LOUISVILLE, Ky.: Florida State wasn’t dominant in opposition to its archrival, however the No. 4 Seminoles had been efficient sufficient to stay unbeaten — and to pop again into the College Football Playoff’s high 4.
The No. 4 Seminoles are tabling these playoff talks for now with No. 15 Louisville on the clock Saturday night time within the Atlantic Coast Conference title recreation. Louisville, led by first-year coach and native son Jeff Brohm, is keen to show its spectacular transition is not any phantasm in opposition to an previous convention foe.
(*15*) Cardinals middle Bryan Hudson mentioned. “We want to go win. So, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Florida State (12-0, 8-0 ACC, No. 4 CFP) is enjoying in its first convention championship recreation in nearly a decade. Louisville (10-2, 7-1, No. 14 CFP) is within the recreation for the primary time. Both colleges have saved the ACC in playoff discussions at factors this season, however a Florida State win in Charlotte, North Carolina, would supply the league its finest probability of entering into the four-team discipline that will likely be introduced Sunday night time.
“It would mean a lot, especially for the team, knowing all we’ve been through and bringing coach (Mike Norvell) here,” Seminoles free security Akeem Dent mentioned. “It would mean a lot to get the ball back rolling for the fans and for the organization.”
The championship recreation matches groups with top-20 defenses and top-30 offenses. The colleges have performed one another yearly within the Atlantic Division since Louisville joined in 2014, however didn’t face one another this season with divisional play eradicated.
“Louisville has played at an elite level throughout this year,” the fourth-year coach Norvell mentioned. “They’ve got a great offense, a great defense. … We believe we’ve got some of those same characteristics and that’s why we’re both getting a chance to compete in this game.”
Sadly, one participant unable to compete is Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, a Louisville switch who had directed the assault till sustaining a severe leg damage two weeks in the past that ended his school profession. Travis nonetheless was named the ACC’s participant of the yr this week and stays within the Heisman Trophy dialogue.
Backup Tate Rodemaker is now behind middle and has directed two victories. That contains final week’s 24-15 highway defeat of rival Florida, a recreation the Seminoles trailed 12-0 earlier than clamping down and outscoring the Gators 24-3. Rodemaker threw for 134 yards with out an interception in his first begin since 2020 and can face the group he tossed two TDs in opposition to final yr.
Meanwhile, Louisville appears to be like to rebound from final week’s 38-31 loss to rival Kentucky that delayed its pursuit of its first 11-win season since 2013.
The Cardinals outgained the Wildcats 403-289, however had been outscored 31-21 in a wild second half. They’ve finished properly establishing management however have had some second-half lulls in latest weeks.
“We know against this type of team that the margin for error is very small,” mentioned Brohm, who’s making his second consecutive title-game look after guiding Purdue to final fall’s Big Ten closing in opposition to Michigan. “You can’t have those type of errors or it’s going to cost you. We have to understand that it’s very hard to overcome anything like that when you’re playing this type of team, so we’re going to have to really be sharp.”
(*4*)
Louisville has outscored opponents 97-21 within the first quarter, with 14 of these factors allowed two weeks in the past at Miami. The Cardinals additionally shut properly (95-50 within the fourth quarter), although Kentucky outscored them 17-7 within the closing quarter with chunk-play touchdowns and a 67-7 benefit in speeding yards.
Seminoles defensive finish Jared Verse posted a career-high 2.5 sacks at Florida, his third multiple-sack recreation this season. The junior has seven whole amongst 9.5 tackles for loss, whereas his 16 profession sacks are finest amongst energetic Florida State gamers.
Jawhar Jordan and Isaac Guerendo have fashioned a formidable speeding tandem for the Cardinals, who rank fifth within the ACC at 183.5 yards per recreation. Guerendo has rushed for 639 yards, with 387 of these and 5 touchdowns coming prior to now 4 contests whereas Jordan was restricted by an injured hamstring. Jordan is the ACC’s No. 2 runner with 1,076 yards and 13 scores.
Florida State’s 5 turnovers dedicated are the nation’s fewest, whereas its plus-11 margin ranks fifth in FBS. The Seminoles have thrown simply two interceptions all yr and none over the previous six video games.
Florida State and Louisville every have seven victories over bowl-eligible Power Five groups, tied for essentially the most within the nation.
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AP Freelance Writer Bob Ferrante in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
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AP school soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
