RECAP: Florida State's Defense Shuts Down Louisville To Win 2023 ACC Championship

Your first half stats: 149 yards of offense COMBINED between the two teams, and eight total three-and-outs. Again, are we sure that THIS wasn't the Big 10 Championship?

Florida State had the ball first to start the second half, and followed the theme of the first half by punting. Sigh. 

Jeff Brohm opened up the playbook with their first series. They had a double reverse flea-flicker screen pass that would've gone for major yardage if not for a block in the back call, but they still did a good job using tempo to keep FSU's defense off balance, and it resulted in a made field goal for the Cardinals to tie it at 3.

But the Wild Toafili came back! First play from scrimmage on the ensuing series, Toafili takes it 73-yards up the right sideline to the 2-yard line. Next play, he'd punch it in the endzone, and Fitzgerald would knock through the XP to make it 10-3 in just 42 seconds. 

After a few traded punts, including a series where Brock Glenn got very lucky by not throwing interceptions, Louisville started to drive towards the end of the 3rd quarter. By the end of the quarter, they were threatening in the redzone, with 1st and Goal at the 7-yard line. 

Braden Fiske was not messing around tonight though. Louisville tried a trick play that ended in a loss of 9 because Fiske was all over it. Louisville would kick a 33-yard field goal two plays later, and FSU held on to the lead, 10-6, to start the 4th. 

After a bad offensive series, FSU would be set to punt deep in their own territory. A bad snap forces Alex Mastromanno to just fall down and avoid something worse. Louisville would be set up at the 11-yard line with all the momentum. 

Tatum Bethune almost had an interception on the first play, but landed out of bounds. 

He'd get his interception two plays later, coming across the middle of the endzone, and FSU avoids a major disaster. 

FSU would gain some yards with Lawrance Toafili before having to punt again, this time the operations going smoothly. The punt would be fair caught at the 14-yard line with 7:31 remaining. 

Once again this game, FSU would need to rely on their defense to come up with a big stop with the game on the line. A pressure by Fabien Lovett forces an intentional grounding, and Pat Payton would get home on the next play to almost get a safety. Louisville punted two plays later, and FSU would take over near midfield. 

Two big carries by Trey Benson had Florida State in striking distance, down to the 17-yard line. A few plays later, Ryan Fitzgerald would kick it through from 33 yards out, 3:11 remaining on the clock. 

It would yet again, come down to FSU's defense. They had balled out ALL night. Just 6 points, 199 yards, and just a 3/16 3rd down conversion rate at this point in the game. 

And they did. Bat downs at the line by Fabien Lovett and Pat Payton brought up 4th down, and only one person could make the play. Braden Fiske would bring down Jack Plummer for his 2nd sack of the night, and 3.5 tackles for loss. An insane performance from a great player tonight. 

The great field position allowed FSU to run it three times and use all of Louisville's timeouts, but it brought up a MASSIVE 40-yard field goal for Ryan Fitzgerald. 

He'd knock it through, and FSU would go up 16-6 with 2:19 left. 

In total, there were 18 punts this game between the two teams. Again, this was a Big 10 game. Not even in disguise; a full blown Big 10 game. 

The defense came to play. 14 tackles for loss is a season high. 188 total yards allowed is a season low. 7 sacks is a season high. 10 pass breakups is a season high. This defense balled out, and they deserve all the credit for this win. 

It was not pretty for Florida State's offense for most of the game. Just 219 yards, 3.4 yards per play, and 55 passing yards. Lawrance Toafili deserves a ton of credit as well: 10 carries for 118 yards. The wildcat formation with him was amazing. 

Florida State is your 2023 ACC Champion as an undefeated 13-0, and should be in the College Football Playoff tomorrow at noon. What a turnaround for Mike Norvell and this team.