Florida State and LSU became an instant classic Sunday night and could make a case for college football’s best game of the year… and it happened during the opening weekend.
The Seminoles nabbed a 24-23 win in New Orleans, spoiling Brian Kelly’s Tigers debut, in the wackiest of circumstances.
Let’s break it all down…
The Muffed Punt
The festivities really got going deep in the fourth quarter. With Florida State holding a slim seven-point edge, the Seminoles punted the ball back to LSU for a chance to tie the game and send it into overtime.
MORE: Seminoles’ last-second PAT block seals victory over Tigers
LSU return specialist Malik Nabers appeared to have a read on the booming kick, waving his hand back and forth to signal for a fair catch. But as the ball dropped toward the earth, Nabers panicked. He muffed the punt return. The ball found Florida State defender Brendan Gant, seemingly puncturing LSU’s hopes for a victory.
LSU JUST MUFFED THEIR SECOND PUNT OF THE GAME #NolesFamily #CollegeFootball
— The College Football & Basketball Experience (@TCEonSGPN) September 5, 2022
The Fumble
Those hopes were dashed for all of 55 seconds. On third and goal, with the ball on LSU’s one-yard-line, FSU QB Jordan Travis inexplicably pitched the ball to tailback Treshaun Ward. Ward muffed the exchange, the ball landed on the turf, and it ended up in the hands of Tigers defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo.
FSU FUMBLES AT THE GOAL LINE!
LSU GETS THE BALL BACK DOWN 24-17 IN THE FINAL MINUTE. pic.twitter.com/IjhtX9tpym
— ESPN (@espn) September 5, 2022
The Drive and the Review and the Answer and the Block
With just 1:20 left in the game, 99 yards to go and one timeout remaining, the cards seemed stacked against LSU for getting the ball into the end zone.
However, Jayden Daniels proceeded to put on his best Joe Burrow impression, alternating between dotting lasers to his receivers and running like a gazelle in the open field.
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99 yards evaporated after a handful of Daniels-led chunk plays. With 10 seconds left, Daniels zipped a pass to tight end Mason Taylor in the middle of the field. And Taylor showed the presence of mind to take the ball as deep as he could into FSU territory before attempting to dive out of bounds.
Huge catch by #LSU #Tigers true freshman TE Mason Taylor (@MasonTaylor52)
He gets out of bounds with 1 second left in the game pic.twitter.com/HrQJzcm33b
— IG: @SleeperAthletes (@SleeperAth1etes) September 5, 2022
He didn’t get there. However, because he got the first down, the clock stopped.
After a lengthy official review — and a Florida State timeout — Daniels and the Tigers lined up on the goal line.
And as he had done all throughout that two-minute drill, Daniels found his target. He whipped a pass right into the grasp of Jaray Jenkins for a buzzer-beating touchdown.
All LSU needed was an extra point and it would be heading to overtime.
But the college football gods couldn’t allow that now, could they?
Jarrett Jackson got his paw on Damian Ramos’ PAT, sending the Seminoles into raptures.
It was, quite simply, one of the craziest endings to a game you’ll ever see.
ONE OF THE WILDEST ENDINGS TO A COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME YOU WILL EVER SEE‼️ pic.twitter.com/5t3gqOXtgu
— ESPN (@espn) September 5, 2022
“It was not the way we wanted to end the game, but at the end, we still had one more play,” FSU head coach Mike Norvell said on the field after the win. “Those guys did an unbelievable job.”
“An incredible effort. I’m so proud of our team… it’s a special moment for our team. We needed a win like that.”
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