The Florida State Seminoles (1-3, 1-2 ACC) squeaked out a 14-9 win over the previously 3-0 California Golden Bears, snapping a four-game long losing streak to taste victory for the first time since the 2023 ACC Championship.
The difference in this game was the disparity between 3rd down and Red Zone success rates.
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To be clear, FSU was not better at avoiding 3rd and long situations in this game than they have all season — they just happened to convert them more often, including some outrageous 3rd and 12+ situations that will be nearly impossible to replicate.