Florida State vs. Louisville score: Defense leads Noles to ACC title; is College Football Playoff bid certain?

The Florida State defense stepped up in the biggest moment as the offense struggled behind its third-string QB

No. 4 Florida State finished off its case for College Football Playoff inclusion on Saturday with a suffocating 13-6 win over Louisville in the ACC Championship Game. The Seminoles did not allow a touchdown while forcing nine punts and two turnovers on downs as they improved to 13-0 on the season.

Playing with third-string quarterback Brock Glenn, the Seminoles struggled offensively. The freshman completed just 8 of 21 passes for 55 yards but got a lot of help from Lawrence Toafili. The redshirt junior running back surpassed 100 yards rushing for the third time his career and scored a go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter while operating out of the wildcat. 

Toafili set up the score with a 73-yard gain in the same formation as FSU coach Mike Norvell emptied the bag in creative pursuit of something that worked offensively. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm found no such anecdote for his ailing offense, however.

Jack Plummer completed just 14 of 36 passes with no touchdowns and a costly interception. Louisville took over at Florida State's 12-yard line with FSU leading just 10-6 early in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals struggled to move the football. When faced with a third-and-9, Plummer threw an interception in the end zone, resulting in a touchback. It was the closest the Cardinals got to leading in the second half as the Seminoles proceeded to add two late field goals.

• Florida State is victorious in its first ACC Championship Game appearance since 2014
• The Seminoles are now 5-1 all-time in the ACC title game
• FSU has now won 19 straight games
• An undefeated power conference champion has never been left out of the College Football Playoff, though the Seminoles could be on the cusp of breaking that streak

Read on below for takeaways as Florida State held on for the ACC title win over Louisville. 

[Dec 3, 2023 at 12:59 am ET · Jerry Palm]

Florida State locks up College Football Playoff berth

The Seminoles will be in the four-team field after beating Louisville to conclude an undefeated season and win the ACC Championship Game. Simply put, the CFP Selection Committee has never left out an undefeated Power Five champion.

Will questions about FSU's offense after the season-ending injury to Jordan Travis -- and two lackluster offensive performances to conclude the season -- create discussion about the Seminoles? Sure. Perhaps there is an argument for Texas to be No. 3 with FSU settling at No. 4. But I see no way in which FSU is left out.

Bowl projections: Texas gets College Football Playoff bid over Alabama with Michigan moving to No. 1

Jerry Palm

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:48 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

FSU defensive stars have defined the biggest moments

From Kalen DeLoach's sack and fumble return against Clemson in September all the way to Tatum Bethune, Braden Fiske and Jared Verse imposing their will in the ACC Championship Game, this is a Seminoles squad that has been bailed out by its defense in the biggest moments. Florida State has dynamic skill players on offense, and certainly had one of the league's best at quarterback when Jordan Travis was healthy. But the way the defense has answered the call when needed will be remembered as a key to Florida State claiming its first ACC championship since 2014. The offense was not championship-caliber on Saturday night, but the defense faced uphill battles throughout the game and still came up with the biggest plays to power the win.

[Dec 3, 2023 at 12:01 am ET · David Cobb]

Mike Norvell's Year 4 breakthrough

Florida State fired Willie Taggart before the completion of his second season before replacing him with Mike Norvell. The Seminoles are sure glad now that that they had more patience with Norvell, who was 8-13 through his first two seasons. FSU enjoyed a 10-3 breakthrough last season, and took it to a championship level this season. What stands out about the Seminoles is their balance. Though the defense carried the team tonight, FSU's offense handled its share of the weight often throughout the year. As this team heads toward a possible CFP appearance, there is little doubt its defense is among the nation's best. Whether Norvell can whip the offense into shape fast enough to make the Seminoles a threat will be the biggest test yet in a breakthrough season for the former Memphis coach.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:55 pm ET · David Cobb]

Quarterback questions

Florida State survived without injured star quarterback Jordan Travis and veteran backup Tate Rodemaker, who suffered a concussion in last week's win over Florida. But if the Seminoles are going to put up a fight in the College Football Playoff, they will need more production from the position. 

By then, it could be Rodemaker again as he works to clear concussion protocol ahead of a game that's still a month away. Even if Rodemaker can return, Saturday's offensive performance underscored the challenges the Seminoles face in replacing Travis. The redshirt senior was lost for the season after a leg injury suffered in a Week 12 win over North Alabama. Without him, the Seminoles have not proven to be the explosive team they were when he was healthy.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:24 pm ET · David Cobb]

Cardinals keep it a one-possession game

A couple of big runs from Trey Benson helped establish Florida State in the red zone. But the Seminoles stalled out from there with a couple of ineffective runs and a pass attempt to Lawrence Toafili that was blown up Quincy Riley. Ryan Fitzgerald hit from 33 yards out to make it 13-6 FSU with 3:13 remaining. The Cardinals' backs are against the wall now at the end of a frustrating night.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:16 pm ET · David Cobb]

Louisville going backward

Louisville totaled -4 yards on its last drive as Jack Plummer was called for intentional grounding, then sacked near the goal-line. The punt reached midfield, which is where Florida State takes over while enjoying a 10-6 lead. Even a field goal would be big for the Seminoles here as it would give them a 13-6 lead and force the Cardinals to do something they haven't done yet: score a touchdown.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 11:06 pm ET · David Cobb]

Trading major mistakes

Louisville's special teams unit made a huge play by taking down Louisville punter Alex Mastromanno for a loss of 11 yards before he could get a punt off. Jimmy Calloway was credited with the tackle, which set the Cardinals up at Florida State's 12-yard line, but Louisville did not capitalize as Tatum Bethune intercepted Jack Plummer in the end zone on a third-down play. Still 10-6 FSU after a crazy sequence with 10 minutes now remaining.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:57 pm ET · David Cobb]

Louisville settles for three

Florida State's defense just made another important stand, forcing Louisville to settle for a field goal on a possession that began with promise. It's now 10-6 Seminoles. Maurice Turner ripped off a 41-yard run to ignite the drive and put the Cardinals in the red zone, but the 'Noles stiffened there when Jack Plummer could find nowhere to throw on third-and-goal from the 16. Brock Travelstead hit from 33 yards out. Now it's back to the struggling FSU offense.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:48 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

End 3Q: Florida State 10, Louisville 3 

A long run from backup running back Maurice Turner on the first play of the drive set Louisville up in scoring position, and given the way Jeff Brohm has called this second half, it sure looks like he's pulling out everything from the depths of the playbook on offense. Trick plays, double passes, options and other interesting formations to create open space in the field are all on full display as the Cardinals offense has been looking for a spark. As the third quarter comes to a close, Louisville is knocking on the door of a potential game-tying score with the ball inside the 10-yard line. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 10:27 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida State goes wildcat

The Seminoles just found something with the wildcat rushing attack led by Lawrence Toafili. With struggling quarterback Brock Glenn on the sideline, Toafili took the snap as quarterback and scampered 73 yards to set himself for a 2-yard score on the following play. In a defensive slugfest like this, you've got to find an edge where you can. Mike Norvell just found it, and the Seminoles are up 10-3 as a result

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:47 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

HALFTIME: Florida State 3, Louisville 0 

A new ACC Championship Game record has been set with just three combined points in the first half, breaking the previous record of six -- which has actually happened twice, in 2005 and 2006. There have been just 10 combined first downs and 11 combined punts, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal. There's not a lot of buzz outside of a few great defensive plays from both teams, yet No. 4 Florida State does have an edge in total yards (80-69) and first downs (7-3) as it looks to defend its lead for 30 more minutes to clinch its first ACC championship since 2014. 

For a game that lacks all of the offensive fireworks that might have been expected considering this was two of the top three offenses in the ACC this season, there remain incredible stakes for both Florida State and the rest of the College Football Playoff. Fans of Texas and Alabama are certainly dialed into every swing of momentum in Charlotte, awaiting the result to see what kind of odds they have to finish in the top four spots of the College Football Playoff Rankings when they are revealed on Sunday.  

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:41 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Louisville's defense bails out the Cards in a tight spot 

A bad punt set up Florida State's offense inside the Louisville 40-yard line but the Cards defense turned up the pressure and only allowed 11 yards on the possession. That set up a 45-yard field goal attempt from Ryan Fitzgerald that went wide left, keeping Louisville within a field goal of the Seminoles as the game nears halftime. In a game that remains 3-0 with everything on the line and the potential of one play changing the fortunes of many across college football, that Louisville defensive stand could end up being extremely impactful. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:32 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Florida State's defense doing its part 

While Florida State's offense has clearly downgraded in its move from Jordan Travis to Tate Rodemaker to Brock Glenn, the Seminoles are showing their championship caliber on the defensive end here as they cling to a 3-0 lead in the ACC Championship Game. Louisville has just 56 yards of offense and when the Cardinals have gotten past the 50-yard line those two drives ended in a turnover on downs and a punt. Jared Verse has a sack and the Seminoles have four tackles for loss as a team, helping the Seminoles manage the situation as they work through a difficult set of circumstances on offense. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:10 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Florida State's best drive of the game ends in points 

Brock Glenn has settled in, and thanks to a little bit of tempo, a couple key runs and two significant Louisville penalties, the Seminoles were able to move the ball 50 yards in 11 plays and eat up 5:01 of clock while getting on the scoreboard first with a 45-yard field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald. After four straight three-and-outs to start the game, even getting a first down felt significant. But to have the longest drive of the game for either team end in points was extremely significant for Glenn and the Seminoles offense. It wasn't a perfect drive, complete with a couple miscues and definitely aided by the Louisville penalties, but there was far more success than anything Florida State had put together to this point in the night. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 9:08 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida State's only other option

For what its worth, the only other healthy quarterback listed on Florida State's roster is redshirt freshman AJ Duffy, and he was spotted taking reps with the second-team during warmups. Duffy appeared in three games last season while redshirting. He was a four-star prospect coming out of Rancho Verde High School in California in the Class of 2022. He was considered the No. 13 QB in the class by 247Sports.

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:58 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

End 1Q: Florida State 0, Louisville 0 

For a game that carries so much national significance, the ACC Championship Game is certainly lacking for excitement on offense. Through 15 minutes we have seen just one first down (by Louisville), 37 combined yards of offense (32 for Louisville, 5 for Florida State), no third-down conversions and nine (9!) punts. While both defenses are showing a strength they've had all year in applying pressure to the quarterback, the inability to generate any kind of rhythm on offense has really prevented either team from establishing an advantage in the game. 

In a sense, it feels like Florida State, the team playing with all the pressure, is falling behind and seeing its playoff hopes slip away. In reality, however, the Seminoles are tied with the opponent and just one play away from taking a lead in the ACC Championship Game for the first time since 2014. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:40 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Six punts, no points 

After more than 10 minutes of football, Florida State and Louisville are still tied 0-0 with neither team having converted a third-down opportunity (both 0-3) and the Cardinals have the only first down of the game thanks to a 22-yard Jawhar Jordan run. Florida State has netted just 1 yard across its three possessions, partly a result of two sacks allowed taking 12 yards off their total. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:23 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Rough first drive for Florida State's offense 

While Florida State's defense did a terrific job of bottling up Louisville's run game and getting a push in the trenches, Brock Glenn and the Seminoles offense was not able to do anything with its first possession. Glenn scrambled on a pass play for 1 yard, saw his first completion net just 2 yards and was then sacked for a loss of 8 yards on third down for a three-and-out drive that actually moved backwards by 5 yards. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 8:06 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Freshman QB Brock Glenn will start for Florida State 

The broadcast just confirmed that true freshman Brock Glenn will be the starter for Florida State. Glenn has appeared in three games this season and logged just four pass attempts, but he's got the full support of his coaching staff heading into what is unquestionably the biggest game of his college career so far. Considering Louisville's strength as a defense when it comes to rushing the passer, this now becomes a monumental challenge for both Florida State's offensive line to protect the rookie and Mike Norvell to put together a game plan that will allow him to be comfortable on the big stage. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 7:54 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Florida State 'likely' to start third-string QB 

According to 247Sports, Florida State is "likely" to be starting third-string quarterback Brock Glenn against Louisville on Saturday night in the ACC Championship Game. Backup Tate Rodemaker was considered a game-time decision due to lingering effects from a head injury suffered in the win against Florida last week, but Florida State indicated through the week there was a chance he would be good to go for the game. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case, and it will be Glenn going up against Louisville with the ACC title and College Football Playoff on the line. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 7:30 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

ACC Championship Game Expert Picks

Check out some of the keys to the game and picks from our CBS Sports College Football experts. 

Florida State vs. Louisville prediction, spread, ACC Championship Game odds, live stream, watch online, TV

[Dec 2, 2023 at 7:00 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Brohm looking to break more barriers for the Cardinals

Not only is this Louisville's first-ever appearance in the ACC Championship Game. It's also an opportunity for the program to notch its first win against a top-five opponent since beating No. 3 West Virginia in 2006. The Cardinals have lost six-straight games and have a 4-16 record all-time against top-five opponents, giving Brohm a chance to make even more program history for his alma mater with a win.  

[Dec 2, 2023 at 6:30 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

Two balanced teams with strength on both sides of the ball

Florida State and Louisville both rank in the top three in the ACC in scoring offense. The Seminoles lead the league at 38.8 points per game and the Cardinals rank third at 33.0 points per contest. These two teams also boast the No. 1 and No. 2 team passer ratings in the ACC and have dynamic running backs to provide balance in Florida State's Trey Benson and Louisville's Jawhar Jordan. But while each team's offense is a strength, so to are their defenses. Both rank in the top three in the ACC in total defense and Florida State has held all 12 regular season opponents under 30 points.   

[Dec 2, 2023 at 6:00 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

A familiar opponent for Tate Rodemaker

Though the Florida State quarterback made just his second career start last week against Florida, he has seen Louisville and had success against the Cardinals as recently as last season. Florida State was riding high in the early stages of the 2022 season following an upset of LSU in Week 1 when Jordan Travis was knocked out of the ACC opener at Louisville with an injury. Rodemaker came off the bench in the second quarter and led three second-half scoring drives to power a 35-31 thrilling comeback win in hostile territory. Though Louisville has a new coaching staff and several new faces on the defensive side of the ball, there is still some familiarity there for a quarterback who is carrying the playoff hopes of a proud program on his shoulders into Saturday night's game. 

[Dec 2, 2023 at 5:00 pm ET · Chip Patterson]

The College Football Playoff picture won't be finalized until the conclusion of the 2023 ACC Championship Game with No. 4 Florida State putting its playoff hopes on the line against No. 14 Louisville in one of the final games on the Championship Saturday schedule. The Seminoles have overcome the adversity of losing starting quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending injury, and arrived in Charlotte with a 12-0 regular season record. The selection committee revealed Mike Norvell's team at No. 4 earlier this week, seemingly providing a win-and-you're-in scenario for a program hungry to snap both an ACC championship and College Football Playoff drought that extends back to 2014. 

But the ACC Championship Game is not limited to a Florida State story. Jeff Brohm provides plenty of intrigue on his own leading his alma mater and hometown school to unprecedented heights in his first year as coach. This will be Louisville's first ACC Championship Game appearance in its decade of membership, and if the Cardinals can win their first ACC crown by knocking off one of the winningest programs in league history, it will be a moment of celebration and validation for Brohm and all of his supporters.