Backup QB stands in for injured Travis in blowout win
Seminoles.com
Backup quarterback quarter Tate Rodemaker might have stolen the show on a night that Florida State had a lot to celebrate.
After starter Jordan Travis went down with an injury, Rodemaker led the Seminoles on six scoring drives in just over two quarters. When his day was done, FSU completed a dominant performance with a 58-13 victory at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Rodemaker shined on a night when Florida State retired Jameis Winston’s jersey number, celebrated the reunion of the 2013 National Championship team on its 10th anniversary. The game was the last one at home for the Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium.
North Alabama raced to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter using a combination of misdirection and trick plays before Florida State scored 58 unanswered points and outgained the Lions 458-65 over the final three quarters. The win was FSU’s 11th without a loss this season, while it extended the Seminoles winning streak to 17 games.
Travis was just 2 of 4 for 21 yards through the air when he was injured at the end of a 16-yard run near midfield with just under two minutes left in the first quarter. He was carted off the field and left the stadium immediately via ambulance.
After taking over under center, Rodemaker completed 13 of 23 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns before coming out at the end of the third quarter. Freshman Brock Glenn played almost all of the fourth quarter and was 2 of 3 for 35 yards passing.
Defensive end Patrick Payton led FSU with seven solo tackles, three assists, two tackles for loss and two passes broken up.
The Lions showed early they were going to use every play in their book when they set up their first scoring drive with a fake punt that resulted in a 64-yard run. Three plays later, Noah Walter’s 13-yard scoring pass gave them a 7-0 lead with 7:15 left in the first quarter.
UNA made it 13-0 with 1:57 left in the first quarter on another Walter’s scoring pass, this from six yards out. FSU blocked the extra point attempt.
It was on FSU’s ensuing possession late in the first quarter that Travis was injured. Rodemaker came in at quarterback and engineered four scoring drives over the second quarter alone.
Ryan Fitzpatrick cut North Alabama’s lead to 13-3 with a 23-yard field goal with 12:31 left in the half that capped a 10-play, 60-yard drive.
Trey Benson powered through the UNA defensive front to score on the ground from four yards out to make it 13-10 UNCA with 8:38 left in the second quarter.
Just over three minutes later, running back Cazaiah Holmes scored from the three to give Florida State its first lead at 17-13 with 5:04 left in the half.
FSU drove 80 yards on just four plays for their final score of the half which came on a highlight-worthy 17-yard touchdown run by Lawrance Toafili with :40 left.
Despite having the football for just 12:51 compared to North Alabama’s 17:09, the Seminoles outgained the Lions 229-186 in the first half, and Rodemaker was 7 of 11 for 117 yards.
FSU’s defense recorded seven tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks and held the Lions to 8-of-17 passing for 62 yards over the first 30 minutes.
Seminole defensive back Jarrian Jones picked off a pass at UNA’s own 24 and the Noles went up 38-12 on the very next play when Rodemaker fired a 24-yard rocket to Keon Coleman in the end zone with 1:12 left in the third quarter.
Reserve running back C.J. Campbell made the most of an opportunity early in the fourth quarter taking a handoff and bolting through the Lions’ defense for a 70-yard touchdown putting FSU up 45-13 with just under 13 minutes left.
Glenn came on with 12:59 left in the game and he scored his first collegiate touchdown after leading an eight-play, 70-yard drive and running it in from 11 yards out making it 52-13 with 3:43 left.
Florida State special teams came through again for the Seminoles’ final points when they blocked a field goal on the last play of the game and Quindarrius Jones returned it 50 yards for a touchdown for the 58-13 final score.
