Saturday, 1 a.m.
Once again, they tested your nerves. Once again, they checked your blood pressure. Once again, they attempted to take years off of your life.
The skin-of-their-teeth season continued for the FSU Seminoles Saturday, heart palpitations included. This time, the Seminoles barely escaped Duke, a game after they barely lost to Miami, which was a game after barely beating Wake Forest, which was a week after barely losing to N.C. State.
The result is that the Seminoles have a 2-3 record, and that coach Jimbo Fisher is looking older by the game.
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"It's so close. It's sometimes, for us right now, as players and coaches, it's not frustrating — it is right there to start playing like we're capable of playing," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "But we've got to get back to work. Finding a way to win on the road is huge."
This time, finding a way to win was as simple as looking into FSU's own backfield. Freshman Cam Akers and Jacquez Patrick combined for 213 yards rushing in the Seminoles win. Akers had 115 yards, including the tie-breaking run from 42-yards out. Patrick had 98 yards.
“I’m not going to talk about one without the other because those two feed off each other," Fisher said.
"They keep playing off each other. Cam made the big run and Cam is playing outstanding football. They both are. I’m tickled to death with those two the way they’re playing football."
The ACC, however, has come a long way since the days when FSU used to own the league.
Freshman quarterback James Blackman hit 18 of 21 passes for 197 yards.
“That's one thing I say about that kid: He is a competitor, he is a winner and when he has to make plays, no matter what he's done (he makes them)," Fisher said. "Again, that's like a third game-winning drive. ... He's got some grit to him now."
Still, it was Duke, which has never beaten the Seminoles, and FSU didn't win until knocking down a pass in the end zone on the final play.
FSU is home Saturday against Louisville.
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