Mike Norvell reacts to chaotic finish against LSU, blocked extra point to escape with victory

It seemed Florida State and LSU were headed for overtime Sunday night after the Tigers drove 99 yards to score a touchdown as time expired to make the score 24-23. However, there was still one more play.

As LSU lined up for the potential game-tying extra point, the Seminoles came crashing through to block the kick. It fell short as FSU would hang on for the victory after enduring a chaotic final two minutes.

“Just incredible,” Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said in an on-field interview postgame. “We talked about it all week that it’s gonna come down to one play. It was not the way we wanted to end the game, but at the end we still had one more play. Those guys did an unbelievable job getting pressure and blocking their second kick of the game. Just an incredible effort. So proud of our team. Our fans were incredible today. It’s a special moment for this team. We needed a win like that.”

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With 1:23 remaining, it appeared Florida State was well on its way to victory. The Seminoles had the ball on the Tigers 1-yard line after recovering a muffed punt and looked ready to punch in a touchdown to go up 31-17. However, FSU’s Treshaun Ward fumbled at the goal line to give LSU one more chance.

The Tigers recovered the ball and took over at their own 1 with a long field ahead and just over a minute to reach the end zone. But quarterback Jayden Daniels was determined as he went 6-for-6 passing on the final drive and also rushed for 34 yards. That set up the last-second touchdown pass to Jaray Jenkins.

But just when it felt like all the momentum had been taken away from Florida State, the Seminoles found a way to come up when it mattered most. For Norvell, the blocked extra point against LSU is a perfect embodiment of the message he has been preaching to his team all offseason.

“We talked about our guys and their heart,” Norvell said. “What they’ve invested and put in, it’s not always gonna be pretty. I thought defensively we did a phenomenal job through the course of the game. We’ve got to do a better job of how we finish, but ultimately it came down to one play and our guys rose up because of the heart they have and character they have.”

Not counting the final drive, Florida State held the LSU offense to just 249 yards all evening. Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis went on to finish the game 26-of-35 passing for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

Norvell is in his third season at FSU after going a combined 8-13 over the first two. But with the 2022 season still in its beginning stage, the coach is off to a 2-0 start. Now having notched arguably the biggest win since he took over, he believes this is only the beginning.

“When you work, believe and pour into each other, special things can happen,” Norvell said. “I’ve seen these guys getting better. We’re still at the beginning of our journey. This was an opportunity on a grand stage to show the heart and identity of this team. They never let up and found a way at the end to come up with one more play.”

Riding the high of Sunday’s spectacular finish, Norvell and the Seminoles will look to keep their winning streak alive when they take on Louisville at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday.