LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels hit Jaray Jenkins for a 2-yard touchdown with 1 second left to set up what appeared to be the tying score to cap a 99-yard drive that began with an FSU goal-line fumble. But Damian Ramos’ extra point was blocked by Shyheim Brown with no time left to give the ‘Noles the win. The only reason LSU had a chance to tie it late was because Brian Thomas Jr. was initially ruled out of bounds with a second left at the 1-yard line. Replay showed it was in bounds, but LSU fumbled the ball at the whistle to take the final playoff in regulation. It was a wild end to a stellar move that probably never should have happened. LSU had a chance to tie it late because of a rare error by the Noles offense. Treshaun Ward made a mean field goal line to give it back to LSU with 1:20 to play. That was the only reason Daniels even had a chance to drive his team down the field for what appeared to be the touchdown that would send the game into overtime. It was a remarkable turn of events because it appeared Florida State had won the game when LSU’s Malik Nabers fumbled a punt at the 8-yard line with 2:05 left. Ward had two carries for 8 yards to reach the threshold and force LSU to burn its first timeout. The hit came on the first play out of the timeout. The dramatic fourth quarter was the story of the night, but Jordan Travis was the star of the night. The second-year running back hit Ontaria Wilson with a double-reverse fumble for a 39-yard score early in the second quarter to put the Noles up 7-3, a lead they would never relinquish. Travis connected with Wilson again in the third quarter on a beautiful over-the-shoulder dime near the right pylon to make it a 17-3 ball game and turn the pressure even higher on a Tigers team that just couldn’t go aggressively. Travis finished the night 20 of 32 for 260 yards with two touchdowns, eight carries and 31 yards rushing. Daniels started under center for coach Brian Kelly, making his debut in the purple and gold after a successful 12-year tenure at Notre Dame. He went 26 of 35 for 209 yards and two touchdowns, adding 114 yards on the ground. Part of the reason Daniels was essentially the only effective piece of the offense was an offensive line that simply couldn’t contain the defensive front at Florida State. LSU gave up six tackles for loss, which included four sacks. What are the main points from the New Orleans thriller?
Travis is the real deal
The ‘Noles signal caller looked like a different player Saturday in a hostile environment, one of the biggest stages of his career. Ontario Wilson’s over-the-shoulder pass for FSU’s third-quarter touchdown couldn’t have been better placed, and the fourth-quarter drive that made it 24-10 included a terrific 15-yard reception on the run—the medium to large 6-foot target Johnny Wilson; This is a great sign moving forward. The ACC is loaded with stud quarterbacks and Travis was not included in the group that included Devin Leary, Tyler Van Dyke, Kedon Slovis and others. Go ahead and add Travis to this group because he looked like a bona fide star against a fast and physical Tigers defense.
Special teams told the story
The missed extra point with no time on the clock will be the one everyone remembers, but it was a blocked field goal attempt earlier in the game that led to Brown making the game-defining play. Ramos’ first field goal attempt of the night was a 30-yarder that was blocked by Jared Vers, who ran over the left side of the Tiger offensive line. Kelly told reporters after the game that the ensuing pressure was enough for the Tigers to make some personnel changes. Clearly, that didn’t work and opened the door for Brown to make history. Kelly said after the game that Numbers, who struck out two on the night, was solid in practice and was shocked when the two hits happened during the game. It is clear that he will re-evaluate his return betting composition after the match, as these mistakes simply cannot happen.
The third drop was huge
Third-down conversion rate is one of the most important stats in college football, and Florida State was money when it mattered most against LSU. The Seminoles converted 11 of 17 attempts, including 5 of 8 in the second half. Travis was a big reason. He was 8 of 12 for 92 yards and a touchdown on third downs, and all eight of his completions moved the chains. That helped the Noles win the possession battle and discouraged a Tigers defense that had no answer for most of the game. It worked both ways. LSU’s offense finally got going in the fourth quarter, but converted just 3 of 7 through the first three quarters. LSU has a lot of issues to deal with, and its issues on third down on both sides of the ball should be at the top of the list.
LSU’s offensive line needs work
It’s a big concern to start the season, and it remains an issue. Daniels never seemed to get comfortable and was relegated to a “one read and bail” quarterback for most of the night. This led to huge frustration, most notably with receiver Kayshon Boutte. the two were caught on the show having some clearly heated discussions. This is not something that is easily dealt with either. The most important part of any offensive line’s development is continuity, and the fact that there are four new starters up front clearly showed. Fortunately for LSU, Daniels is mobile enough to escape and make some plays with those legs when needed. However, this is not something that is sustainable for a full season. Especially in an SEC West loaded with studs in the front seven.
