Florida State’s flop and Georgia Tech’s big win lead college football Week 0 winners and losers

Florida State went all the way to Ireland to lose to Georgia Tech on a last-second kick. The Seminoles could’ve done this in Atlanta! That transatlantic flight home to Tallahassee should be a fun one.

The worst part about these season-opening vacations to exotic locales is that there’s a football game at the end of the festivities, something the Seminoles seemed to forget to include on their itinerary. Given about eight months to get ready for the 2024 season, FSU seemed unprepared for an opponent picked to finish ninth in the preseason ACC poll.

After getting started with a touchdown drive and ensuing two-point conversion to take an 8-0 lead after about five minutes, the Seminoles were hampered by an offense that couldn’t establish the run or deliver the ball downfield. Issues on offense that arise in Week 0 often last through November.

Florida State wide receiver BJ Gibson (80) leaves the field after his team’s loss to Georgia Tech at Aviva Stadium.

The Seminoles’ problems begin with a chicken-or-egg argument involving new quarterback DJ Uiagalelei: Was FSU unable to stretch the field because an unproven receiver corps struggled to get separation or because Uiagalelei simply isn’t comfortable throwing five yards past the line of scrimmage? Defensively, FSU struggled against a veteran offensive line and allowed almost 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

There is good news in the form of the 12-team College Football Playoff, which will give would-be contenders a little more wiggle room than under previous postseason formats. FSU, for example, might be able to lose again and still make the playoff as an at-large bid depending on how things shake out in the ACC.

But the team that flopped against Georgia Tech can’t and won’t go far. Still to come: Memphis, Clemson, Miami, North Carolina and Notre Dame. One year after…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-states-flop-georgia-techs-040339247.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2024-08-25 04:03:39

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