Tomahawk chop at FSU football game in Dublin, Ireland
Florida State Athletics took this video from the sidelines at Aviva Stadium before FSU played Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland on August 24, 2024.
Contributed video by FSU Athletics
The No. 10 Florida State football team can open the 2024 season with an emphatic statement in front an international crowd Saturday.
It didn’t happen.
The defending Atlantic Coast Conference champions fell to league rival Georgia Tech in a Week 0 game in the the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland, 24-21, on Aidan Birr’s 44-yard field goal as time expired.
FSU fans were anxious to see if their Seminoles have put last season’s College Football Playoff snub in the rearview mirror. FSU was the first undefeated team from a major Power-5 conference to be excluded from the playoffs since its inception in 2014.
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FSU is coming off a 13-1 season; Georgia Tech 7-6. FSU has won 12 consecutive conference games, the third-longest active conference win streak in the nation. The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, made impressive strides last season under first-year coach Brent Key. They won four of their last six, capping the season with their first bowl win since 2016 with a 30-17 victory over UCF.
Georgia Tech vs FSU football score updates
FSU football highlights vs Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech proved it could be physical with Florida State.
The Yellow Jackets rushed for 190 yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry, and added three short TD runs. Tech outgained the Seminoles 336-291. FSU transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 19 of 27 passes for 193 yards. FSU’s defense allowed Georgia Tech to score touchdowns on all three trips into the red zone.
Aidan Birr’s 44-yard field goal just inside the left post as time expired lifted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets over the No. 10 Florida State Seminoles, 24-21. Birr, who missed from 51 yards earlier in the game, converted 17 of 19 field goals last season as a freshman.
At the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter in Dublin, Georgia Tech is into FSU territory with a chance to take the lead. The Yellow Jackets face second-and-7 after the timeout from the Seminoles’ 39.
Florida State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed two key fourth-down passes and Roydell Williams capped a 15-play, 84-yard drive on a 1-yard run to tie the game at 21-21 with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter. Uiagalelei kept the drive alive when he completed a 20-yard pass to Ja’Khi Douglas on fourth-and-7 from the Georgia Tech 42 and a 19-yard pass to Malik Benson on fourth-and-8 from the Tech 20. FSU’s drive lasted 8:24.
Georgia Tech jumped in front of FSU to open the fourth quarter 21-14, when Jamal Haynes capped an 11-play, 89-yard drive on a 2-yard touchdown leap. The Yellow Jackets’ drive erased 6:22 off the clock. They also recovered a botched handoff and extended the drive on a long third-down completion. FSU only trailed three times in the fourth quarter last season.
No. 10 Florida State and Georgia Tech are tied entering the fourth quarter in Dublin, but the Yellow Jackets have another chance to take the lead. The Yellow Jackets have first-and-goal at the FSU 2 following quarterback Haynes King 21-yard keeper up the middle.
FSU’s offense was held in check on its first two drives of the second half, ending in punts by Alex Mastromanno. The game was tied at 14-14 late in the third quarter.
Georgia Tech’s drive to open the second half stalled, when placekicker Aiden Birr was wide right on a 51-yard attempt. Jamal Haynes ripped off a 36-yard run on the first play, but FSU’s defense held when needed. FSU’s Ryan Fitzgerald connected on 52-and 59-yard field goals in the first half. The game remains tied at 14-14.
There has been plenty of offense in the first 30 minutes of the FSU-Georgia Tech game in Dublin. The teams have combined for 22 first downs; 179 rushing yards; 149 passing yards; and 328 total yards. Georgia Tech will receive the ball to open the second half in the 14-14 game.
Florida State and Georgia Tech are tied at halftime 14-14, thanks to Seminoles placekicker Ryan Fitzgerald. Ryan Fitzgerald, who earlier in the quarter made a career-long 52-yard field goal, topped that effort with a 59-yard field goal (with room to spare) to end the second quarter.
Georgia Tech entered with the ACC best rush offense. The Yellow Jackets showed it off to take the lead over the Seminoles, 14-11, late in the second quarter. Jamal Haynes’ 1 yard run for a touchdown capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive (7:53 minutes). Tech had 64 rushing yards in the methodical march.
Ryan Fitzgerald drilled a career-long 52-yard field goal at the 11:06 mark in the second quarter to extend FSU’s advantage to 11-7 four minutes into the second quarter. Fitzgerald, a fifth-year senior, is known for his consistency. He scored a career-high 115 points last season by going 19-of-21 on field goals and 58-of-58 in PAT attempts. He led the conference in PATs, total kicks made and total points scored.
It was an exciting, up-tempo first quarter as the Seminoles led the Yellow Jackets 8-7. Florida State tallied 128 total yards; Georgia Tech 79. FSU transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 7 of 8 passes for 62 yards. Lawrance Toafili and Roydell Williams have combined for 49 rushing yards.
Georgia Tech’s defense made the game’s first big play.
Facing a fourth-and-4 at the Tech 33, FSU quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed a short pass to Lawrance Toafili. Toafili, however was tackled immediately and FSU turned the ball over on downs.
Georgia Tech didn’t waste anytime responding to Florida State’s opening score.
The Yellow Jackets marched 79 yards in six plays over 3:22, with backup quarterback Zach Pyron scoring on a 1 -yard keeper up the middle.
Aidan Birr added the point-after kick to slice FSU’s advantage to 8-7 at the 7:26 mark in the first quarter.
Florida State’s opening drive could not have started any better.
And it ended with a touch of creativity.
ACC Championship Game MVP Lawrance Toafili capped a 7-play, 75-yard drive with a 28-yard touchdown run.
The Seminoles converted their “Swinging Gate” 2-pont conversion to take an 8-0 lead.
The Yellow Jackets won the toss but opted to defer to the second half.
That provided FSU fans an immediate look at new transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
On his first play as a Seminole from their won 20, Uiagalelei connected on a 12-yard pass to Roydell Williams.
FSU has been ranked in the AP Top 10 for 17 consecutive weeks, the 4th-longest top-10 streak in the nation. The current streak of top-10 appearances is tied for the 6th longest in program history.
FSU has won 12 consecutive games vs. ACC opponents, the 3rd-longest active streak in the country, behind Michigan (25) and Washington (16).
FSU is 5th nationally with a nine-game active home win streak and 5th with a seven-game road win streak.
- Source: FSU Sports Information
Wayne Hogan has ties to both Florida State and Georgia Tech. The Tallahassee native and former FSU sports information director and interim athletic director posted a list of his favorites between the schools on social media Saturday. Here they are:
1. Best Fight Song – GT
2. Best Academics – GT
3. Most Iconic Stadium – GT
4. Deepest History – GT
5. Most Fun School – FSU
6. Best In-Game – FSU (Chop)
7. Best Pre-Game – FSU (spear), but barely over GT’s Ramblin’ Wreck
8. Most Iconic Coach – FSU (Bowden), but barely over GT’s Dodd and Heisman.
9. Most Natty’s – GT
10. Most Heisman Winners – FSU
11. School That Fired Hogan – Both
I still love them both, so who am I pulling for comes down to one factor…
$ – School that awarded this knucklehead a diploma – FSU (and there’s your answer).
FSU’s big fellas up front boast 345 collegiate games played with 210 starts. The group includes returning first-team All-ACC offensive tackle Darius Washington, all-conference center Maurice Smith and starting tackle Jeremiah Byers from last year’s group that blocked for the ACC’s highest-scoring offense for the second straight year.
Hykeem Williams is out of the Seminoles season opener against Georgia Tech, sources confirmed to the Democrat.
The sophomore was listed on the initial depth chart released by Florida State, but he will be unavailable for the season opener due to an injury. Williams was named behind starter Malik Benson and was listed as the backup with Kentron Poitier.
The forecast calls for considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers and temps in the mid-60s.
Florida State football’s new look against Georgia Tech
The Seminoles will have a new look offensively as Clemson/Oregon State transfer DJ Uiagalelei takes over at quarterback for record-setting Jordan Travis. While FSU returns an experienced offensive line and plenty of talented and deep options at running back, its receivers are largely unproven.
Defensively, the Seminoles feature depth across the defensive line and feature on the nation’s best secondary, led by All-ACC returnees Shyheim Brown and Fentrell Cypress. FSU’s special teams are also considered elite with fifth-year seniors Alex Mastromanno (punter) and Ryan Fitzgerald (placekicker).
Chris Weinke faces FSU as Georgia Tech QB coach
Former FSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke is in his third year as Georgia Tech’s quarterbacks coach, his second year as the Yellow Jackets’ co-offensive coordinator and his first year as Tech’s assistant head coach.
How to watch FSU vs Georgia Tech: Time, TV schedule, streaming
- When: Noon Saturday, August 24
- Where: Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+ ($10.99 per month), WatchESPN and the ESPN app (TV provider required), Fubo (7-day free trial), YouTube TV (2-week free trial), Hulu + Live TV (7-day free trial)
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