Florida State got off to a nice start in this one, which, this season, means that the ’Noles won the toss and fair-caught the opening kickoff to begin their first possession on the 25. In 2018, that’s the Seminole equivalent of momentum. And then the game started; mercifully for FSU, the 42-13 beatdown was over quickly.
Early in the week, I wrote about the frigid temperatures that the ’Noles would face in northern Indiana, and how they could affect their ball skills. Early on, the effects were obvious— if not pleasant. On just the game’s second snap, Deondre Francois, back behind center for FSU after a week off, saw his pass bounce off the shoulder pads of Tre’ McKitty and into the waiting hands of Nick Coleman, whose interception gave ND the ball at the Florida State 3.