Florida State was in another tight game against the Pittsburgh Panthers on Friday night. There wasn't a ton of fireworks on either side offensively, as both teams combined to only convert eight of 28 third-down attempts.
With that said, the Seminoles were able to grind out a 16-10 win over the Panthers to improve to 4-5 on the season. It was the second consecutive road victory for Florida State, which is something they hadn't done since 2023. It also put them at 2-0 under interim head coach Rick Stockstill, to the delight of their fans.
FSU will head to Tallahassee to finish out the season with two home games against the NC State Wolfpack and the Florida Gators. Now, let's take a look at five takeaways from their win over Pittsburgh.
Ernie Sims has the defense playing lights out
Under Tony
White, FSU struggled all season defensively. After giving up 17 points in the first half last Saturday against the Boston College Eagles, Florida State has only given up 17 points in the last six quarters. Sims has them playing together as a unit, and with a few adjustments, they can be even better going forward.
Jasen Lopez continues to shine
Lopez was the best wide receiver on the field for the Seminoles on Friday night. The true freshman led the team in receptions with five and yards with 72, and it could've been a lot more if an obvious pass interference call had been made late in the fourth quarter. His route-running savvy and playmaking ability have shown up for several weeks now.
Team is playing with confidence
All season long, FSU has been looking for that spark to bring out their full potential. Under Stockstill and interim defensive coordinator Ernie Sims, they're playing much better as a team. They're getting key stops defensively and doing just enough on offense to pull out wins. Those are things they can keep building on.
Played with discipline for most of the game
Florida State did one thing extremely well on Friday night. They didn't get called for a ton of flags. In fact, they only committed three penalties for 35 yards in total. When a team is looking to find their way, as the Seminoles are, being disciplined is a great way to start.
Bowl eligibility is looking great
After Mike Norvell got fired, FSU was 3-5 and needed three wins in their final four games to be bowl eligible. Now, they need just one win in the next two weeks to make that happen. A major plus for them is having their last two games at home. Look for them to be inspired over the next few weeks inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Five instant takeaways from FSU's win over Pittsburgh
