The Florida State Seminoles (3-3, 1-2 in the ACC) rolled into the bluegrass state to take on the Louisville Cardinals (3-3, 2-2 in the ACC) Friday night under the lights.

The Seminoles were looking for their first road win since the end of the 2023 regular season. Florida State was 0-10 in true road games coming into this game.

Florida State scored on their first two drives for the first time since that 2023 campaign, but the Louisville offense was unstoppable as the Cardinals ran away with a 44-20 victory at home.

Florida State scored on their first two drives in the first quarter for the first time since that 2023 campaign. Quarterback Ashton Daniels picked up where he left off last week with a touchdown run, and receiver Micahi Danzy dazzled the crowd with a one-handed grab for another score to take an early 14-0 lead.

But Louisville would not be denied. Backed up inside their own 5-yard line, running back Isaac Brown sprinted down the left sideline 97 yards to put the Cardinals on the scoreboard at 14-7.

After forcing a Florida State punt, Louisville drove down the field and scored again to tie the game at 14-14. That would be the score at halftime.

Daniels was 12 of 18 for 117 yards and a touchdown. He also added 32 yards rushing and a score. The Florida State defense recorded just one sack and one tackle for loss in the half.

Louisville’s Brown rushed for 108 yards and the long touchdown. Marquise Davis added 30 yards rushing and a touchdown of his own.

Florida State had first and goal at the Louisville 2-yard line, but could not punch it in the end zone on four downs. A score on that possession would have put the Seminoles up at best, 21-0.

Instead, it was a big momentum shift for Louisville that led to Brown’s explosive scoring run. Florida State should have kicked the field goal and went into the locker room with a 17-0 lead.

It was more woulda, coulda, shoulda for beleaguered FSU head coach Mike Norvell. 

It was all Louisville in the second half. Florida State had no answers on how to stop Brown. On the kickoff to start the third quarter, Brown fielded the kick and ran it back 72 yards to give the Cardinals great field position.

Later, on first and goal, Louisville quarterback Lincoln Kienholz ran it in to put the Cardinals up 21-14 early in the third quarter. At that moment, Louisville had scored 21 unanswered points.

With the momentum solidly on the Louisville sideline, Kienholz later connected with former Florida State receiver Lawayne McCoy for 35 yards to set up first down and goal.

On third down and goal, Kienholz scored on a quarterback sneak to increase Louisville’s lead to 28-14. It was the Cardinals fourth rushing touchdown of the game.

Early in the fourth quarter, Louisville running back Braxton Jennings shredded the Florida State defense for a 44-yard touchdown run to make the score 35-14.

In the final period, Florida State scored on a pass to Danzy to cut the deficit to 35-20. The two-point conversion failed.

Brown added to his rushing performance on the ensuing possession with a 68-yard TD jaunt to increase the Cardinals lead to 41-20. The extra point was blocked.

Finally, Louisville added a field goal with three minutes left in the game to extend their lead to 44-20.

The Florida State defense gave up 397 yards rushing and six rushing touchdowns to Louisville. The Cardinals offense gained 537 yards of total offense. The Louisville defense sacked Daniels four times.

Daniels threw two touchdown passes and completed 57 percent of his passes. He threw yet another interception, his seventh of the season. The Florida State defense recorded just one sack on the night.