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Of Florida State's 54-28 win over BYU in Provo last September, a Tallahassee-based writer this week opined that the game was not as close as the final score would indicate.
You won't be surprised to learn that I disagree, so let's get right to a little revisionist history.
For a game BYU lost by almost four touchdowns, BYU was infuriatingly productive. So much so that BYU only punted once on the night and averaged a staggering 9.0 yards per play. Last week against FSU, Oklahoma averaged an almost identical 9.4 yards per play, but won 47-17.
The difference, of course, was turnovers. Last year at Edwards Stadium, BYU gave the ball away five times to FSU's zero, which led to an insurmountable time of possession disparity: 39:51-20:09 in favor the of Seminoles, who in turn converted 12 of 15 third downs to keep the chains moving. BYU, which only stopped itself all night long, faced but six third-down opportunities, half of which it converted.
The turnovers and subsequent short Seminole fields resulted in the worst field position deficit of the Bronco Mendenhall era: -23 yds, as FSU started at an average of its 42-yard line; BYU's average start was its own 19-yard line.
Timing was everything in last year's game.
Trailing 7-0, BYU drove immediately downfield and was on its way to evening the score when O'Neill Chambers fumbled at the FSU 14-yard line. A 17-play, 86 yard FSU TD drive followed the Chambers miscue; 13-0 after a missed PAT.
After BYU drew to within six at 13-7, the 'Noles busted one of many long runs as part of a drive that ended in a TD and a 20-7 lead. Again, BYU answered right back; 20-14, and it's a ballgame.
Another long FSU drive (12 plays, 82 yards) put BYU down 27-14 approaching halftime. Then came two plays that ultimately turned the game in the Seminoles' favor, neither of which should have happened. With 24 seconds to go before the break, FSU purposely squibbed a kickoff that defensive lineman Jan Jorgensen attempted to return. He fumbled, FSU recovered and a gift 33-yard field goal at triple zeroes put BYU behind 30-14 at the intermission.
BYU opened the second half moving the ball as it had all night. At the FSU 40, Max Hall threw underneath to TE Andrew George, who was literally pulled backwards by corner Greg Reid; he sling-shot himself into position for a game-changing "pick six." If there was a worse missed PI call last season, I didn't see it.
Two huge plays sandwiching halftime; and a game that should have been a one-score contest resulted turned into a 23-point BYU deficit, and ultimately, a 26-point setback.
The final score of 54-28 "is what it is," but the facts remain: while Florida State played its cleanest game of the season (+5 turnover margin) and ran the ball effectively (313 rushing yards), BYU wasn't outclassed as much as it was undone by its own miscues.
Florida State is a legendary program and one of the nation's most prodigious producers of NFL players. Doak Campbell Stadium is practically impenetrable to visitors from non-BCS leagues; the last team from a non-AQ conference to win in Tallahassee was Southern Miss in 1981. QB Christian Ponder was a preseason Heisman Trophy contender. The Seminoles top seven rushers and five of their top nine receivers are back. The 'Noles offensive line has combined for 152 career starts.
Meantime, the cast of Cougar characters has changed and some of BYU's all-time greats have been replaced by still-developing talents.
Yet, there's no reason that BYU has to give the 'Noles the kind of help the Cougars handed FSU in 2009.
As was the case last season, the 2010 Seminole defense is proving susceptible to a strong pass attack (allowing 309 yards/gm), something upon which BYU will need to capitalize on Saturday. Indications are that play calls and personnel plans have been designed to do just that.
The 'Noles are playing only their second game under a new head coach and two new coordinators; the FSU sideline machine is not yet well-oiled. The team just got blasted by 30 points. Florida State is no juggernaut; not this early in the season.
By the same token, BYU exposed practically every one of its potential weaknesses last week at Air Force. FSU almost certainly considers this a sure-fire "W." Which, is exactly what BYU thought would be the case when the Seminoles visited Provo in 2009. All it took were carelessness, a handful of defensive assignment errors and a couple of huge plays to turn the tide in the visitors' favor. It's a scenario the Cougars hope repeats itself for the travelers in Tallahassee.
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