look prepared when the ball was snapped on a discipline aim try, and Jared Varse knifed in to dam Ramos’ kick.
The Seminoles couldn’t money in on Malik Nabers first of two muffed punts, which FSU recovered on the LSU 16. Norvell saved the offense on the sector on fourth and a pair of from the 8, and Travis’ cross to the far nook of the tip zone fell incomplete.
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