Florida State Dominates Duke in Convincing 38-20 Victory
ICARO Media Group
In an exhilarating showdown at Doak Campbell Stadium, the No. 4 ranked Florida State Seminoles emerged victorious with a resounding 38-20 win over the No. 16 ranked Duke Blue Devils. The home team put on a spectacular performance in front of a sold-out crowd, securing their third consecutive sellout.
With this win, Florida State improved their overall record to an impressive 7-0, maintaining their perfect record in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) at 5-0. This marks the best start for the Seminoles since 2014, when they achieved a remarkable 13-0 start and an 8-0 ACC record.
The victory against Duke solidified Florida State's dominance when ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press (AP) poll. The Seminoles now boast a commendable 22-6 record when holding this ranking, including an astounding 14-1 at home. Furthermore, their undefeated streak this season extends to a perfect 4-0 overall. Overall, the Noles have an impressive 151-29 record when ranked in the top 5, including a flawless 6-0 this season.
This game was another addition to Florida State's remarkable history against Duke, as they achieved their 22nd consecutive victory against the Blue Devils. The Noles now hold the record for the most wins without a loss by one Power 5 team against another in the Poll Era (since 1936). Notably, this was the third matchup between the two teams when both were ranked (1994 and 2013).
FSU's current winning streak is the longest in the ACC, reaching an impressive 13 consecutive victories. This remarkable achievement places them in esteemed company, with only Georgia and Washington boasting longer streaks nationally. The 13-game winning streak also ties for the seventh longest in Florida State's history.
Highlighting their offensive prowess, the Seminoles have scored at least 30 points in 13 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the nation. This remarkable accomplishment also stands as the second-longest streak in ACC history, only surpassed by FSU's 17-game streak from 2012 to 2014.
It was a thrilling comeback for FSU, who found themselves trailing by double-digit deficits twice in the first half. Saturday's victory showcased the resilience of head coach Mike Norvell's team, as it marked their fifth win when trailing by at least 10 points under his leadership. This victory also marked Norvell's 13th career win when overcoming such a deficit. Notably, it was FSU's first win under Norvell when trailing after the third quarter.
Quarterback Jordan Travis emerged as a key player in FSU's victory, not only leading the team to victory but also setting a new record for total offense in Florida State history. His 2-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter propelled him past 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, as Travis ended the game with an impressive 330 total yards. His career total offense now stands at a remarkable 9,548 yards.
Travis's performance was not limited to his rushing abilities, as he tied his career-high of 27 completions for 268 yards, including two touchdowns through the air. Additionally, Travis showcased his superb rushing skills, accumulating a season-high 62 yards and scoring a third touchdown on the ground.
Travis has established himself as a record-breaker at FSU, ranking fifth in the university's history with 7,638 passing yards and sixth with 568 completions. His 24 wins as a starting quarterback place him in sole possession of fifth place in school history.
One of Travis's most notable accomplishments is his streak of multiple touchdowns in 14 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the country. This achievement also ties him with 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston for the Florida State record. Travis is one of only five ACC players in the last two decades to achieve such a feat, joining the ranks of Trevor Lawrence, Kenny Pickett, Deshaun Watson, and Winston.
In addition to Travis's stellar performance, other key players contributed to the monumental victory for the Seminoles. Deuce Spann's electrifying 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter demonstrated his exceptional abilities, making it the first of his career and the second in two seasons for the team. Notably, FSU had not returned a kick for a touchdown since 2013 before Trey Benson's kickoff return against Boston College in 2022.
FSU's wide receiver Johnny Wilson led the team in receiving yards with 58 yards on five catches. With this performance, Wilson has accumulated a total of 1,555 career receiving yards and has consistently led FSU in receiving yards in the last four games he has appeared.
Running back Trey Benson achieved a significant milestone, surpassing 1,500 career rushing yards and securing a total of 1,501 yards for his career.
Caziah Holmes, another running back for FSU, contributed to the team's success by catching a 7-yard touchdown pass, marking his second touchdown as a Seminole and his first career touchdown reception.
Tight end Jaheim Bell had a standout performance, recording a career-high eight catches for 53 yards. His 9-yard catch on FSU's opening drive propelled him past 1,000 receiving yards for his career, as he now enters the Wake Forest game with an impressive 1,048-yard total.
Tight end Kyle Morlock also reached the noteworthy milestone of surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for his career with a 22-yard reception. Morlock has accumulated 1,001 receiving yards in his impressive career.
The defensive unit of the Seminoles also made its mark in the game, displaying their skill and playmaking abilities. Shyheim Brown recorded his first career interception in the second quarter, adding to FSU's streak of at least one takeaway in 12 consecutive games. This defensive accomplishment stands as FSU's longest streak since 2012-2014, when they achieved a remarkable 20-game streak. Additionally, FSU's exceptional start to the season includes recording a takeaway in each of their first seven games, matching their performance from the 2013 season.
FSU's offensive line also deserves recognition for their exceptional performance, as all of Florida State's starting offensive linemen have amassed at least 30 collegiate starts in four games this season.
Linebackers Tatum Bethune and Kalen DeLoach stood out on the defensive end, leading the Seminoles with six tackles each. Bethune's impressive performance elevated his career tackle total to 303.
Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald maintained his perfect record this season, scoring eight points in the game and moving up to 12th place in FSU history with 245 career points. Fitzgerald now surpasses kicker Dave Cappelen's record of 239 points, which was set from 1976 to 1979. Fitzgerald had entered the season ranked 20th on FSU's career scoring list.
Defensive tackle Fabien Lovett showcased his talents with an impressive performance, registering 2.0 of FSU's 4.0 tackles for loss. This game marked the first instance of Lov