Mike Norvell after Florida State Cheez-It Bowl win: 'This is such a special group'

No. 13 Florida State (10-3) edged out Oklahoma (6-7) in the Cheez-It Bowl Thursday 35-32 to cap off a double-digit win season for the Seminoles. Head coach Mike Norvell said his team was special and they certainly played like it in the end.

It was a back and forth affair all night long, including a 17-11 lead for Oklahoma at halftime. But Norvell, quarterback Jordan Travis and star defender Jared Verse did not back down.

“Just honestly God for giving me the opportunity to coach these young men,” Norvell said of what he was most proud of following the win. “This is such a special group. You know, just all the things that they’ve overcome, you know, the work that they put in the investment, the relationships, I mean, this is a special team. And even tonight when you know it didn’t start off the way we wanted, but their heart, their determination, just their belief. 

“That’s what showed up and we did everything that we needed to do to come out and to get this victory and to be able to finish this season with 10 wins. And to be called bowl champions, just so proud of this football team.”

The win capped off the best season under Norvell through his first three years. Travis threw for 418 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the win while Verse had the game sealing sack on Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

“They love each other,” Norvell said. “This the team that everybody talks about family. These guys, they show up and they live like a family. They believe, they invest, they sacrifice all the things for them to go out there and play this game that they love and to see them go out and compete you know, it took every one of them today. There were some guys that went down. But you know, guys had an opportunity to rise up and it’s just a special football team. 

“I want to thank the staff and all the administration, to the alignment that we have from the president, board of trustees are wonderful athletic director, (this is a) special place and we had the right people in place. We definitely have the right young men to continue to help this program get to where it deserves to be.”

Treshaun Ward helped out on the ground for the Seminoles, running for 81 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. The defense limited Gabriel to 14-of-24 passing for 243 yards and one touchdown.

Florida State outscored Oklahoma 17-15 in the final 15 minutes to seal the deal. 

Norvell is now 18-16 as a head coach with Florida State and 56-31 overall dating back to his days with Memphis.