RALEIGH, N.C. -- After their latest palpitating game, the Florida State Seminoles spoke more in abstracts than absolutes.

It made perfect sense. There aren't many tangible goals left for this FSU team. The national title and playoff are gone. The 18th-ranked Seminoles aren't winning the ACC or even the competitive Atlantic Division. Florida State will make its 35th consecutive bowl appearance, by far the longest streak of any FBS team, but the Noles likely aren't headed to a New Year's Six-level game for the first time since the 2011 season.

Situations like Florida State's seem tailored for complacency, especially for talented teams with lofty preseason expectations. For these teams, the third loss is often the signal to shut down and, depending on the player, look ahead to the NFL draft, graduation or whatever else lies ahead.

The Seminoles might be flawed, banged-up and disappointed, but they also aren't going out like that.

"It’s funny," coach Jimbo Fisher said after last Saturday's come-from-behind win at NC State. "You see them big out there and you see the looks in their face and some of the silly things we do, but they still believe in each other, they believe in what we’re doing and they believe in this program. They want to be a part of history of what this program has meant in the past. That carries them today. There’s a lot of pride in those kids.

"I don't think there’s ever been a question that we aren't playing for anything."

The question certainly existed outside the program after Florida State's 37-34 loss to Clemson on Oct. 29. Although a win wouldn't have dramatically improved FSU's chances of reaching the ACC title game -- it entered the game with two league losses -- it would have marked a signature victory against the Seminoles' most nationally relevant rival.

Instead, the Noles were 5-3 and entering games -- NC State, Boston College, Syracuse -- that would only matter if they lost them. Injuries had hit the roster hard, especially the secondary, and the wild swings of the season -- rally to beat Ole Miss, get blown out by Louisville, lose on a 53-yard field goal to North Carolina, block an extra point to beat Miami, blow two fourth-quarter leads against Clemson -- seemed to leave Florida State at its breaking point.

When NC State built a 20-10 lead that easily could have been larger, FSU could have cratered. But then sophomore receiver Nyqwan "Noonie" Murray continued to gash NC State for big gains, opening up room for Dalvin Cook, who had been quiet to that point. Quarterback Deondre Francois led two touchdown drives, mostly featuring Murray (nine catches, 153 yards) and another sophomore, Auden Tate (three catches, 68 yards).

A defense burdened by injuries and inconsistent play all season buckled down, especially in the secondary, where the safety position had been reduced to Ermon Lane, a converted wide receiver, and unproven players like A.J. Westbrook, Calvin Brewton and freshman Kyle Meyers. FSU shut out NC State in the final 18 minutes, 5 seconds.

"This team right here, it just accepts everything that comes with it: the coaching, the film, the adversity," Cook said. "They just put their head down and let’s go to the next play, the next game, the next day. That’s just been our attitude. That’s why this team right here is going to be a group to remember."

The only way FSU fans will remember this team fondly is if it uses the stretch run to springboard toward the playoff in 2017. There's evidence such a jump can take place. Just look at all the freshmen and sophomores in major roles, from Francois on down.

Senior defensive end DeMarcus Walker, FSU's steadiest star, said he was "exhausted" after the NC State win. It has been an exhausting, stressful, grinding season in Tallahassee. FSU hasn't had one truly easy game. The Noles can swing from incredible and infuriating in a flash.

"It's amazing how a season twists and turns, Fisher said.

A sequence late in the fourth quarter encapsulated the 2016 Seminoles. Trailing 20-17, Francois threw into double coverage and NC State safety Shawn Boone dropped the ball in the end zone. On the next play, Francois, under pressure all season, backpedalled as blitzing nickel back Niles Clark closed in and launched a rainbow to Travis Rudolph, who beat Boone for the game-winning touchdown.

"He put it on the money," Walker said. "Last quarterback I’ve seen do something like that was Jameis Winston."

That's why the Seminoles don't seem overly dour about being 6-3, despite their preseason No. 4 ranking. As they look ahead, they see Francois possibly performing like Winston, the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner. They see young, talented players gaining valuable experience each week like Murray, running back Jacques Patrick (6.2 ypc) and sophomore cornerback Tarvarus McFadden, who leads the FBS with seven interceptions.

Even those who won't be back, like Walker and most likely Cook, sense what lies ahead.

"It's a standard that’s been set at Florida State, the way you play football here," Cook said. "We’re going to live up to that standard for the last couple of games."

Walker mentioned "keep chopping," a phrase relayed by Kevin Elko, a sports psychologist who has addressed Florida State and other college teams. By continuing to chop away amid adversity, the Seminoles come closer to felling their opponents and their own shortcomings.

FSU isn't a championship team. It's a team that, as Fisher notes, "makes you mad as heck" at times. But the Noles also are a team not going quietly.

"They play hard, they’re fun to coach," Fisher said. "When they don’t do what’s right, they’re frustrating to coach. My kids are frustrating. They get frustrated with me when I get mad. But at the same time, there’s never any doubt about their heart and their soul."