TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Scott Shafer only found out an hour before the game that Florida State starting quarterback Everett Golson was ruled out with lingering concussion symptoms. Syracuse didn’t prepare for backup Sean Maguire, the SU head coach said, because his garbage-time snaps didn’t show enough tendencies to fully study.

Defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough said he started watching film on Maguire on Thursday after hearing Golson was banged up. Maguire also got first-team reps during the week. But regardless of SU’s level of preparation for the Seminoles backup, the Orange defense allowed him to post 348 yards and three passing touchdowns after having only seven completions and a touchdown through seven games before Saturday.

“There’s a reason why he’s a quarterback at Florida State,” Shafer said.

FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher found out Friday evening that Maguire would get the nod. Golson, a transfer from Notre Dame, passed an impact test but still had lingering dizziness when more tests were done late Friday.

The junior found Travis Rudolph for each touchdown pass and completed 65.7 percent of his passes — including the first nine — en route to a 45-21 win for the No. 17 Seminoles (7-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) against Syracuse (3-5, 1-3) at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

“Hardest job in ball, man, backup quarterback,” Fisher said. “When his number was called, he stepped up. I couldn’t be any happier for any one guy.”

Shafer brushed aside the thought of being disadvantaged by a lack of preparation, but Bullough noted differences between Maguire and Golson. If Maguire saw the blitz coming, he’d check the protection over it. Golson never checks, Bullough said.

To counter any pre-snap change by Maguire, Syracuse changed up its blitz. The Orange had only one sack, though, which came on the first drive after Ron Thompson brought Maguire down for a loss of 9 yards.

With Florida State on Syracuse’s 7-yard line, leading by just a touchdown and 19 seconds left in the first half, Maguire handed the ball of to Jacques Patrick for a gain of 6.

It wasn’t eye-popping, but set FSU up for a touchdown that put Syracuse in the rearview mirror for good.

“The run right before half on the 7-yard line, that was a check,” Fisher said. “It was huge … The thing I was happiest about was the game management, the poise, making sure everybody was on the same page.”

Published on October 31, 2015 at 6:34 pm

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman