Week One Player Spotlight – FSU QB McKenzie Milton

Liam Blutman

College football is amazing. It’s simply amazing. And when moments like this happen, you can’t do anything but sit and stare at the field in awe. What McKenzie Milton did on Sunday night was a moment so great and pure. It’s one that should forever be remembered as one of the top feel-good moments in CFB history.

It’s been a very long and treacherous road for McKenzie Milton. The former UCF QB that held the entire college football world in his palms was always a fan favorite that demanded your attention. It didn’t matter if they were playing East Carolina or Memphis, you were locked in to watch something great. On Nov. 23, 2018, we witnessed a frightening sight. Milton went down and suffered a dislocation of his knee where the thigh bone and lower leg bone were completely dislocated. This caused significant disruption to the blood flow in his leg. In addition to that, he tore multiple tendons and ligaments. One of Milton’s doctors said he had little to no nerve function. This frightening injury was so bad that there was a need for emergency surgery to save his leg. So that’s what McKenzie Milton suffered and what he’s been fighting back from. 

Milton had to persevere and overcome so much. Again, this wasn’t just a career-threatening injury. This was an injury that could have lost him his leg. But 1,017 days later, McKenzie was on the field once again, this time in full uniform and pads for Florida State. Everybody tuned into this Sunday night showdown with Notre Dame hoping to watch McKenzie play. We waited and waited and waited some more, and all of us were shocked and disappointed that Milton hadn’t seen any playing time yet. Then, with just over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, FSU starter Jordan Travis’ helmet came off during play. That meant he would be forced to exit the game for one play. McKenzie Milton jogged onto the field. His moment had arrived.

Everybody watching this game regardless of team affiliation was ecstatic to see McKenzie Milton under center. We cheered him on like we’ve never cheered before. His first snap back resulted in a 22-yard strike to Ja’Khi Douglas. After a couple of third-down pickups, his squad found the end zone. An offense that was once stagnant and lacked confidence suddenly had a swagger to them — a new identity. It was #MiltonMagic. After coming into this game down 38-28, he led them to that touchdown and then a field goal with under a minute to play to knot the score at 38-38. We were headed for OT. 

Regardless of the outcome — a 41-38 loss — McKenzie Milton was extraordinary and wowed us all. He was 5/7 for 48 yards. Milton even ran the ball a few times and had a gain of five. He was confident, he was fearless, and he was feared. He was McKenzie Milton. The entire perception of this game changed when he took the field, Notre Dame’s defense was suddenly worried, and Florida State’s offense was suddenly buzzing. This feel good moment was more than that; it could have saved FSU’s season. McKenzie Milton showed why he’s worthy of starting each and every game for the Seminoles. He is ready, and he’s back. McKenzie was mobile, he was anticipating his throws well, and he threw downfield and was super accurate. He looked like he never skipped a beat. 

McKenzie Milton is BACK. What an amazing story this is. The college football world is yours once again, McKenzie Milton. 

About the author

Liam Blutman
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I am a diehard UCLA fan that has enjoyed (?) mediocrity year after year. My favorite CFB moment was witnessing UCLA comeback from 34 down against Texas A&M. Being at the Rose Bowl for that historic moment is something I’ll never forget. I have written about CFB since I was 14 and my favorite thing to do is give under-the-radar athletes the recognition they deserve. You might know me from @NoContextCFB !

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