Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
No. 4 Florida State relied on a smothering defense and a two-headed ground attack to defeat No. 14 Louisville 16-6 in the ACC championship game Saturday night in Charlotte, N.C.
Now the Seminoles (13-0) will await their postseason fate as the College Football Playoff committee weighs where to rank them without their injured star quarterback, Jordan Travis.
With No. 2 quarterback Tate Rodemaker held out Saturday due to a concussion, true freshman Brock Glenn made his first start and completed 8 of 21 passes for 55 yards.
Lawrance Toafili took 10 carries for 118 yards and the game’s only touchdown and Trey Benson added 67 rushing yards for Florida State.
Meanwhile, Louisville (10-3) was held to 188 total yards, with Jack Plummer going 14-for-36 for 111 yards and an interception. Braden Fiske had three of Florida State’s seven sacks, including one on fourth down with 2:35 to play. Jared Verse recorded two sacks.
The teams combined to start 0-for-9 on third downs as defense dominated the first quarter. A premature snap spoiled the Seminoles’ fifth third-down attempt, but Ryan Fitzgerald got them on the board with a 45-yard field goal with 10:32 before halftime.
Later, a 24-yard Louisville punt set Florida State up at the Cardinals’ 38-yard line for a 2-minute drill. But after Glenn lost 9 yards on a sack, Fitzgerald’s second 45-yard field-goal attempt of the night missed wide left, and it was just 3-0 at halftime.
The Cardinals went 56 yards in 13 plays on their first drive of the second half, ending in Brock Travelstead’s 36-yard field goal to tie the game. Jamari Thrash had two 11-yard receptions to power the drive.
But the Seminoles immediately responded when Toafili took a direct snap, hung back momentarily, then ran 73 yards down the right sideline to the Louisville 2. Toafili powered into the end zone on the next play at the 6:20 mark of the third quarter.
After Travelstead’s 33-yard field goal cut it to 10-6 with 13:36 left in regulation, Louisville forced a three-and-out. The Cardinals broke through the Seminoles’ punt protection and Jimmy Calloway tackled punter Alex Mastromanno at the 12-yard line.
But on third down, Plummer forced a throw in the middle of the end zone and Tatum Bethune intercepted it to quash Louisville’s golden opportunity.
Louisville’s final three drives netted a loss of 15 yards. Fitzgerald converted from 33 yards and 40 yards during the final 3:13 for the Seminoles’ final margin.
–Field Level Media