Florida

Thus game matters. It always has. Florida cared so much it took damn legislative intervention to even play it in Tallahassee. It mattered when Bobby got his first win in 1977. That score is still the code to get in Debbie’s Lake City house (please don’t break in). It mattered in 1979 when an undefeated Nole squad took on a completely defeated 0-9-1 lizard bunch and escaped with an 11 point win, because two years later, a six year ugly streak was coming. It mattered in ‘93 and ‘99 when overwhelming favorites limped out of Hogtown feeling fortunate. It mattered when that soon to be incarcerated group came to the State Capitol and just obliterated us while stomping on our logo. It mattered when Jimbo finally broke that endless season ending pattern, and really mattered when we returned the favor in their house three years later. The game just f’n matters, to the fans, the coaches and especially the students and players that came into this night having never felt good while in school when the clock hit zero. So when Osceola jumped off Renegade and lifted that flaming unconquered spear over his head, if every hair on your body was not on end, stop reading now. The reason the kids rushed the field, and the reason you still feel that glow days later is because for no rationale reason, this…game…matters.

 At Florida State University, we have been lucky enough to have had three Heisman trophy winners, all the quarterback of a national championship squad. As a entirely random comparison, Texas A&M has had only two Heisman winners in their 100 plus year history and the same number of SEC wins this year.  So, I have decided that in order to take this party to the Lido deck, we need to do only one thing, change our boys name to Jordan Wavis. Then, and only then can we win another natty in 2023. Listen, we all saw the stats, and yes there were a pair of near-picks, but that was in my opinion the finest a signalcaller has ever played for the Garnet & Gold against the lizard. He was simply wearing a cape all night, and since his receivers took much of the night off, we needed every ounce of ridiculousness he provided. When he put on his Potteresque invisibility cloak in the first half to somehow sneak into the end zone, you said to yourself, that might have been the finest quarterback run you have ever seen. Until an hour later when he made half a dozen belly crawlers miss him on the way to the one yard line and an eventual score. He may have only completed 13 balls, but just those balls netted 270 yards. But folks it was more…

When the team was down, and some of the body language started to turn, it was the  - nonverbal but visible from row 40 - confidence that he exuded made this win possible. All the W’s had it, and so does Jordan. It is the skip to the huddle, the pat on the Olines helmets after a penalty, and the hug with his power forward of a wideout after he drops a sure touchdown. Every conversation with the Head Coach is acknowledged by a respectful nod and then is followed by a spirited staff meeting with the offense and they hang on every word. If there was an MVP internal vote on this team, it might be unanimous. 

Fans with any experience in this rivalry were justifiably as nervous as an ant on a sunny day at the annual magnifying glass convention. Welp, I think that the players and coaches were just the teensiest but uptight as well. For the first time since the NC State debacle, the entire receiving corps forgot how to catch. Johnny Wilson failed to grab anything thrown at his body, only contested catches over a defender on the sideline were possible. I’m not sure Cam McDonald has dropped a ball in his career, but he Roberto Duran’ed a red zone first down that led to a missed FG. Kentron who made a miraculous sideline grab against Syracuse, muffed an easy sideline conversion. The nerves were contagious. For a month, the coaches have relied on their punter to punch it inside the 10 and force the bad guys to go 90 to score. This week, we foolishly went for it on 4th and forever and for the umteenth time in this game, Florida started in great field position. Every time UF motioned on offense, our back seven decided to have a coffee klatch and while they were discussing doilies and crumpets, orange boys were blazing by them. Much of the first half, this was just a nervy bunch. They knew what was at stake, and their knees, brains and hands were shaking right along with us idiots in the Doak stands. 

Then Coach Norrell’s favorite word kicked in. The team responded. The third quarter was just a thing of beauty. The defense finally dumped their base two high safety look and forced Richardson to make plays with pressure. Shy Brown exploded all over the field with a sack and two pass breakups in three series. Jones had the game of his career at corner and when Jordan was not teflomimg lizards, he was hitting splash plays to youngsters Poitier and McLain. And oh yeah, that Benson fella…

The first touchdown drive, Trey delivered a disrespectful moment into the Seminole legend historical pantheon of Greg Jones and Nick O’Leary. The fact that he tossed a lizard made it even sweeter. And then a play later he sashayed into the beautifully painted Bobby Bowden Field end zone. He bullied his way over 100 running yards again and tacked another 60 receiving. I have no idea if that is the last we will see of Trey Benson, but holy smokes did this staff hit yet another transfer choice out of the park. Speaking of transfers, did anyone note that last year in Tempe, Arizona, LSU QB Jaiden Daniels has Johnny Wilson and lizard Pearsall to throw to, and Herm Edwards ran all of them off. Wow. I also want to point out for all the LSU game whiners that we should never pitch it on the goal line, umm, the huge tying run late in this one was a perfect call. We had run jet sweeps to Micah at least four times this year. Well, we played the long game, and faked that jet and pitched it wide to Trey. Touchdown. Sure glad Coach does not troll twitter. 

Sorry, got distracted. Back to our programming. I keep harkening back to my trip to the hopper in Louisville at halftime. Jordan had just suffered what looked like a season ending injury, and Tate had thrown another hapless attempt to the wrong team. Our Lovett-less defense was not stopping anything. 4-8 looked more likely than 6-6 and eight wins was a Bob Marley afternoon. Folks, we just won nine freaking games with this group. Lock up the Head Coach before he decides to engage Jimmy Sexton. I am not espousing a Jimbo silliness, but this guy wants to be in Tallahassee. He represents our school in the classiest manner possible. Maybe he should be paid more than the two first year guys at our rival Florida schools that we just vanquished, huh? This has been the most lovable team of Noles in a generation. It is fun to be a Nole again! As they say on a beer Wednesday in winter Wisconsin  - Let’s Go Bowling!!