FSU off to 5-0 start

Seminole running back Trey Benson breaks the tackle of a Virginia Tech defender. PHOTO BY KEN FIELDS

By CURT WEILER TheOsceola

For the first time in eight years, the Florida State football team has started a season 5-0 with Saturday’s 39-17 win over Virginia Tech.
There should be rejoicing abound from the fanbase. The Seminoles have gone through the hinterlands of a national title coach leaving them, the dreadful coaching tenure that followed and an extensive rebuild under Mike Norvell and come out the other side in their long-awaited return to national relevance.
There is certainly some of that, especially considering FSU remains unbeaten with all of its goals still quite possible.
And yet, there’s an undeniable level of frustration as well. Because for as many moments of brillance as there have been from this FSU team this season, there have been just as many moments that make you want to pull your hair out.
While those moments of brilliance can’t be ignored, neither can the struggles. And while FSU fans have grown frustrated at the Seminoles have fallen marginally in the polls despite continuing to win, it’s hard to deny that FSU has not looked like the No. 5 team in the country two of the last three weeks.
FSU started fast — up 22-0 before the end of the first quarter — and finished strong, leading by multiple scores for almost the entire second half.
The defense was exceptional early and clutched up late and the offense had nearly 200 yards by the end of the first quarter.
And yet, people are still looking for that complete performance by the Seminoles. As tantalizing as FSU’s second half for the ages against LSU back in Week 1 was, we haven’t seen a half like that since.
The offense, high-powered and loaded with talent as it may be, sputters at times. The defense, clutch as it may be, has struggled in moments and certain situations.
It’s fair, even probably correct, to say that FSU hasn’t yet played up to its potential. And yet, here they sit at 5-0, nearly halfway to an undefeated regular season.
And when you look at the rest of college football in what wound up being a bloody Week 6 across the nation, that certainly couldn’t be taken for granted. Eight of the remaining 22 college football unbeatens lost this week.
Texas, widely considered the most impressive team so far this season, lost as a 5.5-point favorite over rival Oklahoma.
Miami, one of the surprises of the early season in terms of exceeding expectations, lost at home to Georgia Tech asa 19.5-point favorite.
“At the end of the day, we’re not done yet. We’re going to celebrate tonight, come back tomorrow and get ready to work,” said quarterback Jordan Travis.