By Manny Navarro, Dane Brugler and Stewart Mandel
Florida State, ranked No. 8 entering Week 1, took down No. 5 LSU 45-24 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Sunday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Seminoles wide receiver Keon Coleman was electric all game, hauling in nine catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
- FSU quarterback Jordan Travis also put on a show, completing 23 of 31 attempts for 342 yards and four TDs against one interception. He also added a score on the ground.
- LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels finished with 347 yards, one TD and one interception while running backs Noah Cain and Tre Bradford each accounted for a rushing touchdown.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
How Coleman elevates FSU’s offense
Coleman might end up being one of the best transfers Mike Norvell’s pulled out of the portal since taking over at Florida State. Scratch that. Coleman already is. He’s taken FSU’s offense to a different level and could be the reason the Seminoles have a real shot to win a national title this season.
The Michigan State transfer put up impressive numbers, but it was his chemistry with Travis that stood out. FSU already had Johnny Wilson before Coleman decided to come to Tallahassee. But Wilson, who had seven catches for 104 yards (and two drops) Sunday night, doesn’t have the explosiveness Coleman showed. The Seminoles are now a real threat with both top-notch receivers. — Navarro
Assessing Coleman’s draft stock
The impressive flashes that Coleman put on film last season at Michigan State were enough for me to include him as a top-30 preseason prospect for the 2024 NFL Draft. And in his Florida State debut, he absolutely lived up to those high expectations.
At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Coleman has the prowess of a much smaller athlete but the power and catch radius of a tight end, making him a nightmare for cornerbacks in one-on-one situations. Although he still needs fine-tuning with the details of the position, the NFL loves explosive ball-winners and that is exactly what Coleman provides. He isn’t a secret anymore. — Brugler
What happened to LSU?
Sunday night’s blowout loss was unquestionably humbling for an LSU team with aspirations of a national championship this season. It’s by no means a back-breaker — whoever wins the SEC will be in — but it’s not going to happen if Daniels has to do it all by himself.
Daniels, who both attempted 37 passes and had a team-high 15 rushing attempts, had plenty of highlight plays, like a 33-yard completion to set up his team’s first touchdown, and a 40-yard juke and run to set up the next. But he was also sacked on two fourth-down red zone attempts in the first half and got drilled on several other occasions. His receivers dropped passes. And outside of a 35-yard Josh Williams run in the first half, LSU’s running backs gained just 14 yards on 12 attempts.
LSU was without top running back John Emery, suspended for the first two games. His return will help. But the bigger concern is that Florida State’s defensive front dominated LSU’s veteran offensive line in the second half. The Tigers will face plenty more physical defenses in SEC play. — Mandel
Highlight of the game
FSU PULLS OUT THE TRICK PLAY 🚨 pic.twitter.com/HAPGYsd8XP
— ESPN (@espn) September 4, 2023
Key stat
Travis now has 73 career touchdowns, surpassing Jameis Winston for the third most combined passing and rushing TDs in Florida State history.
Required reading
(Photo of Keon Coleman: Joe Robbin / Getty)
