TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- As the season progressed, there were strong indications that Florida State's defense was faring well but needed to improve.
The real tests were really yet to come as the Seminoles still had Maryland, Clemson, N.C. State and Miami ahead. Three top-25 programs and a Wolfpack team that had stunned Florida State a year ago.
No. 2 Florida State (8-0) turned in some of its best defensive efforts as the schedule got tougher. The Seminoles shut out Maryland and the first-team defense kept N.C. State off the scoreboard in the first half (the reserves allowed 17 points after halftime).
And Florida State allowed then-No. 3 Clemson just 14 points and then-No. 7 Miami only 14 points. The Tigers like to air it out, and Tajh Boyd was held to 156 passing yards and intercepted twice. The Hurricanes like to grind it out, and Miami was held to 83 rushing yards.
Few defenses in the country can adapt, neutralizing a team's strength. Florida State has done that this season, building another top-5 defense with a new coordinator (Jeremy Pruitt) and four new starters on the defensive line.
"We haven't even touched our peak yet," said linebacker Telvin Smith, who leads the team with 53 tackles. "We haven't come anywhere close to it. We are always reaching higher and higher. That's what I like about this team."
There's a lot to like about the defense. But the one exception to FSU's defensive dominance this year, what motivates players to this day, is that Boston College scored 34 points. Even though FSU won that game, and that it happened more than a month ago, it's a fact that players won't shake.
It was also a reminder leading up to the Miami game. Boston College loves to run the ball. Miami loves to run the ball, too.
"Nobody's going to run the ball on us," linebacker Terrance Smith said. "We're not going let somebody come in here and run it down our throats. We take it as a disrespect."
Duke Johnson accumulated some yards early and finished with 97 yards on 23 carries before he left the game with a season-ending foot injury in the third quarter. The problem was that Miami fell behind and couldn't pass its way out of the deficit.
That's the other thing: Florida State likes making an offense one-dimensional. The results usually aren't good for opponents.
In the second half, Stephen Morris' two interceptions crushed the Hurricanes. He threw both into the middle of the field, and both times paid for the decisions as P.J. Williams and Nate Andrews picked him off.
The Seminoles struggled a year ago, grabbing just 11 interceptions in 14 games. It was a remarkably low number for a talented group of defensive backs. Through just eight games in 2013, Florida State has 12 interceptions by seven players.
Miami didn't score a point in the second half. And that was reason for players to celebrate.
"It felt great because you knew that was a good team," Williams said. "First half, they came out pretty good, they were fighting with us. The second half we shut them out."
Florida State has a defense that has been lights out in 2013. The Seminoles are allowing just 13.1 points, fourth-best in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
One weak link was thought to be the defensive line. The group had to learn quickly and has done just that.
"The older guys are playing more consistently," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher. "Playing better technique and they're becoming much better as a unit. And we’re getting more depth."
A lot of it still comes back to that 48-34 win over Boston College on Sept. 28. Florida State's defensive players took the loss personally and still feel hurt by the performance.
"We have been working hard to show that's not the team, that's not the defense we are," Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan said.
Contact Bob Ferrante at bobferrante17@gmail.com or on Twitter @bobferrante.
