Florida State's offense put up some big numbers against Georgia Tech Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium.

The Seminoles recorded a season-high 642 yards in a 41-16 victory over the Yellow Jackets.

But one score in the game stood out over the others.

Walk-on running back CJ Campbell took a handoff from backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker and ran 7 yards up the middle for a fourth-quarter touchdown.

The moment was huge because Campbell suffered a broken fibula in during the Seminoles' scrimmage game Aug. 14. Two days later, coach Mike Norvell announced the redshirt freshman was out for the season.

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'It was incredible'

"To score my first touchdown, first one coming back, it was incredible," Campbell said. "There’s nothing like it, it's so surreal. I had always envisioned it, even since I’ve been hurt. I’ve been thinking about how it was going to feel so good to get that first touchdown.

"Running off the field, seeing everyone celebrating, that shows how much of a family we are here and the brotherhood we have. Because no matter who you are, walk-on, scholarship, they all root for you and they are all happy to see you succeed.

"That’s one of the biggest things that got me through that injury and made that touchdown celebration so special."

Campbell, a 5-foot-9, 198-pounder, returned to practice this week and Norvell left open the possibility he could see the field Saturday.

Campbell, a former two-way player at Panama City Bay High who redshirted last season, finished with three rushes for 23 yards. His long rush came on an 11-yard rush. After he scored his TD, his teammates mobbed him in celebration.

"It's remarkable. I'm sorry I announced him for being out for the year at the end of fall camp. That's what we thought," Norvell said.

"I don't know if I've seen a rehab and just a belief that's gone better than what his did. You saw the reaction when he scored a touchdown. This team, he is a special, special young man, and I loved every second of seeing that, the celebration, and just his joy at practice.

"You guys that are out there, you feel it, and it's contagious, and that's what I love about that running back room. That is a group that really pours into each other. They believe in each other, even through adversity. It was an emotional time when C.J. got hurt just because of what all he does."

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The injury

Campbell - named FSU’s Offense Scout Team Player of the Year in 2021 - opened up about his injury following the game.

“Whenever I was first injured, broke my fibula, we thought I had torn some ligaments," he said. "But going into surgery, they had figured out it was just my fibula that was broken that had shifted my whole ankle to the left. That’s what made them think there were some ligaments torn, but there were none torn.”

Campbell said initially the doctors told him the same thing Norvell announced, that he was out for the season.

He didn't know until post-surgery he'd even have a chance to play again this season.

“Once we got to post surgery, they told me if there’s a chance if I continue to work as I always work, then there’s a chance I could make a return to the Florida game," he said. "But in my head I thought I could come back a lot earlier than that. So, I kept working and now I am here."

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Rehab

Once Campbell knew he could return, he was set on even beating the date he was told he could play.

Defensive end Jared Verse spent some time rehabbing his own injury and saw firsthand how hard his teammate worked.

Campbell proved he could be counted on at Bay High. He accounted for 2,210 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns in only eight games as a senior. He earned the team's Defensive Player of the Year Award as a junior after starting on defense and offense.

"Me being hurt, I spent a lot more time in the training room," Verse said. "Everyday I’m there, CJ is there before me, every time I leave, he’s there after me. It was really satisfying knowing one of my brothers, one of my close family, seeing their hard work pay off. It meant so much for me to see him smiling and cheesing off the field when he’s running off."

Outside of his hard work to return, the other thing that impressed teammates was Campbell's demeanor.

“I was so happy. I’ve seen how hard that kid works," quarterback Jordan Travis said. "He’s been through a lot. You always see a smile on his face no matter what. Throughout his entire recovery process, he’s always smiling. He’s always been the same person. I am so happy for him.”

Why was he smiling when he could have grumbled about his situation?

“It’s important to keep a good state of mind whenever you’re coming back from an injury because if you continue to harp on it, that you can’t do certain things, then it will make your comeback even slower than what it was," Campbell said.

"So, I came every day with a positive mindset to get better. Then the guys around me, in the running back room, LT, Rodney, Tre Ward, Trey Benson, they all kept my head up, telling me ‘don’t worry, you’ll be back faster than what they thought. Just continue to work and be patient.'"

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The touchdown

Campbell talked with his fellow running backs about the possibility of scoring a touchdown Saturday, including with starting running back Trey Benson.

Benson expected Campbell to be more emotional coming off the field.

“I am so happy for CJ," Benson said. "He wasn’t even supposed to come back this year. He worked so hard to come back this yearWe actually talked about it the whole week. He said if he scored a touchdown, he was going to cry.

“He didn’t even cry. I was waiting for him to cry the whole time. I am so excited for CJ, what’s ahead and I’m really proud of him.”

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Seminole football: CJ Campbell makes surprise comeback, scores against Georgia Tech