5 Key Plays: Looking back at pivotal plays from FSU's 14-9 win over Cal

After three consecutive losses, the Florida State Seminoles finally recorded their first win of the 2024 football season on Saturday night against the California Golden Bears.

It was far from perfect, as the FSU offense struggled again for large portions of the game, but there were glimpses of improvement. The defense delivered its best performance of the season, and the Seminoles made enough plays to hold on for the 14-9 victory

As we do after every game, here’s a look back at five influential moments that played crucial roles in the game’s outcome.

Honorable Mention: Jordan Travis’ appearance 

Former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis stood on the sideline with the team and received one of the loudest roars in Doak so far this season when he was shown on the large video board. With FSU finally getting a win, Travis may have to convince the New York Jets, who were off this weekend, to let him attend the rest of the Seminoles’ games.

No. 5 — Florida State’s first TD drive 

DJ Uiagalelei and the Seminoles’ offense opened the game with a three-and-out, which made it feel as if it was going to be another long day on that side of the ball. However, after the defense got a stop, FSU executed one of its best drives of the season.

In an eight-play, 60-yard march, the offense looked like a well-oiled machine with explosive gains of 16, 15 and 12 yards. Running back Lawrance Toafili finished off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, which served as a pretty sight for the sore eyes of many people surrounding FSU football. It gave the ‘Noles their first lead in a game since early in the season opener.

No. 4 — DJU interception early in second quarter 

For one of the first times this season, Florida State seemed to be in control of the game for most of the first quarter. After a touchdown drive on the Seminoles’ second possession, FSU was in Cal territory again and threatening to go up two scores in the beginning of the second quarter.

Then, unfortunately for the Seminoles, Uiagalelei threw his third interception of the season on Cal’s 18-yard line. Rather than go ahead 14-0 or at least 10-0, FSU gave the Bears momentum and a chance to cut into the lead. The Bears ended up scoring on a field goal on the following possession, making it a 7-3 game. 

No. 3 — Defensive stop and blocked FG in fourth quarter

With about 11 minutes to play in Saturday’s game, Florida State held a 14-9 lead that felt tenuous at best. After Cal picked up a first down on its ensuing possession, the Bears then threw a 34-yard pass on second-and-16 to move the ball all the way down to the Seminoles’ 32. A few plays later, the Bears marched to the FSU 12 and looked primed to score. However, Doak came alive when it mattered most and spurred three pre-snap penalties by Cal in four plays.

Patrick Payton also recorded a sack, the Seminoles stuffed running back Jaydn Ott for no gain, and they stopped QB Fernando Mendoza after a two-yard scramble. Cal eventually had to settle for a 38-yard field goal attempt to try and cut the FSU lead to two points. But in one of the biggest plays of the season up until this point, defensive leader Shyheim Brown was able to break through the Cal protection, get his hand on the kick and keep the lead at 14-9. 

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No. 2 — DJU 36-yard touchdown pass to Douglas 

After FSU’s early touchdown, the offense seemed to revert back to its prior struggles as the Seminoles couldn’t put up points for the rest of the first half and a large part of the second. Then Florida State got the ball back late in the third quarter, now trailing Cal 9-7. The offense desperately needed to put together a scoring drive, and they would do just that.

After 11 plays, the ‘Noles faced a third-and-7 at the Golden Bears’ 36 yard-line, and Uiagalelei delivered one of his best throws of the season. The senior quarterback lofted a perfectly thrown ball down the left sideline, where it was hauled in by a streaking Ja’Khi Douglas for a 36-yard touchdown. That score gave the Seminoles the lead once again, and the stands were literally shaking from the crowd’s reaction.

No. 1 — The game-clinching sack 

When Cal got the ball back for its final possession, trailing by five points with less than five minutes remaining, the Seminoles’ hopes rested squarely on the shoulders of their defense. And as the drive went on, the game seemed to be slipping away from the ‘Noles as Cal converted on a third-and-14 and a fourth-and-13 on the same possession.

The Bears once again had the ball on the FSU 12-yard line with a chance to put the ball in the end zone and secure a comeback victory. However, another false start pushed the Bears back to the 17, then Florida State defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. came up with a massive sack that moved them back to the FSU 23. Following a Cal timeout and an incomplete pass from Mendoza, the Bears faced fourth-and-16 with the game on the line.

That’s when redshirt freshman defensive back Edwin Joseph blitzed around the right side of the Cal offensive line and teamed with DT Darrell Jackson to sack Mendoza for a 16-yard loss, giving FSU the ball and effectively the win.

Florida State now will play again this Saturday (8 p.m., ACC Network) at SMU in Dallas.

Sam Stevens is a Warchant intern in his second year as a student at Florida State University.

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