LSU Tigers fall to Florida State in week one opener

Last year, the LSU Tigers squared off against the Florida State Seminoles in week one of the 2022 college football season and fell short, 24-23. This year, the Tigers had a chance at revenge but the Seminoles shot down their second attempt and defeated LSU, 45-24.

LSU Tigers fall to Florida State in Week 1 opener, 45-24

LSU came into the game ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, three ahead of Florida State as the Seminoles owned the No. 8 spot in the rankings.

With Tomahawk Chop’s left and right along with maroon and gold in pretty much every seat, this was basically a home game for Florida State. The game was sold out with 65,429 eager college football fans looking on at this top ten matchup.

LSU marched down the field in their opening drive led by 6-foot, 4-inch quarterback from San Bernardino, Calif., Jayden Daniels. The Bayou Bengals made it down to the Florida State goal line but were stopped by the Florida State defense, after going for it on fourth down and failing to convert, the Tigers’ excellent first drive, resulted in nothing as the Seminoles sacked Daniels, forcing him and the Tigers to lose 13 yards.

Florida State, from inside their own twenty, drove down field on their first drive. Led by sixth year senior quarterback Jordan Travis, the Seminoles got off to a hot start as Travis found receiver Keon Coleman for six points and the lead.

LSU answered back their next drive, and that would be the story for most of the first half. Both teams were throwing haymakers left and right, altering the score almost every possession.

The first half ended 17-14 in favor of LSU but that was not enough, definitely not enough.

The Florida State defense brought the boom in the second half and the offense held up their end of the bargain as well, scoring four touchdowns in the last two quarters.

Florida State’s Coleman scored two more touchdowns after his opening one, bringing his game total to three. Coleman torched the Tiger defense and also dropped 122 yards on them with 9 catches.

LSU was able to get one more touchdown in the dying minutes of the game with a 75 yard throw from Daniels to Brian Thomas Jr., LSU’s junior receiver, but that was not important as the clock was not on their side.

Daniels ended with 347 passing yards, one touchdown pass, and one interception. Travis on the other hand, ended with 342 yards, four touchdown passes, and one interception. I think it is fair to say Travis won the quarterback tilt this game.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly had a pretty interesting quote after the game stating, “we certainly are not the football team I thought we were.”

Kelly has a week to get the Tigers back on track as they seek their first win next Saturday, Sept. 9 against Grambling State in their welcome back to their very own, Tiger Stadium.