SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Everything seemed to be going Texas’ way.

The Southwest region champ was ahead 4-0 over Florida in the third inning Saturday in the U.S. bracket title game at the Little League World Series. Starting pitcher Julian Hurst hadn’t given up a hit, much less a run, and had beaten the team from Florida on Monday.

Then things got crazy. Three lead changes later, Florida is headed to LLWS championship on Sunday. Luis Calo hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning as Lake Mary, Florida, beat Boerne, Texas, 10-7 in a semifinal matchup.

“We’ve prepared for this, we’ve worked for this,” manager Jonathan Anderson said. “It’s been our summer.”

Florida, the Southeast region representative, will take on Taiwan, a 4-1 winner over Venezuela, on Sunday afternoon. It will be the first appearance by a Florida team in the title game since 2003, when East Boynton Beach fell 10-1 to Musashi-Fuchi of Japan.

Texas seemed in control after Doc Mogford hit a two-run double past the outstretched glove of Jacob Bibaud, which made it 4-0.

Florida’s comeback started an inning later, when James Feliciano got a popup to drop for an RBI single. An inning after that, Teraj Alexander capped a four-run rally when he stole home, giving Florida its first lead of the game at 5-4.

“I saw the catcher was looking into the hill,” Alexander said. “I just started creeping. Then once I thought I had it, like 100 percent, I just took off.”

After Texas rallied for three runs, Florida came into its final at-bat in the sixth inning down 7-5.

But Bibaud hit a ground ball that bounced through the infield, bringing in Feliciano and cutting the lead to 7-6. A sacrifice fly from Liam Morrisey brought in Garrett Rohozen to tie the score.

After Calo smacked his go-ahead hit, Morrisey — in as a courtesy runner — stole third and went to score when an error left the ball loose down the third-base line.

“I know I pushed them hard, and I know I told them that that work would get them to the promised land. And I’m sure they didn’t believe me,” Anderson said. “But here we are, boys, here we are. Job’s not done. We got one more. But boy, are we close.”

If you thought Florida State football fans’ animosity toward Kirk Herbstreit would cool off over the offseason, think again.

ESPN College GameDay was in Dublin, Ireland for the first game of the 2024 college football season between FSU and Georgia Tech. That means thousands of Seminoles fans who made the trip got their chance to speak their minds about the college football analyst and what he’s said about the program since last season.

Just about every time Herbstreit opened his mouth on the popular pregame show, he was greeted to an audible chorus of boos. Every now and then, chants of “f— Kirk Herbstreit” could be heard.

Why are Florida State fans booing Kirk Herbstreit?

Throughout the 2023 season, “Herbie” was among those who didn’t think FSU should be included in the four-team College Football Playoff. That opinion became even more pronounced after the Seminoles lost quarterback Jordan Travis to a leg injury late in the season. Even after FSU finished with a 13-0 record and an ACC championship, Herbstreit was adamant that the Seminoles didn’t belong in the CFP.

There’s another elephant in the room, too. FSU fans and others across conferences have always felt an ESPN bias towards the SEC during the season and CFP selection show. Florida State would get snubbed for one-loss SEC champion Alabama and one-loss Texas, which would join the SEC the following year.

Herbstreit continued to double-down on his opinion and openly argued with FSU fans on social media. Not even his attempt to smooth things over helped when he called on the college football world to applaud the Seminoles for what they accomplished and repeatedly said he had nothing against FSU.

Nick Saban defends Kirk Herbstreit from FSU football fans

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban is a new member of the College GameDay cast this season. He had this to say in defense of Herbstreit:

“I just want Kirk to know I got a thousand phone calls when we got in the playoffs. He didn’t have anything to do with them not getting in the playoffs, and I didn’t either.”

FSU football fans bring signs, shirts to boo Kirk Herbstreit

Here’s a look at some of the social media posts and signs that FSU fans used to show their displeasure at Herbstreit.

How to watch Florida State vs Georgia Tech: Time, TV channel, streaming

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Contributing: Tallahassee Democrat sports editor Jim Henry and Florida State reporter Peter Holland Jr.

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Another historic season could be ahead for Florida State. On Wednesday, ESPN’s Greg McElroy revealed his expectations for the Seminoles in the 2024 campaign.

“I think things get off to a very tricky start here in Week No. 0,” McElroy said. “I know it’s against Georgia Tech. I know that’s a neutral site. I think that’s a remarkably challenging game. They also have a difficult game against the G5 team in Memphis.

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“But, those are not games that are going to have a huge impact on whether or not they go to the ACC title. The games that I’m focusing on for Florida State, that could determine whether or not they repeat as conference champs — at SMU on September 28. That’s a big one. Clemson comes to them. That game might be really pivotal… And they go to Miami, where they’ll probably be a slight favorite.”

Florida State doesn’t have to be perfect to reach the College Football Playoff this season. For the first time ever, the CFP will be a 12-team format, with the Power Four conference champions earning the top four seeds in the bracket.

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The highest-ranked Group of Five team will also receive an automatic bid into the CFP. However, after those five selections, the selection committee will hand out at-large bids to the other highest-ranked teams.

With such a challenging schedule in 2024, McElroy believes Florida State will have plenty of opportunities to prove itself.

“What about the Notre Dame game?” McElroy said. “That doesn’t have to do with the ACC Championship, it has exclusively to do with where they might rank if they’re making a play as an at-large team in the College Football Playoff.

“But I look at those and I think there’s three or four games that are really challenging in the ACC. Ultimately, I think Florida State’s probably a 6-2 football team in the ACC. I think they’re 9-3 overall there about, which would have them in prime position.”

If a 9-3 regular season record is all that’s necessary to earn a shot at the ACC Championship and, in turn, a CFP berth, Florida State fans should feel excellent about the Seminoles’ chances. In the past two seasons, head coach Mike Norvell has led the program to a 22-2 regular-season record.

Now, Norvell will look to lead the Seminoles to even greater heights. On Saturday, FSU will square off against Georgia Tech at noon ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.