FSU defense unable to stop Florida's one-dimensional offense in blowout loss

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The Seminoles lost their second straight game to UF and their first game in the Swamp since 2009. Curt Weiler, Tallahassee Democrat

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida State's defensive showing in the Swamp Saturday was a fitting culminationof much of what has gone wrong this season.

As the Seminoles (6-6, 4-4 in ACC) were handed a thorough 40-17 beating at the hands of the rival Florida Gators (10-2, 6-2 in SEC) at UF's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, they were loath to stop the Gators' offense.

This in spite of the fact that they knew much of what to expect coming in.

It was known coming in that the Gators struggled to run the ball and would rely heavily on their passing attack. UF didn't exactly try to disguise this fact, lining up with five receivers on the first play from scrimmage.

But the Gators' quarterback duo of Kyle Trask and Emory Jones still completed 74.5% of their passes and threw for 390 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers in the runaway win.

"We come out and work every day in practice. We've been practicing their scheme the whole two weeks," FSU cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. said.

"We just didn't execute. That's on the players."

It was known entering Saturday thatthe FSU offense was going to struggle to find consistent success against the Gators' exceptional defense.

UF entered the FSU game allowing 14.2 points per game (seventh-fewest out of 130 FBS schools)and 4.83 yards per play (20th in FBS).

It was also known that FSU's defense has struggled to find consistency this season, especially in defending the pass. FSU had allowed 116 pass plays of 10-plus yards entering Saturday, second-most in the ACC and 106th nationally.

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The Gators took advantage of this, racking up 11 pass plays of 15-plus yards as theyscoredon sevenof their first eightpossessions, a span that lasted untilthe outcome was well in hand.

Even without any semblance of a UF run game -- the Gatorsaveraged 3.1yards per carry and had 14of its 25runs stopped for two or fewer yards -- FSU looked totally overmatched defensively.

"Some things that we've got to continue to work on as a defense and keep working," FSU interim head coach Odell Haggins said.

"I have to keep putting them in great situations and making sure that they’re creating great habits at all times. The habits you create will surface when adversity hits."

FSU's pass defense was far from the only problem for the Seminoles' defense Saturday. FSU was held without a sack by a Florida offensive line that has allowed 24 sacks this season.

It's the third time this season the Seminoles have been held sackless. FSU has had more than two sacks just once in the last eight games.

"Honestly, we just have to do a better job of getting at the quarterback," FSU edge linebacker Janarius Robinson said.

"Something that we have to work on every day is pass rushing and getting pressure on the quarterback."

FSU also proved unable to get off the field when given the chance. Beginning with UF's opening drive when the Gators converted on third and 10 and fourth and one on the way to a touchdown, FSU's defense couldn't deliver the clutch moment it needed.

The Seminoles allowed UF to convert eight of its 16 third-down conversions and two of its three fourth-down conversions.

"We just have to do a better job getting off the field on third down," Robinson said.

"We hold our own and get them to third down, we have to get after the quarterback,lock down. We have to do a better job of doing that."

Haggins mentioned habits repeatedly during his postgame press conference. Nowhere has FSU struggled more in this regard than in the bad penalty habits that have been around the FSU program for years.

In the loss to the Gators, the defense committed six penalties for 44 yards. Five of those six penalties gave UF first downs. Haggins said FSU will run individual gassers in practice as punishments for these mistakes.

"That goes back to creating great habits when things get tough," Haggins said.

"Either you’re going to move forward or you’re going to move backwards with your habits. We’re going to address that."

These turnover habits seem to have been around the program longer any current member of the roster at this point, but if you ask FSU quarterback James Blackman, that doesn't mean they're unfixable.

"I was always told it is never too late for anything to be honest, so it’s not too late."

You can reach Curt Weiler at cweiler@tallahassee.com.