Florida State is now 0-4 after losing to Louisville, 31-23. The Florida State program is heading towards the need of a culture change. Regardless, the Louisville Cardinals are a good team in the ACC, and their efforts in this game should not be taken lightly. Check out an analysis of the Seminoles’ loss to the Cardinals:
Recap
Offense
Jashaun Corbin showed up and showed out in this game. He finished with nearly 160 yards and a touchdown, rushing for almost 16.0 yards per carry. Treshaun Ward rushed for 50 yards and scored a touchdown as well. The rushing game was clearly not the issue.
McKenzie Milton had an average game, throwing for almost 250 yards and a touchdown. He threw another interception, which ended up being costly in the situation of the game. Andrew Parchment was Milton’s primary receiver with 86 yards and a touchdown.
There appeared to be a good amount of offensive balance, but playing a high-powered team like Louisville required more from the Seminoles’ offense. Florida State finished with more yards than Louisville, but the Seminoles probably needed to hold the ball longer to keep the ball away from the likes of Malik Cunningham.
Defense
The biggest issue with the Seminoles’ defense is the inability to force turnovers or keep the offense guessing through pressure. Cunningham had quite a day with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Louisville has an offensive game plan similar to that of the Baltimore Ravens, so it’s clear that they favor the run and lean on big pass plays.
Speaking of big pass plays, two receivers for the Cardinals–Tyler Harrell and Jordan Watkins–had less than five catches with more than 60 receiving yards. This stat just speaks volumes to the big play capability of Louisville and lack of discipline by the Seminoles’ defense.
The Cardinals’ offense was smart in maintaining a hold of the game by consistently going to the run; they ended the game with more than 40 carries on the ground. One thing Florida State can learn from Louisville is playing to your strengths. It feels plain that Louisville has a less talented team on both sides of the ball, yet the Cardinals are 3-1.
Concluding Thoughts
Change is definitely coming soon for Florida State. Whether it be at the top level or recruiting, the Seminoles now see their program in jeopardy seven years removed from a national championship. They still have Travis Hunter secured as a commit, but that may change soon depending on this season’s performance. Mike Norvell has a long way to go this year.