WATCH: Jacksonville State stuns Florida State with 59-yard TD, plants flag in midfield in epic upheaval

Jacksonville State claimed a miraculous victory over Florida State on Saturday night when quarterback Zerrick Cooper found Damond Philyaw-Jackson for a 59-yard touchdown in the final game of the game to carry the Gamecocks to a victory. from 20-17. The game marked the first time that Jacksonville State, an FCS team, has ever led against its nemesis ACC.

The FSU defeat came just five days after fighting Notre Dame to the end before losing in overtime and capping a crazy day in college football. The reception was the game’s first for Philyaw-Johnson and the longest scrimmage game for the Gamecocks, who lost their first game to UAB 31-0 on September 1.

Jacksonville State scored in its last two possessions of the game, with both drives over 80 yards, coming back from a 17-7 deficit. The Gamecocks recovered the football with 1:32 remaining and two timeouts on their own 17-yard line after Florida State opted to kick instead of going for the fourth and 2 of its own 44. The Seminoles also faced a third- and -1 on the previous game, but running back Jashaun Corbin was tackled for a loss to force FSU in the fourth game down. A first try would probably have cemented the result in favor of FSU.

Afterwards, the Jacksonville State players celebrated the stunning result by planting their flag in the Florida State midfield. “We didn’t have our team ready to play,” Seminoles coach Mike Norvell noted, by Andrea Adelson of ESPN. “I certainly haven’t played at the level we’re capable of. 100% on me. This is something that will be fixed.”

And if you’re wondering how it all sounded on the Florida state’s home radio network, well, former fullback William Floyd was so disgusted he threw his headphones away.

The loss is a devastating blow to Norvell, who is in his second year at Florida State. After a 3-6 campaign in 2020, the Seminoles are now entering the ACC game 0-2 with a game in Wake Forest next week. Norvell is now 3-8 in his second season at Florida State after taking over from Willie Taggart, who was fired midway through the 2019 season with a 9-12 record in his sophomore year.

The Seminoles started McKenzie Milton as a quarterback after he came in late in the loss to Notre Dame on Monday and found success. But even with the veteran UCF transfer to the game, FSU struggled to generate a consistent attack. With its final 59-yard game winner, Jacksonville State edged the Seminoles 350-335 for the game and notched a victory that will go down in the tradition of the program.