Players Only Meeting for the Noles
With a very inauspicious start to the season, only time will tell on how this season will unfold for the Seminoles. I do know that a “players only” meeting was held this week and from the reports that I’ve received, the coaching staff is working very hard to try and tweak the system!
Northern Illinois comes into today’s game, also sporting a 1-2 record with a 33-7 loss at Iowa, a 17-6 loss at home to Utah and a home 24-16 MAC win against Central Michigan. NIU was picked to finish 1st in the MAC West this year.
Northern Illinois and Florida State met one time previously, and that was in the Orange Bowl after the 2012 season. The game matched up the #12 Noles vs. the # 15 Huskies. FSU won that match-up 31-10.
The Noles got off to the fast start that they needed going up 14-0 after their first two series. With this being their 4th game of the season, it marks the 1st time they have taken the lead on any opponent.
On the third series, they moved from their own 30 to the NIU 37 when they, unfortunately, fumbled the ball away. The defense did rise to the occasion and stopped the Huskies.
After the 1st quarter, it was 14-0 FSU, and the Noles had amassed 180 yards to NIU’s 7. That was the kind of show that has been missing the first three games!
Yet another lost fumble and the Huskies were in business at the FSU 23. NIU hit a 20 pass for a score on third down, and that closed the score to 14-7. That was only the third 1st down by the Huskies, but it put them back in the game. The Noles were able to put some distance by scoring on three of their next four possessions but due to some drops and a bad snap that cost them 20 yards on 3rd down they only got three field goals.
Things were looking much more promising for the Noles at halftime, as they led 20-7 and had 278 yards to NIU’s 52. Also, FSU held a 16-3 advantage in 1st downs.
The Seminoles 3rd FG was on their first offensive possession of the 2nd half, and that extended the score to 23-7. However, on the ensuing series, a bad breakdown in pass coverage hurt the Noles badly when they allowed a 66-yard pass/run for a quick score and suddenly (after a failed 2 point conversion try) it was a 10 point game.
It appeared that the Seminoles got complacent and did not play a complete game. They did, however, hit their home run with a 78 yard TD pass from QB Deondre Francois to Fr. WR Tamorrion Terry.
The 78-yard score was the longest TD reception by a Seminole freshman since a Warrick Dunn 79 yard score against Florida in 1993. The score by Dunn iced the game in The Swamp, and the Noles went on to earn their 1st National Championship with a victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
To recap this game, the 37-19 win looked good on paper, but there were far too many mistakes. A total of 5 fumbles, 3 lost, as well as an interception, won’t win many games. Also, there were several untimely penalties. All told, 13 NIU points were the result of turnovers!
I’ll be heading to Louisville on Saturday for the match-up with the Cardinals. (For some reason, FSU is a 5 point favorite). I know that Louisville is down, but neither team has played well.
It doesn’t get any easier for FSU as they travel to Miami on October 6th.
Time will tell if they can turn this season around. At stake is a bowl streak that started in 1982 as well as winning season streak. The last Seminole team to have a losing season was in the legendary Bobby Bowden’s 1st season 1976 when they finished with a 5-6 record!
