Doak Campbell Stadium renamed Doak Campbell Dumpster
With season-opening loss to mighty Georgia Tech, Seminoles now 12-10 at home since 2017
By: Gainesville Gary
Elmo visits Doak
While most people thought that The Swamp was on fire last week, the real dumpster fire was taking place at Doak Campbell Stadium 150 miles away in Tallahassee. Firefighters explained that Chief Osceola forgot to douse the fire on his spear after planting it in the ground, which then quickly spread to the team’s performance.
Mike Norvell’s tenure got off to a “hot” start with a 16-13 loss to rebuilding Georgia Tech. ESPN put the loss in perfect perspective: “Georgia Tech had not won an ACC road game to open a season since 1996, long before everyone on the roster was born.” What a glorious stat.
It looked like FSU might have had some of their old mojo back early with multiple big plays in the first two quarters. The ‘Noles capitalized on an early Asante Samuel Jr. pick with a well-executed 5 play, 75-yard drive. Up 10-0 in the second, the FSU defense held in the red zone blocking a Yellow Jacket field goal. More momentum came FSU’s way with Asante Samuel Jr.’s second INT of the day midway through the 2nd. Turning that INT into a touchdown would have put Florida State in the driver’s seat and given the fans of the Garnet & Gold their first deep breath in four years.
Instead, James Blackmon began to show signs of his usual mediocre ways, taking too much time behind the line and throwing an interception to give Georgia Tech the ball at the FSU 40. But again the FSU defense would hold. The Jackets tried a 38-yard attempt to get some points on the board, but the FSU special teams blocked their second kick of the day. Up 10-0 at half, it seemed like the Seminoles were in control.
But as the second most famous Florida State alum says, “Not so fast, my friend!”
A promising FSU drive out of halftime was stalled by a holding penalty and a Ramblin’ Wreck sack on 3rd and 20. With the ball back, GT finally found some offense on a methodical 4 and a half minute, 14 play, 80-yard drive crowed with a touchdown by the running back (anyone know his name who isn’t a Georgia Tech fan? Nope).
A Florida State field goal late in the 3rd made it 13-7, but Georgia Tech would answer with a touchdown on their next drive on a beautiful 15-yard back-shoulder throw from QB Jeff Simms (I looked him up). This should have given GT the lead, but the entire special teams unit was apparently hypnotized the entire game, allowing their THIRD BLOCKED KICK OF THE GAME. 13-13.
There’s a little ray of hope, right? RIGHT!? The ‘Noles can pull this off, said the 5 people in the stadium.
No. The offensive line still has more holes than Swiss cheese. So many holes that it’s a disservice to Swiss cheese to even make the comparison.
On 2nd and 19 at the FSU 45, Blackmon was strip-sacked off the edge, and the Jackets returned the ensuing fumble deep in Seminole territory. The Florida State defense did its job and kept GT out of the endzone. But of course, in a cruel twist of the knife, after having THREE kicks blocked in the game, the freshman kicker for Georgia Tech nailed a 32-yarder to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead of the game.
With plenty of time on the clock to score, FSU mounted a promising drive, before again jousting the spear into their own foot. In a flashback to the undisciplined ways from the brief Taggart era, the FSU line got a false start penalty on 4th and 3 AFTER a timeout. Insert shaking head gif here. On 4th and 8 from the GT 38, FSU had to get the first down. Blackmon had all day to throw, but no one open. He scrambled instead, getting tackled well short of the first down...and fumbling to put the icing on the cake.
The Seminoles would get one more chance with 2 minutes to go, but the offensive line did not have any new recruits since the last time they went on the field and proceeded to do their QB no favors. FSU turned it over on downs and Georgia Tech went into victory formation to finish the upset.
It’s going to be another long year in Tally. Luckily for ‘Noles fans there are only 10 games this year instead of 12. Norvell is a good hire - a much better coach than Taggart - but it will take time. The program was left in shambles by a departing Jimbo Fisher and the feckless 2 years under Taggart, and it still has a long way to go. Cornrow Norvell can douse the dumpster fire at Doak, but it won’t be this year, and likely not even next. The staff needs to be pounding the recruiting pavement, hard.
Clemson by a million in the ACC this year.
You can watch the game highlights below: