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Florida State football head coach Mike Norvell had a very good case last season when the College Football Playoff committee excluded his Seminoles from the four-team playoff despite having an undefeated record and the ACC championship. However, at least one of those attributes won't be an issue this season after FSU's season-opening loss to Georgia Tech.
After his team's 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday in Ireland, Norvell was frustrated having not only lost but doing so having played poorly on offense. In DJ Uiagalelei's first game with the program, the Seminoles failed to reach 200 passing yards, and despite FSU being predicted to have the edge up front, Georgia Tech held Florida State to fewer 100 rushing yards.
Although Georgia Tech beat the Seminoles on the macro level, in his post-game press conference, Norvell spoke to the small moments of Saturday's loss.
“The importance of every snap in that game was monumental,” Norvell said.
Where does Florida State go from here after Georgia Tech loss?
Florida State was a 10.5-point favorite against Georgia Tech on Saturday, but the overcast, rainy conditions, as well as Brent Key's scheme, caused too many issues for the Seminoles in the upset.
But unlike last year, which saw an undefeated FSU team albeit without its starting quarterback excluded from the College Football Playoff, there is hope for the Seminoles despite the loss in Ireland. This year's CFP will, for the first time, feature 12 teams and is guaranteed to include the ACC champion.
While Florida State will have to try to avoid any more slip-ups in ACC play, the team has a relatively favorable conference schedule the rest of the way. FSU is set to host Boston College next Monday and will similarly stay at home a few weeks later vs. new conference foe Cal. The only Top 25 road conference game for Florida State, at the moment, is when the Seminoles visit No. 19 Miami on Oct. 26.
To avoid the missteps that plagued them in Ireland, Mike Norvell and Florida State will need DJ Uiagalelei and the Seminoles' offensive line to improve. The line, in particular, failed to get much of a push against Georgia Tech, evident by FSU's 3.1-yard-per-carry average.
Fortunately, when Florida State takes the field against Boston College, the Seminoles will be facing a team that allowed some of the most rushing yards per game of any FBS program in the country last season. Opponents averaged 5.3 yards per carry and 188 yards per game against the Eagles a year ago.
