TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — No. 5 Florida State is undefeated and unsatisfied — even with victories against powerhouses LSU and Clemson on a resume that's widely considered the most impressive in the country.
“One of the things I’m excited about is we’re 4-0 and we have yet to play our best game,” coach Mike Norvell said. “Opportunity for growth, opportunity for improvement.”
The Seminoles (4-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) are using their bye week to refresh and get healthy after a daunting September that included a neutral-site opener and two road games.
FSU has been without three starters — offensive tackle Robert Scott, center Maurice Smith and safety Akeem Dent at times — and star quarterback Jordan Travis has played through an arm/shoulder injury.
Travis landed awkwardly on his left side in the second quarter at Boston College, although the sixth-year senior returned to the game for the second half. He eventually returned to form the following week at Clemson. when he threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers and ran for a score.
Any concerns about Travis’ injury or his ability to play through it were seemingly quelled by him on the practice field Tuesday and Wednesday. The Seminoles also got receiver Ja’Khi Douglas back at practice after he missed the first four games.
“I’m glad the bye lined up when it was,” Norvell said. “We’ve battled. We’ve been without some starters. Guys have had to rise up, and they have. We’re in a good spot if we take advantage of the good spot. If we get better throughout this week, we’ll be where we need to be the next time we kick it off.”
The Seminoles host Virginia Tech on Oct. 7 in the first of three consecutive home games that ends with a visit from No. 17 Duke. Road trips to Wake Forest and Pitt follow, with No. 18 Miami and No. 22 Florida on tap in November.
Making it through that stretch of games unscathed would surely earn the Seminoles a spot in the College Football Playoff and cap an impressive turnaround in Norvell's tenure that started with a 3-6 season in 2020 and an 0-4 start in 2021.
Florida State is 19-6 since, with the win at Clemson being a huge step toward the team's potential return to the top of the ACC.
“To win at that place, that wasn’t just a game that we worked for that week to win,” defensive back Jarrian Jones said. “That’s been a four-year process. I’ve been here all four years. I’ve been here through the dirt, through the grind, through the work.
"That was a big win. I enjoyed every minute of it with my team. Now it’s back to work, on to the next opponent.”
The Seminoles hope to get healthy up front and improve a run game that ranks 11th in the conference and 77th in the nation at 148 yards a game — a number that's inflated by a 306-yard performance against Southern Miss.
“We’re 4-0, but I feel like we have yet to play our best game,” Jones said. “If we play our best game, nobody can beat us.”
Assuming the Seminoles reach the postseason, they will get an extra body in the mix. Norvell said defensive tackle Darrell Jackson would be eligible to play in late December and January. Jackson, who attended Maryland and then Miami, was deemed ineligible by the NCAA in August because of rules involving two-time transfers.
“Postseason will be a reality for Darrell as we get to that point,” Norvell said. “He’s working. I’ve been really proud of him. He’s approaching every day the way we want him to approach it. He’s getting better. He’s continuing to push.”
___
AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
