Mike Norvell Got A ‘Glimpse’ Against LSU Of What His Seminoles Can Do

As the evening ticked toward midnight, Mike Norvell had ample skip in his step as he strode to the dais at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium and proceeded to speak proudly of a team that about 20 minutes earlier completed a dominating second half.

The 41-year-old Florida State coach did not concern himself with any statements his team may have made in a 45-24 win over LSU during a top-10 matchup Sunday evening. Rather, seeing his team play up to its ability over the final two quarters is what mattered most.

“I just want to see them play to their capability,” said Norvell, whose ‘Noles scored 31 straight second-half points to turn a 17-14 halftime deficit into a resounding victory. “I told the offense at halftime, you will score every drive in the second half if you just go out there and focus on the little things, focus on the details.”

The only thing that prevented Florida State, which opened last season with a one-point win over the Tigers in New Orleans, from scoring on every second-half possession was something that was a wonderful sight for Seminoles fans who occupied majority of the sellout crowd of 65,429: quarterback Jordan Travis kneeling down to kill the clock. Indeed, FSU went five-for-five in coming away with points on drives before Travis took a knee. The ‘Noles also scored on their final drive of the first half.

What might be most impressive about the Seminoles’ performance, at least offensively, is they did not allow a sack. Also, running backs Trey Benson and Lawrence Toafili combined for only 36 yards rushing through three quarters. Yet, their team was up, 24-17.

While the Travis-to-Johnny Wilson (7 receptions, 104 yards) connection remains impressive, that of Travis-to-Keon Colemen was an eye-opener that befuddled LSU defensive backs all game long. Coleman, a Louisiana native and transfer from Michigan State, caught three touchdown passes on a night he equaled a career high with nine receptions and had 122 yards.

Though Coleman’s effort in his FSU debut might very well have been a statement of what is to come from the junior, a scintillating second half that saw Florida State rattle off 31 straight points and accumulate 381 yards while keeping the Tigers off the board and limiting them to 92 yards before an inconsequential touchdown with less than two minutes to play underscored the type of performance Norvell knows his team is capable of.

“That second half, that was a glimpse, a glimpse, of what I think this team can do and where I think it can go,” said Norvell, whose defense stifled LSU on six plays inside the five-yard line, including four chances from the one, on the game’s opening series. The unit also limited the Tigers to 3-of-10 on third-down conversions while foiling all three fourth-down attempts.

Not that such a performance should be expected week in and week out during this 2023 season of high hopes. Where Norvell was coming from is that his team can certainly perform at a very high and consistent level on both sides of scrimmage over the course of 60 minutes.

That is why, following a 10-win season that concluded at Camping World Stadium with a Cheez-It Bowl victory over Oklahoma and No. 11 ranking the AP poll, voters slotted the Seminoles in at No. 8 in the preseason poll. As such, many observers have felt there is an honest to goodness shot for FSU to make the College Football Playoff.

All of the above is not to say Norvell, in his fourth season in Tallahassee, was lacking for coach speak. He knows very well that some sloppiness and less-than-stellar decision making resulting in five first-quarter penalties could bite his team at some point. True, the opening quarter or two of a season is often a crapshoot as players find their footing after a month of preseason camp. Still, best to cleanse such details sooner than later especially with a date at Clemson on September 23.

“There’s a lot of things that we are going to have to clean up after,” he said. “Obviously, there’s excitement in the locker room. But that’s one game. That was our first step and it was a big step. You get a chance to be on this stage, you want to go play well.”

While FSU is now 11-0-2 all-time in Orlando, they would prefer a much larger stage come January. For now, it is so far, so good for Norvell and his Seminoles.