FSU Football Ranked No. 10 Suffers Defeat to Georgia Tech in Ireland

25 Aug, 2024

Here's a revised version:

Florida State fans were left stunned as the Seminoles were upset by Georgia Tech 24-21 in Ireland to kick off the 2024 college football season. The unexpected loss has left many wondering what went wrong.

Despite the overall disappointing performance in Garnet, there were a few bright spots for FSU if you look closely. Here’s this week’s stock market report following Week Zero.

Stock Up

Ryan Fitzgerald, Kicker

There’s plenty to critique about this game, but Ryan Fitzgerald’s performance isn’t one of them. After a rocky start to his career, Fitzgerald was reliable in 2023, converting 19 of 21 field goals and all 58 extra points. However, none of those kicks last season were from beyond 48 yards. He shattered that today.

Fitzgerald nailed a 52-yarder to extend the Seminoles’ lead to 11-7 in the second quarter, then followed it up with a career-best 59-yard bomb to close the first half—just shy of the longest kick in Florida State history. The team also had some fun with him, using a fake jet sweep to set up a swinging gate 2-point conversion to start the game.

Late 4th Down Conversions

When it mattered most, FSU delivered by converting two critical fourth downs. Although the first attempt in the first quarter was stopped short, DJ Uiagalelei made the right read, getting the ball out quickly under pressure, but Georgia Tech’s Ahmari Harvey made a crucial tackle.

In the fourth quarter, Florida State converted two more on their game-tying drive. The first was a 20-yard strike to Ja’Khi Douglas on 4th-and-7, and the second was a 19-yard slant to Alabama transfer Malik Benson on 4th-and-8. These clutch plays kept FSU in the game, leading to a touchdown soon after.

Malik Benson, Wide Receiver

Benson’s final stat line—4 catches for 39 yards—might seem modest, but he showed promise. He was open on several occasions and would have scored a touchdown if Uiagalelei’s pass down the sideline hadn’t sailed out of bounds.

Benson and Ja’Khi Douglas displayed good chemistry with Uiagalelei; now, the focus just needs to be on precision.

Holding Steady

Shyheim Brown, Safety

Shyheim Brown was one of the few defensive players willing to step up, leading both teams with 13 tackles. He’s a leader on this defense but will need to make a bigger impact moving forward.

Though safeties shouldn’t have to make this many tackles, Brown was there to make plays when needed.

DJ Uiagalelei, Quarterback

It might be controversial, but DJ Uiagalelei didn’t lose this game for Florida State—he just didn’t do much to win it either. How you feel about his performance likely depends on your expectations coming into the season.

As someone not particularly high on Uiagalelei, he performed about as expected: short completions early on and timely throws to extend drives later. However, it was clear that Mike Norvell didn’t fully trust him, with no attempts beyond the first-down marker until late in the first half.

Uiagalelei also missed on some crucial throws, including a deep shot to Benson and an underthrown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas that could have been a touchdown. Despite some overthrows and out-of-bounds passes, a 19/27 completion rate for 193 yards isn’t terrible.

Stock Down

The Offensive Line

What was supposed to be a strength this season turned out to be a significant weakness in this game. Georgia Tech frequently overloaded FSU’s right side on third downs, and the Seminoles had no answer, allowing free rushers to pressure Uiagalelei. After rushing for 58 yards on the first drive, FSU managed just 40 more yards on the ground for the rest of the game, despite having a talented running back room. The blame falls on the offensive line.

Robert Scott’s move to right tackle seemed to exacerbate the issues. While Jeremiah Byers isn’t perfect, Scott struggled, which is disappointing given the potential he showed early in his career before injuries took their toll. Maurice Smith was solid, but overall, the unit underperformed.

The Linebackers

This unit was a disaster. DJ Lundy took poor angles and was beaten to the flats multiple times, Omar Graham Jr. was invisible, and no one could properly fill the run. Blake Nichelson combined with Daniel Lyons for a tackle for loss, and Lundy had one later in the game, but that was the extent of their impact. Lundy also missed a chance to recover a fumble, allowing Georgia Tech to regain possession.

FSU sorely missed Kalen DeLoach and Tatum Bethune. DeLoach’s sideline-to-sideline speed was a crucial part of last year’s defense, and next week won’t get any easier with Thomas Castellanos. If they struggled to contain Haynes King, next week could be a nightmare.

The Defensive Line

Before the game, College GameDay touted Florida State’s starting defensive line—Patrick Payton, Marvin Jones Jr., Darrell Jackson, and Joshua Farmer—as potential top-100 NFL Draft picks. But they combined for just six tackles, one QB hurry, and zero tackles for loss. It was a no-show performance.

After all the offseason hype, it seems this group may have been more focused on individual NFL aspirations than playing as a cohesive unit. They were pushed around all game, and that must change moving forward.

Time Management

Florida State’s time management was poor, starting with the final drive of the first half. The Seminoles got the ball at their 25-yard line and took 3:13 to move just 34 yards in nine plays before Fitzgerald’s long field goal. The second half didn’t get any better.

FSU had just three drives in the second half, totaling 22, 11, and 84 yards, with Georgia Tech controlling the clock. The Seminoles showed no urgency, leaving themselves with only 6:33 on the clock—time Georgia Tech fully used up before their game-winning kick.

For more in-depth coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2024 season, stay tuned to NoleGameday.

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