On College Football Live this week, ESPN college football analysts Greg McElroy and Joey Galloway discussed whether they still believe in the Florida State Seminoles following their gut-wrenching loss to FCS team Jacksonville State last Saturday in Tallahassee.
Former Clemson quarterback Zerrick Cooper threw a 59-yard touchdown pass as time expired to give the Jacksonville State Gamecocks a 20-17 victory over the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Despite the agonizing defeat, McElroy still believes FSU can make some noise in the ACC moving forward.
Up next for the Noles is a trip to Wake Forest for a 3:30 p.m. game against the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem on Saturday.
“We’re going to learn a lot this week. But yes, I think there’s things to look at this team and feel somewhat positive about,” McElroy said. “Now, last week was an embarrassingly bad performance. They have to respect the opposition regardless of what level the opposition plays at. And granted, yes, FBS should never lose to an FCS team. You’re Florida State.
“However, in Week 1, I thought they did a pretty dang good job against a solid offensive and defensive line for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and I think that’s been the biggest point of concern, for me, is that line of scrimmage. So, I’m still cautiously optimistic, in a down ACC, Florida State can make a little bit of noise throughout the rest of the season.”
Galloway didn’t necessarily agree with McElroy.
“Very kind of you, Greg. I don’t know that I’m with you there,” Galloway said. “I don’t think they’re as bad as they played on Saturday to lose to Jacksonville State. I think if these two teams played 10 times, Florida State probably wins nine of them — and if they figure out how to play prevent defense at the end of a football game, they might win that one.
“But I don’t know if there’s enough there that I feel good about. They have to start finishing some of these games and find ways to win games. Because then that’s when your players start to feel better about what you’re doing, and until you do that, then you just have a nasty taste in your mouth, especially when you go and lose these kind of games.”
Clemson and FSU are scheduled to play on Saturday, Oct. 30 at Death Valley after not meeting in 2020 after FSU’s administration canceled the scheduled game in November three hours before kickoff.
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