The Florida State University Seminoles worked through a pair of quarterback injuries to claim the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.
Led by Tatum Bethune, the Seminoles stifled the fourteenth-ranked University of Louisville Cardinals, holding them to a mere six points. Without the leadership of their starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, and backup quarterback, Tate Rodemaker, running back Lawrance Toafili powered the Florida State offensive attack with 118 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Florida State’s victory on Saturday puts them squarely in consideration for the 2023 College Football Playoff. Heading into the 2023 ACC Championship, the Seminoles secured the fourth spot in the penultimate College Football Playoff Ranking of the 2023-2024 season. Despite their defensive performance en route to a conference championship, detractors may argue that the Seminoles are undeserving of a playoff spot without the offensive stylings of Jordan Travis. However, Florida State Seminoles Head Coach Mike Norvell is pushing back against those naysayers.
“There’s plenty of talented teams, that have ability, but they’ve shown the ability to lose the game too. This team has not,” Norvell said after capturing his first ACC Championships as a head coach.
The final College Football Playoff Rankings of the 2023-2024 season will be released on Sunday, December 3.
