The Florida State football team traveled to Ireland in hopes of earning a dominant win over its ACC foe, but instead were served a loss.
The Seminoles entered the game as 10.5-point favorites over the Yellow Jackets but struggled to put everything together and pull off a win. Transfer quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei did not have the start that Florida State fans were hoping for as the offense fell flat on their face in the second half of play. If the Seminoles expect to bounce back during their next game in dominant fashion, the team is going to have to focus on both their blocking and certainly their tackling.
Florida State Football Drops First Game of 2024 Season Behind Poor Blocking
The Florida State Seminoles football team entered their Week 0 contest against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ranked as the 10th team in the nation. However, the game was held in Dublin, Ireland, and rankings appeared to mean nothing to Georgia Tech as they flew out of the country with the win. Georgia Tech played solid football all around and secured the 24-21 victory on a last-second field goal.
Seminoles fans received their first look at both the team and their new starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, but did not feel satisfied after their look. Uiagalelei recorded 193 yards through the air for an average of 7.1 yards per completion and did not record a touchdown. However, entering the second half of play, the quarterback averaged -0.2 yards per attempt and found no success throwing the ball downfield.
The quarterback was not able to really test the Yellow Jackets defense which was a combination of both his own struggles and the lack of blocking his team was able to deliver. The Seminoles had a balanced attack, with 32 pass plays and 29 run plays called, but did not get anywhere on the ground after a certain point. Running back Lawrance Toafilli broke off a massive 28-yard touchdown but then recorded just four yards on seven carries afterward.
Fellow running back and starter Roydell Williams had a long of ten yards against the Yellow Jackets and managed to record 38 yards on 12 carries. Georgia Tech sent heavy pressure 29 times against the Seminoles, and the Seminoles could not consistently stop it as they allowed five hurries and a sack on a designed run. Run blocking in particular was an issue for Florida State in the second half, which in turn forced the Seminoles into passing situations.
Florida State Seminoles Must Improve Upon Tackling Moving Forward to Win Games
One key area the Seminoles struggled with against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets was tackling as the team missed 11 tackles yesterday. Nine different players on the Florida State defense missed tackles last game, which was just an unacceptable stat to have for the tenth-ranked team. The defense truly had great moments against the Yellow Jackets, including 16 stops and three quarterback hurries, but the missed tackles lingered throughout the game.
The Seminoles generated some pressure but struggled to get to the elusive quarterback Haynes King throughout the game. The Seminole’s defense hit King twice but did not record a sack against the Yellow Jackets. With limited pressure being delivered, a premium is put upon tackling to disrupt the game, and the Seminoles could not do so against the Yellow Jackets offense.
Two drives in particular from the Georgia Tech offense were extended due to broken and missed tackles and took plenty of time off the clock. The first drive was just before the end of the first half of play and lasted nearly eight minutes long resulting in a touchdown. The second drive was in the fourth quarter and took almost seven minutes off the clock, and also resulted in a touchdown for Georgia Tech.
This is a newer team for the Seminoles compared to a season ago and these could be signs of the growing pains that come with the changes. The Florida State Seminoles featured ten transfers against the Yellow Jackets who had not stepped onto the field as Seminoles before. With changes consistently happening to rosters surrounding college football, Florida State may just need some time to figure out how each player gels together.
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