After another slow start, Seminoles can’t catch up

Florida State found itself in an early hole to Louisville that it couldn’t overcome despite a valiant second-half comeback.

Three things learned during the Seminoles’ 31-23 loss on Saturday:

1. Bad starts equal bad results

FSU quickly fell behind the Cardinals 17-0 in the first quarter. It was the fourth time Mike Norvell’s team failed to score on the opening possession and the second time the Seminoles have been shut out through the first 15 minutes. They’ve been outscored 38-14 in first quarters.

“We did not start how you need to start football games,” Norvell said. “Once again, it’s a reflection on me and how we’ve got to get these guys prepared to come out from the beginning.

“It’s been something that throughout my coaching career we’ve started games well and that is not showing up the way we need it to.”

FSU was in a 3rd-and-long situation on its first offensive possession, which ended in a punt, and turned the ball over on downs on its second. It wasn’t until 13:32 of the second quarter that the Seminoles found the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown run by Treshaun Ward.

“We’ve got to learn to be a 60-minute team,” said edge rusher Jermaine Johnson. “If we played in the first half as we did in the second half, it’s a different ballgame.

“We need to come out with the right mindset and not have to wait for any momentum swings.”

Quarterback McKenzie Milton tried to stay optimistic.

“I don’t think we’re far-off. There are some little things here or there,” he said. “I didn’t play my best today and our team didn’t play its best today. It’s one of those things where you can’t take any play for granted.”

2. Count on Jashaun Corbin

The redshirt sophomore tailback managed eight yards through the first 30 minutes. After halftime,

Corbin collected 151 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown run to start the third quarter.

His 159 yards were a career-high and the third time in the last four games he’s rushed for 100-plus yards.

Corbin is averaging 109.8 rushing yards per game and is looking to become the first FSU player to average 100 yards per game since Cam Akers in 2019. He’s the first player since Dalvin Cook (2015) to have a pair of touchdown runs of at least 75 yards.

3. Milton gives the offense its best chance to win

With Jordan Travis sidelined by an injury, Milton took every snap against the Cardinals. It’s the first time the Seminoles haven’t played two quarterbacks.

The graduate transfer completed 24 of 39 passes, 62% for 248 yards with a touchdown and an interception. It was the most passing yards by Milton since he threw for 268 against Cincinnati on Nov. 17, 2018, and it also moved him past 9,000 for his career.

“We play to win games,” Milton said. “We don’t go through practice Sunday through Friday to come up short. We feel that pain every time. There are no moral victories here.”

Milton was sacked six times and his interception came on a deep throw to Andrew Parchment with 1:04 left.