Florida State rallies, holds on for 14-9 win over Cal and first victory of season
It took nearly a month, but the Florida State football team finally won a game in the 2024 season.
After dropping three straight contests to start the year, the Seminoles knocked off visiting Cal on Saturday night, 14-9, in the Golden Bears’ first game as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
And the ‘Noles did it despite trailing once again in the fourth quarter.
After coming up empty on six consecutive drives, Florida State took a 14-9 lead with 11:08 remaining on a 36-yard touchdown pass from DJ Uiagalelei to Ja’Khi Douglas. That capped off a 12-play, 79-yard drive, and it was a perfect response to Cal taking its first lead of the game with a 51-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
Florida State sealed the win with a sack by Edwin Joseph and Darrell Jackson on a fourth-and-17 on Cal’s final drive.
FSU improves to 1-3, while Cal falls to 3-1.
Florida State’s offense looked strong early, taking a 7-0 lead on a eight-play, 60-yard drive early in the first quarter. The Seminoles capped off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Lawrance Toafili.
FSU then had several other chances to extend its lead, but the Seminoles self-destructed each time.
First, Uiagalelei threw an interception on third-and-long after the Seminoles drove inside the Cal 20-yard line. Florida State’s next drive stalled at the Golden Bears’ 42-yard line. Then their final drive of the half ended with two incomplete passes by Uiagalelei on third and fourth down at the Cal 38.
That final possession was set up by an interception from Joseph that gave the Seminoles the ball near midfield. One play later, they had first-and-10 at the Golden Bears’ 41-yard line. But instead of picking up a few yards and attempting a field goal that could have given them a seven-point lead, their next four plays went sack, incomplete, incomplete and incomplete.
Cal then marched 51 yards on five plays in just 23 seconds — thanks in part to an unsportsmanlike penalty by FSU — to kick a short field goal and cut the Seminoles’ lead to 7-6 at halftime.
Next up for Florida State is a trip to SMU next Saturday. The Mustangs defeated TCU on Saturday, 66-42.
Stay connected with Warchant.com for complete postgame coverage.
Talk about this story with other die-hard Florida State football fans on the Tribal Council.
