FSU vs. Georgia Tech: Score and Twitter Reaction from ACC Championship 2014

Florida State's fate is in the selection committee's hands now.

The No. 4 Seminoles outlasted the No. 11 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, winning the ACC Championship Game 37-35 and finishing the regular season unbeaten (13-0, 8-0 ACC).

With both TCU and Ohio State dominating in their respective final regular-season games, many fans wonder whether Florida State's penchant for close wins and lack of signature victories will result in an undefeated FBS team missing out on the playoff altogether.

Before the game, Seminoles head coach Jimbo Fisher questioned why the ACC fails to get any recognition, per Safid Deen of the Tallahassee Democrat:

"

I keep saying it: We got a great conference. (The) perception that is driven home out there, it's amazing how you can brainwash somebody.

I think the SEC is wonderful football. But you look at the records of certain divisions, I think there's a lot of parity throughout if you're going to tell the truth about it.

"

Fisher doubled down on his team's playoff credentials after the final whistle, per Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated:

Florida State nearly threw away the win late and didn't have its strongest performance of the season, but nobody can argue with the result. Being the only unbeaten FBS team speaks volumes about the Seminoles.

Jameis Winston was extremely efficient on Saturday night, going 21-of-30 for 309 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite target was Rashad Greene, who finished with seven catches for 123 yards and two TDs. Greene also set a conference record for most career receiving yards, per the Tallahassee Democrat's Corey Clark:

Dalvin Cook was perhaps FSU's best offensive player, rushing for 177 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. His ability to continue gaining positive yards and eat time off the clock helped counter Georgia Tech's vaunted triple-option attack.

The Yellow Jackets ran the ball 59 times, gaining 331 yards in the process. Justin Thomas and Synjyn Days combined to go for 171 yards on the ground. Thomas also went 8-of-14 for 134 yards through the air with a touchdown and an interception.

Thomas and Days looked great to start the game, but Georgia Tech's one-dimensional offense was its ultimate undoing. After Florida State figured out the Yellow Jackets, they couldn't make the necessary adjustments.

Florida State has built a reputation for being a slow starter this year, and that trend continued into the ACC title game. The first quarter couldn't have gone much worse for FSU.

Days gave Georgia Tech a 7-0 lead on a one-yard touchdown run just over five minutes into the first quarter. The biggest development on the drive was an injury to FSU defensive tackle Eddie Goldman, per Ken Sugiura of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Clark felt that Goldman's injury was a far more damaging development for the Seminoles than actually giving up the touchdown:

Dustin McComas of OrangeBloods.com wasn't optimistic about how the Florida State defense would handle Georgia Tech's option offense without the junior defensive star:

The early returns weren't promising, but the Seminoles eventually learned to cope without Goldman.

Nick O'Leary hauled in a 46-yard touchdown pass a little over two minutes after Days' TD to tie the game at 7-7. However, Days negated the score on Georgia Tech's next drive by once again running it in from a yard out.

The Seminoles certainly had no answer for the Yellow Jackets' ground game in the first quarter, as they surrendered 141 yards.

However, once the second quarter began, Florida State was a much better team.

Cook tied the game at 14-14 with a one-yard touchdown run, but Florida State's respite was only momentary.

Zach Laskey put the Yellow Jackets on top once again with a four-yard TD run to make it a 21-14 game. Dave George of The Palm Beach Post wondered if the Seminoles defense was playing down a man with the way Tech continued marching down the field:

With FSU looking very shaky, Greene stepped up and delivered two touchdown receptions to give the Seminoles their first lead of the night.

Greene's first TD came with 5:40 to go until halftime. Winston and the senior wideout connected for a 44-yard pitch-and-catch.

After Florida State forced Georgia Tech into its first punt of the game on the ensuing drive, the defending national champions took 1:56 to move 75 yards, with Winston finding Greene for a nine-yard touchdown pass to give the Seminoles a 28-21 lead.

With the TD grab, Greene moved to within striking distance of Peter Warrick's school record for career touchdown receptions, per ACC Football:

CBSSports.com's Jerry Hinnen was floored with how efficient the respective offenses were. Aside from Georgia Tech's final drive, which lasted only 30 seconds and ended the half, only two of the game's first nine drives failed to end in a TD:

Winston was the biggest reason why Florida State headed into the locker room with a slim advantage despite the defense having little success. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner went 12-of-17 for 222 yards and three touchdowns.

ESPN's Bomani Jones argued it was Winston's most impressive half of football this year:

Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde thought the star quarterback benefited from a less-than-spectacular Georgia Tech front seven:

The Yellow Jackets received the ball to start the second half, and they began the third quarter with their typical ground-and-pound style. They took 14 plays and nearly seven minutes to go 77 yards. Days got his third rushing touchdown of the game to tie it at 28-28, setting a career high for TDs in the process:

Roberto Aguayo banged home a 33-yard field goal with 3:13 left in the third quarter to give FSU a slim three-point lead at 31-28 heading in to the fourth quarter.

Fisher is renowned for making second-half adjustments, and it was clear that he figured out the Georgia Tech offense as the game dragged on. After the field goal, the Seminoles forced the Yellow Jackets to punt, allowing only 31 yards on six plays.

The 'Noles added to their lead on the next drive, as Aguayo split the uprights from 32 yards out with 10:25 left in the game.

The Seminoles defense was again stout on Tech's next possession. With a 4th-and-5 on the Yellow Jackets' own 47-yard line, head coach Paul Johnson opted to go for it. Thomas' pass to Darren Waller was incomplete, and Tech turned the ball over on downs.

Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press questioned the play call since Tech had little success through the air to that point:

Florida State made the most of the short field, with Aguayo hitting his third field goal of the night to make it a two-score game, 37-28.

Georgia Tech had 4:28 to make up the nine-point gap. The Yellow Jackets' style is perfect for protecting a lead or grinding out a close win, but they run into trouble when they have to score a lot of points in a short amount of time.

With Tech out of its comfort zone and in a hurry, Florida State pounced. FSU defensive back Lamarcus Brutus intercepted Thomas and returned the ball to the Tech 43-yard line. That turnover arguably should've sealed the deal.

But nothing has come easy for Florida State this year. The Seminoles allowed Georgia Tech to move 97 yards in a little over a minute to get within two points, 37-35. Waller was on the receiving end of a 25-yard touchdown pass from Thomas on the score.

Forde felt the defensive breakdown was in keeping with FSU's general inability to make things easy:

Florida State recovered the onside kick to wipe out the comeback opportunity. The Seminoles wound the clock down at that point to secure the win.

The victory wasn't exactly definitive, but the Seminoles won, just like they have all season. There are certainly valid arguments for why FSU shouldn't be the top seed in the playoff, but it would be shocking to see the 'Noles miss out altogether.

It's hard to tell when Georgia Tech will be in this position again. After making the 2010 Orange Bowl, the Yellow Jackets failed to win more than eight games until this year's 10-win season. The school announced a contract extension for Johnson on Saturday, per ESPN.com's Brett McMurphy, so it's clear everyone is happy with where he's taking the program.

Tech will be headed to a bowl game this year, which will offer a chance to end an otherwise good season on a high note.