Gene Frenette: FSU's wild 24-23 win over LSU could be liftoff to better days

In one of the wildest games in Florida State football history, the Seminoles nearly blew a 14-point, fourth quarter lead and needed a blocked extra point after time expired Sunday night to preserve a 24-23 victory over LSU at the New Orleans Superdome.

The controversial finish -- where LSU was given an untimed down that allowed the Tigers to score a touchdown on a 2-yard pass to Jaray Jenkins, right before Shyheim Brown blocked the PAT to end the game - will be talked about for years.

For now, the more immediate question is this: can the biggest victory in coach Mike Norvell’s tenure be an impetus for an FSU program turnaround?

After Brown’s heroic block, a jubilant Norvell started jumping in celebration with his headset still on like a little kid at Christmas. At one point, his jubilation caused the third-year FSU boss to leap on the shoulders of special-teams coach John Papuchis.

"We needed that game, it's big for our program, it's big for the kids in that locker room," said Norvell.

No doubt, after four consecutive losing FSU seasons and two on his watch, Norvell’s Seminoles finally earned the type of victory that could jump-start the program back to relevance.

“I just had a big smile on my face, a couple tears,” said quarterback Jordan Travis said after Brown’s blocked PAT. “I just saw how much we’ve been through as a football team, and to end a game like that was really special.

“The game shouldn’t have been that close from the jump, but a win is a win and I’m so thankful for that.”

Travis continues QB ascent

While much of the talk about this game will center on the mind-boggling finish, the truth is that obscures how much Florida State controlled the game with much-improved Travis. He superbly guided an efficient offense that converted 11 of 17 third-down chances, completing 20 of 33 passes for 260 yards and two TDs.

After playing better over the last six games in 2021, a confident Travis repeatedly made big plays, none bigger than his two TD strikes to Ontaria Wilson. The first one, a 39-yarder off a flea flicker, gave FSU a 7-3 lead in the second quarter.

The next one produced what will surely wind up being one of the most riveting plays in FSU’s season. Travis stood in the pocket, took a helmet-to-helmet hit from LSU’s Ali Gaye that got him ejected, and delivered a 26-yard strike down the right sideline to Wilson. With cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse right on his shoulder, Wilson made a one-handed grab to put the ‘Noles up 17-3 with 4:17 left in the third quarter.

“That one hurt a little bit,” Travis said of the Gaye hit. “I’ll do whatever for this football team and Florida State University. Pokey [Wilson] made a great play. I didn’t know if he caught it or not.”

When LSU cut the lead back to seven, FSU responded with a 79-yard touchdown drive in which Travis completed all three of his attempts for 48 yards, including a nifty pass in which he jumped in the air while connecting on a 15-yard pass over the middle to Johnny Wilson.

It took a bizarre set of circumstances to set up the crazy finish, putting LSU within a PAT of sending the game to overtime.

FSU appeared to have the game wrapped up when the Tigers’ Malik Nabers muffed his second punt of the night and Brendan Gant recovered at the LSU 8 with 2:14 left. Still leading 24-17, all the ‘Noles had to do was kill some clock with conservative runs and kick a game-sealing field goal.

Instead, they foolishly tried a pitch to Treshaun Ward at the LSU 1, resulting in a fumble and a Tigers’ recovery that gave them a chance to go 99 yards in the final 1:20.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels did just that, aided by a bizarre play in which LSU tight end Mason Taylor was ruled as getting out of bounds at the FSU 2 with one second remaining. Replays showed his knee hit the ground in-bounds, but the Tigers were allowed to run an untimed down instead of having to rush to hurriedly snap the ball before the clock expired.

FSU program building momentum

Jenkins’ TD catch made it 24-23, but just when it appeared overtime would have to decide the outcome, Brown blocked Damian Romas’ extra point to end the drama. In the second quarter, FSU’s Jared Verse also lined up in the middle and blocked a 30-yard Romas field goal attempt.

FSU led 7-3 at the half and was never in danger of losing the game until the weird sequence in the final minute had a sellout Superdome crowd in a frenzy, especially during the officials’ long review to decide whether the game would be over or let LSU run one more play.

Wild finish aside, the 4-point underdog Seminoles clearly demonstrated for most of the game they were the superior team. Their defensive front gave LSU’s offensive line fits, sacking Daniels four times.

LSU’s All-America receiver, Kayshon Boutte, was held to two catches and showed so much frustration at one point, he was sent to the sidelines for a few second-half plays.

Regardless of how FSU’s victory came about, it was a much-needed boost for a program in which nothing has gone right in recent years. Now 2-0 with a bye week coming, the ‘Noles have a real shot at getting to 5-0 with a game at Louisville, followed by home dates with Boston College and Wake Forest.

All that matters now is the ‘Noles get to savor a fifth consecutive victory over LSU, plus a chance to build momentum just a year after getting off to an 0-4 start.

If Norvell is going to bring FSU back after four miserable years, maybe this is the game that kick-starts the recovery.

gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540

Gene Frenette Sports columnist at Florida Times-Union, follow him on Twitter @genefrenette

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: FSU nearly blows big lead, hangs on for uplifting 24-23 win over LSU