Luke Kromenhoek threw for 209 yards and three touchdown passes to lead Florida State to a 41-7 win over Charleston Southern on Saturday, ending a six-game losing streak. Kromenhoek, making his first college start, completed 13 of 20 passes, including a 71-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Khi Douglas. He also threw two more touchdown passes, one to Amaree Williams for 4 yards and another to Hykeem Williams for 10 yards.
Kromenhoek said, “It was unbelievable, it was a dream come true. The more snaps I get, the more reps that I get, it slows down little by little. I just try to take advantage of every one that I get.”
The Seminoles (2-9) had struggled with their offense this season, having started three different quarterbacks and nine offensive line combinations. Coming into Saturday, they had the lowest-scoring offense in the nation, averaging just 13.3 points per game. They hadn’t scored more than 21 points or surpassed 300 yards in any game in 2024. However, they dominated FCS Charleston Southern (1-11) and gained 415 yards of offense.
After a tough 52-3 loss to Notre Dame on Nov. 9, Florida State coach Mike Norvell made significant changes, firing offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller, and wide receivers coach Ron Dugans. Norvell took over calling the plays, as he has done throughout his tenure, while linebacker coach Randy Shannon became the interim defensive coordinator.
“It’s been a tough last couple of weeks, tough season in general,” Norvell said. “But I was really proud of them for how they approached this week and the work that they poured in. From senior to freshman, there was a lot of investment to go push to be better.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Florida State exploded in the second and third quarters, scoring on six straight drives. They scored 17 points in the second quarter and 14 in the third. This was the first time the Seminoles scored 10 or more points in a quarter this season.
Kaleb Jackson, the quarterback for Charleston Southern, completed 22 of 32 passes for 218 yards and a 7-yard touchdown pass to Landon Sauers, along with an interception.
Randy Shannon, in his role as interim defensive coordinator, guided the defense to a shutout in the second half. Florida State led 31-0 after three quarters, holding Charleston Southern to just 124 yards of total offense and only 23 rushing yards.
Shannon has experience as a defensive coordinator at several Florida schools, including Miami, Florida, and UCF. He will also be in charge of Florida State’s defense next week against Florida.
For Charleston Southern, while they found some success through the air, they struggled to maintain drives and gained just 57 rushing yards on 29 carries.
Florida State was able to move the ball effectively, rushing for a season-high 176 yards and gaining control of the game with strong performances in both the second and third quarters.
