Jameis Winston vs. NC State: Stat Line, Highlights, Twitter Reaction

Returning from his one-game suspension, Jameis Winston saved the top-ranked Florida State Seminoles from suffering a stunning upset to North Carolina State. In a close call, Winston helped Florida State overcome an early deficit to earn a 56-41 victory.

After missing last week's overtime victory over Clemson for yelling a vulgar obscenity on campus, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner had a strong yet inconsistent day for the Seminoles. He needed every yard and score from his gaudy box score to fend off the hungry Wolfpack.

CMP	ATT	PASS YDS	YDs/ATT	TDs	INTs	FUMBLE
26	38	365	9.6	4	2	1

The News & Observer's Ethan Hyman snapped a shot of Winston passionately returning to the field for Saturday's game.

The Seminoles suffered a rocky start, but Winston wasn't the prime culprit. He ended the first quarter with 111 yards and a touchdown, but the defense allowed 24 first-quarter points to NC State. Florida State surrendered 520 yards throughout the day, putting its No. 1 slot in jeopardy despite producing a victory.

Perhaps the near upset should not come as a major surprise, considering NC State's string of success in the ACC rivalry game, per College GameDay.

Early on, opposing quarterback Jacoby Brissett stole the show, matching wits with the Heisman winner with 166 passing yards and two touchdowns during the opening half. Bleacher Report's Brandon Mellor marveled at the unheralded signal-caller maximizing Saturday's spotlight.

"

Wow. Jacoby Brissett just did his best 2013 Jameis Winston impression. Can't defend Superman-type stuff. NC State 24-7.

— Brandon Mellor (@BrandonMellor) September 27, 2014"

Winston began the second half unceremoniously, throwing an interception off his back foot. The New Orleans Advocate's Nick Underhill chastised him for the poor play.

Late in the third quarter, he redeemed himself by firing two touchdowns within three minutes of each other, benefiting from a NC State turnover for a short field the second time around. Rashad Greene snatched the second score, which Winston fired into a small space.

Given the ball back again, Winston almost surrendered his third turnover of the day, throwing a deep ball into tight coverage. FSU fans exhaled, while NC State lamented that it amounted to no more than an incomplete pass.

Just when an 11-point lead looked safe after Brissett's second fumble, Winston gave the ball right back, again to Jerod Fernandez. FanSided gave us a look at this one.

"

GIF - Jameis Winston throws an INT http://t.co/b8v9N6Lejl #FSUvsNCSU

— FanSided GIF (@FanSidedGIF) September 27, 2014"

As Jimbo Fisher screamed at his quarterback on the sideline, TheBigLead.com's Jason McIntyre criticized him on Twitter. 

NC State pounced on the turnover and cut the lead to eight. A key sack put the squad in golden position to get the ball back, but Winston scrambled for a 20-yard gain on 3rd-and-long. Karlos Williams sealed the deal with a late touchdown.

The Seminoles remain undefeated, but will they remain on top of the college football mountain? While FSU trailed, ESPN's Dari Nowkhah stated that a comeback should not save its No. 1 standing.

Will he stand by that opinion after FSU escaped with a win? More importantly, how will the voters feel?

Despite all the points FSU surrendered, Winston played well on the winning end of a shootout. NFL Philosophy evaluated his strong field presence. 

That was one of few kind comments directed Winston's way on Twitter. As noted by NFL.com Chase Goodbread, Winston's actions combined with the desire to see David take down Goliath made NC State the protagonist.

Then again, nobody is questioning his on-field ability. Instead, character issues in light of everything off the field will concern NFL teams. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, former head coach Tony Dungy said he wouldn't use a high pick on Winston, via NBC on Yahoo Sports. "As of now, I wouldn't. I'd have to do a lot of research and go in and talk to him," Dungy said. "But you don't want the face of your franchise and the guy you're going to take with one of the top five picks to have all those off-the-field issues. You just don't."

During a tumultuous season, Winston has completed 69.5 percent of his passes for 991 yards, seven passing touchdowns and four interceptions. Last week's suspension derailed his chances of winning the Heisman in back-to-back years, but his strong game on Saturday keeps alive Florida State's chances of another championship run.