Florida State’s disappointing 2024 season got even worse on Friday night in Durham, N.C.
The Seminoles fell to the Duke Blue Devils, 23-16, and it wasn’t pretty.
Up 3-0 in the middle of the first quarter, Florida State sent kicker Ryan Fitzgerald out for a 48-yard field goal to extend their lead.
His holder, Alex Mastromanno, misplayed the snap and couldn’t get his hands off the ball before Fitzgerald came in for the kick.
Instead of going airborne, the ball was blocked by Mastromanno’s right hand and couldn’t make it past the line of scrimmage in what has to be one of the most embarrassing field goal attempts of the season.
It all went downhill from there for the Seminoles.
On their next drive, Duke’s Chandler Rivers intercepted a pass from FSU’s Brock Glenn for a touchdown, giving the Blue Devils a lead they wouldn’t give up.
“I really feel like they expected to win the game,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said of his players.
The loss dropped the Seminoles to 1-6 on the season — just one year after going 13-1 and winning the ACC.
“It’s unfortunate that we left plays out there and some of the mistakes that were made,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “I truly believe that this team was ready to go out and play at a very high level.”
They haven’t exactly played tough competition, too.
Florida State has been upset by Georgia Tech, Boston College, Memphis and SMU.
Their only win came at home in a nailbiter over California.
They head to South Florida to take on the No. 6 ranked Miami next Saturday.
— with AP