Livescore
In the first quarter of Florida State’s 41-3 win over Syracuse on Saturday, receiver Keon Coleman issued a loud reminder of why he was considered one of the most impactful transfers of the 2023 offseason. In single coverage over the middle, Coleman elevated above Syracuse safety Jason Simmons Jr. and snared a one-handed catch while taking a hit for a 27-yard gain that helped set up the Seminoles’ first touchdown.
“It’s kind of weird, once I leave my feet, I don’t really control what happens,” Coleman told Bryant McFadden in a Wednesday appearance on All Things Covered. “My body just reacts. I just went up, and I felt the ball hit my hand. I felt him hit me in the back … it felt like I went up for a dunk, like he threw a lob.”
The analogy is fitting for Coleman, who also played basketball for Michigan State before transferring to join the Seminoles. The 6-foot-4 all-around athlete is providing a major boost to the receiving corps of a team ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 entering Saturday night’s ACC showdown with No. 16 Duke.
Coleman has emerged as Florida State’s leading receiver with 29 receptions for 418 yards and seven touchdowns after ranking as the No. 16 transfer of the offseason, according to 247Sports. His highlight-reel catch against the Orange was just the beginning of another big game for the talented junior as he finished with a season-high 140 yards while the Seminoles improved to 6-0.
The Seminoles face a stingy Duke defense this week but don’t face another opponent currently ranked during the regular season, which creates a viable path for FSU to make a long-awaited breakthrough in coach Mike Norvell’s fourth season.
“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing,” Coleman said. “As long as we just focus on us and be sound in our game plan, our technique and our fundamentals, I pretty much think we’re unstoppable.”
Given his rapid integration with a new team, it’s no surprise that Coleman is also willing to make a case for quarterback Jordan Travis as a Heisman Trophy contender.
“It goes beyond just the stats,” Coleman told McFadden. “The stats will tell you one thing. All our (opponents) try to keep the ball away from us. So he doesn’t get 60 pass attempts a game or 50 pass attempts a game. He gets about 20, maybe 27….He puts the ball where it needs to be. He has great touch … he can keep a play alive … he can also stand in the pocket, take a hit and deliver a great ball.”
While Travis doesn’t have the prolific yardage numbers of Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or LSU’s Jayden Daniels, he has thrown 13 touchdowns and just one interception for a team with legitimate national title aspirations.
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