North Alabama

 Just one of the weirdest games I have ever attended at Doak. We win by 6 touchdowns and I moped all the way to my truck. My favorite team is an undefeated 11 and oh, and I dread what is next. A glorified scrimmage on a gorgeous Saturday night in Tallahassee brought more stress than the Hurricane that blew through last week. We all know why…

There was a time and it seems so incredibly long ago, when players came to their favorite University to play sports. They came for crazy reasons like the feel of the campus, they fell in love with the city, the girls, the weather or (gasp!), their major professors were amazing there. These kids often redshirted while they grew physically and especially mentally, and prepped for their first crack at late game mopup action. After 2 or 3 seasons of development, they were now an integral part of the squad and in their senior year become indispensable and sometimes unforgettable. These are program guys, and they were always our favorites.

Jordan Travis was a Seminole from the moment he started rooting. His brother was one of the best to ever play for FSU and all he wanted was a chance to play for the garnet and gold. Jimbo offered him that chance and asked him to come to an official visit scheduled for late in the ill-fated 2017 season. By the time JT was coming to FSU, Jimbo and the entire recruiting staff had started shopping for Texas ranch accoutrements. Suddenly, a lifetime dream and certainty of his future was in tatters. He was crushed and took the best remaining offer he had in Louisville, but when a new staff settled in Tallahassee, and gave him a chance to come home, he jumped. After this long period in the waiting room, this crack group of football scholars saw nothing of value in Jordan, as he languished behind Nole legends like Blackman and Alex Hornibrook. When Willie was finally put on the shelf, it took exactly one quarter for interim Head Man Odell to get him in the game against BC. Instant magic. He saw spot duty as the year closed and then a whole new group of coaches enter the fray. COVID intervenes and Jordan is behind James and and a kid named Chubba as the season begins. He stays. That mess of a season finishes and the new staff reaches out to grab headlines snaring a UCF transfer to start at QB. Jordan sees action early against Notre Dame and when he struggles, he is benched. He stays. Finally, the team is 0-4 and with no options left, Jordan is in the spotlight again. You know the rest. There might never be more of a “program guy” than Jordan Travis. But, the on field stuff does not even begin to define the class and leadership that Jordan delivers for this team and the school. He is FSU and every single person who has ever come in contact with JT talks about leadership, humility and class. 

All of the above is why Saturday night was one of the oddest in my history at FSU. An entire stadium was sick. Yes, there was cheering later for touchdowns as the Noles rallied for 58 straight points against a glorified high school team. There was chanting as the defense tossed another second half shutout for the 6th time this season. But, there was no joy in Mudville. There was no way to not see the reactions of his teammates. Trey Benson was wailing so loud we could hear him on row 39. There was so much emotion on the defensive bench that Pat Peyton starting just swinging his arms in frustration and had two teammates restraining him. Jameis was on the sideline just minutes from having his jersey retired and just involuntarily collapsed to his knees in his JT jersey while his parents consoled him. Jordan had willed us to an 11-0 season and we are on the brink of the 4th undefeated regular season in the history of the school, and the thought of finishing this journey with another leader is inconceivable. But, as Jordan banged out congratulatory calls and texts to teammates last night from his hospital bed, all of us relegated to mere fans were reminded that the program guy was telling us that the program had to go on. So we will, but we will not forget the guy that gave up so much to get us this far.

Although it feels silly to extrapolate too much from a game like this, some items are worth noting as we head to Gainesville and Charlotte. First, the offensive line has regressed to the point where even against a poor Division II team that was playing in front of 65, 000 more fans that they ever have, we could not run at all with the first unit. When Mo Smith left with yet another injury, it only got worse. Hell, Jordan took off because nothing else was happening. With a less mobile signalcaller, this line needs to lock it up or we will have a freshman throwing balls in Hogtown. 

The next three games are officially the Tate era, and this is an audition for his future. I thought all the game reps he has received showed with some excellent footwork and no fear to stepping up in the pocket and letting it rip. He was a few TE drops from having a great statline, and his best toss was a rope to Dre Jacobs right down the seam. He has more mustard than JT and that might take a minute for some of our guys to get used to. He will not see the field like JT this year and maybe next. You may see less crossers and more digs to make it easier on him. He also has to quickly get used to Johnny and Keon. They are the reason teams are scared of FSU. That needs to continue - even if it is a one step drop and go with a challenged group up front. 

Hopeful that Renardo is ok, cuz he did not look good on the sideline. Another true program guy that has made himself a pro this season. Fortunately, AZ Thomas is playing really well, but we need all the corner help we can get. Pat Peyton leads the team in passed defensed - from his end spot. He is an off-season and 25 pounds from being a #1 pick. The defense in general has to now look to themselves to win games. We might have some Iowa scores coming up, and the pride and effort on that side of the ball is the reason we win at all.  Briggs looked like a hamster on crack all game. So, he might be a difference maker down the stretch. But, this group has to take ownership of every down, series and quarter now. If they win from the coin toss, the offense can settle in. 

It was a sad night. But as JT undoubtedly will tell his teammates next week, everything happens for a reason. The Noles charge on, and Team Sickmon will be there to root whatever that reason was…