Still unbeaten, Florida State outlasts Georgia Tech to win ACC

CHARLOTTE — Breaking down No. 2 Florida State's 37-35 victory against No. 12 Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game:

THE BIG PICTURE: Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher spent the last few weeks stumping for the ACC, suggesting that going through the Seminoles' schedule and remaining unscathed was something to be proud of. The College Football Playoff selection committee hadn't agreed; Florida State dropped twice in the weekly rankings behind one-loss teams, down to No. 4 this past week, despite winning every game on its schedule (and 29 in a row overall). That some of the wins required dramatic comebacks against mediocre teams did not impress the committee.

Fisher and the Seminoles knew they had no wiggle room if they wanted a spot in the four-team playoff. On Saturday against Georgia Tech, they avoided a loss that would have knocked them out. They also picked up their best win of the season. That's about all that's known for certain.

WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT: Where the Seminoles stand now. Ohio State won the Big Ten championship convincingly, and TCU and Baylor each won, so the math doesn't add up — four teams with résumés good enough for the Playoff's two final spots (behind Alabama and Oregon). Could Florida State remain at No. 4? Seems possible. Does a win against the best team the Seminoles have faced boost the them higher? Seems likely. Would the selection committee leave an undefeated team — and the defending national champions — out of the Playoff? Seems like a stretch, but that would-be shocker is not necessarily out of the realm of possibilities. Let the debate continue.

THE TURNING POINT: Stops were hard to come by in a game that featured long, impressive scoring drives by both teams and seven touchdowns in the first half. But as it's done in so many games this year, Florida State's defense made a crucial stop in the fourth quarter to secure victory. Down by six, Georgia Tech faced a fourth-and-5 from its 47-yard line with fewer than eight minutes remaining. The Seminoles applied pressure to quarterback Justin Thomas, who was frazzled in a rare passing situation and promptly threw an incomplete pass. Florida State then marched down the field to score another field goal and stretch its lead to a two-possession advantage. Georgia Tech scored a touchdown with 1:47 to play, but Florida State recovered the onside kick to secure another close win.

STAR PLAYER(S): Jameis Winston has been remarkably inconsistent all season, a year after he won the Heisman Trophy. He's had particularly dreadful first halves, including a week ago when he threw three first-half interceptions against Florida. Not this week, however, not in the biggest game of the season. Winston turned in his best game of the season, completing 21 of 30 passes for 309 yards, three touchdowns and, most important, no turnovers.

Another performance of note: Seminoles freshman running back Dalvin Cook, who was sensational on the ground, rushing for 177 yards. Cook also set a Florida State freshman single-season rushing record.

KEY STAT: Georgia Tech's 331 rushing yards were the most allowed by a Florida State team coached by Jimbo Fisher.

GALLERY: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE ACC CHAMPIONSHIP