Florida State football snuck into the postseason, somewhat controversially, and will take on Southern Miss in the 2017 Independence Bowl.
How did Florida State end up here? Starting the season as a consensus top-five team, this looked to be the Seminoles’ year to win the ACC again under Jimbo Fisher and contend for a national title. However, a season-ending knee injury to star quarterback Deondre Francois foiled those plans.
On top of that, the Seminoles barely squeaked into the postseason with a 6-6 record and some believe they shouldn’t have, given an obscure rule regarding wins over FCS teams. To make matters worse, Fisher left the program to become head coach of Texas A&M.
The Seminoles have since hired Oregon coach Willie Taggart to replace him and things are looking up, but it starts with an Independence Bowl matchup on Dec. 27 against Southern Miss (8-4).
The Independence Bowl features a preseason top-five team, which makes this matchup that much more intriguing.
5. Seminoles force three Kwadra Griggs interceptions
On the season, junior quarterback Kwadra Griggs finished with just two interceptions and 15 touchdown passes. That’s the type of ratio you want to see from your starting quarterback but he has yet to play a team like Florida State yet.
Sure, the Seminoles are just 6-6 on the season and have been disappointing, to say the least, but they are fully capable of playing great defense, especially with the talent they possess on both sides of the ball. Despite Ermon Lane and Derwin James skipping the bowl, Griggs is going to have a tough time through the air, throwing his first interception since late-October.
That won’t be all, though. He will surpass his interception total from the entire season in this one, accumulating three against the Seminoles. Florida State’s defense is going to play one of its best games of the year and spoil a nearly flawless season, turnover-wise, for the junior from Southern Miss.