Things were looking bad for No. 1 Florida State just before halftime of the BCS national title game.
Down 21-3 late in the second quarter and facing a fourth and four on their own 40, the Seminoles were in danger of getting blown out of the water by the upstart Auburn squad.
But Jimbo Fisher dialed up a fake punt and Karlos Williams got the first down and FSU suddenly had new life.
Seven plays later, Devonta Freeman punched it in from three yards out and the Seminoles went into the half trailing, 21-10, and with a little bit of momentum (they’ll get the ball back to start the second half).
Most importantly, for FSU, was Jameis Winston’s revival. While he finished the half 6 of 15 for 62 yards, he looked good on the last scoring drive, hitting on two passes and scrambling for a first down. He looked a little bit like the Heisman Trophy winner, in other words.
But let’s not finish this post without acknowledging the brilliance of Gus Malzahn. The Auburn coach had FSU’s nationally-ranked defense on its heels most of the first half and the Tigers put up 232 yards of offense. Meanwhile, his defense held FSU to just 156 total yards and 10 points -- well below its averages on the year.
This game is a long way from over. Do the Seminoles have what it takes to overcome adversity for the first time this year? Did Auburn use all its ammunition too early?
Stay tuned. The second half should be a doozy.