Bleacher Report - Articles by Chris Whitmore

Did Florida State Create a Monster in Bobby Bowden?

Chris Whitmore — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:54:03 -0500

With one comment earlier this season, Bobby Bowden made it clear.

When asked about him stepping down, he responded: "What would I have to gain by stepping down?"

Not, "What would the team have to gain by stepping down." And with that one comment, the mindset and attitude of FSU head coach Bobby Bowden became apparent. FSU created a monster.

When one goes into the Moore Athletic Center at Doak Campbell Stadium he has to pass by a looming Bobby Bowden Statue and walk under the infamous stained glass window that also features Bobby Bowden. Perhaps FSU should have waited to honor the legacy of Bowden before giving him deity status in Tallahassee.

No one is going to argue what Coach Bowden did for Florida State. What he did was unprecedented. But that "nation's elite" status ended 10 years ago when FSU won their last national championship. And it is that status that Bobby Bowden supporters are hanging on to for the defense on why he should remain as head coach.

Use this scenerio: You dated a very attractive girl. She was probably the most attractive girl you have ever dated. And for whatever reason, you two broke up. Ten years later, she comes back into your life and has gained 90lbs, has mysterious bald patches on her head, and constantly wears Crocs.

Would you date her? Most likely not. Just because someone was the best at what they did over a decade ago is not a legitimate justification to keep him or her.

This is Florida State University. Not Bobby Bowden University.

Even Bowden's wife, Ann, recently made comments in USA Today that question Bowden's mindset towards Florida State Univeristy.

"They need US more than WE need them," she exclaimed.

College football has become a business. The casual observer has seen that Florida State has not been up to par for the standards Bowden set during the dynasty run of the 1990's.

One prominent Florida State booster has said they are willing to completely fund the majority of an indoor practice facility once Bowden steps down. These comments seem to negate the claim Ann Bowden has that FSU needs the Bowdens.

News this week has leaked that the search for the new defensive coordinator has taken a new turn. Both Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Bowden are conducting their own searches, and each have completely seperate candidates in mind.

With Jimbo Fisher slated to take over as head coach in January 2011 at the latest (or FSU faces paying him $5 million), it would seem the best decision for the team that Fisher would have the majority of the input and decision on who the hire would be since this would be a long term decision.

No one can be certain on why Bowden is adamant on getting his own choice in for the new defensive coordinator spot, but many can speculate.

How involved Bowden is with the football program is really only certain for those directly involved with the program. But a fan at last week's FSU/Wake Forest game noted that Bowden seemed distant. He never stood near the players.

The 2009 season will always be a black mark on the history of Florida State football. Whether you defend Bowden or not, everyone can admit this has gotten ugly. And the more Bobby Bowden speaks to the press, the more he shows that it is past time for him to step down. The press conference following FSU's 40-24 loss at Clemson is a prime example.

The following is a word for word transcript provided by Corey Clark's blog at the Tallahassee Democrat:

Reporter: “In the second half, when it seemed like momentum started to switch, how hard was it to try to reverse that?”

Bowden: “You mean when they got it (momentum)? Well, actually … you know, they had to kick off to us. We had a what? A three-point ….? Did we have the lead at the half?”

(Reporter nods).

Bowden: “We had a three-point lead at the half, I think. Then they had to kick off to us. We needed to take it down and win the darn game right there. We didn’t do it. They stopped us. Then we kicked it to them and then they probably scored.”

Reporter: “They went ahead and then you guys came back.”

Bowden: “Huh?”

Reporter: “They went ahead and then you guys came back again.”

Bowden: “Did we get ahead of them again after that?”

Reporter: “Yeah.”

Bowden: “Then we got back ahead, huh? Umm, it was going that way, you know it? I felt very comfortable that if they could score, we could score. That’s the way I felt, you know it? We’ve done it all year. But then we started turning the ball over.”

Those comments irked a lot of Florida State fans and it makes it hard to defend continually paying someone $2.5 million a year. Especially when he could not recall if his own team was ahead at the half, a mere hour and a half or so prior to the interview.

So, to you Coach Bowden, I say, continue with your comments and questions about what YOU would have to gain by stepping down because the fans and those who invest their time and money into the Florida State football program are more interested in hearing about what the team would gain by you stepping down.

Jimbo Fisher Shows His Head Coaching Skills

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:59:23 -0500

Admit it. When the word came out that Christian Ponder was out for the season following Florida State's 40-24 loss at Clemson, the season seemed hopeless.

FSU's record was 4-5 and things looked as though they'd be gettin worse.

Backup quarterback E.J. Manual played only in mop-up duty against BYU, one option run versus USF, and the last few minutes against Clemson. Overall, he looked arguably unimpressive.

So when the news broke Manual would be starting his first game as a Seminole as a redshirt freshman against Wake Forest with the Seminole's bowl streak record on the line, many fans felt the season was lost.

But future FSU head coach and offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher had other plans.

Instead of just plugging Manual into his playbook, Fisher tailored the playbook to Manual to ensure he was comfortable with the situation.

When Florida State scored on its first four offensive possessions to take a 24-7 lead, Fisher showed he has the skills and mentality to lead the 'Noles when head coach Bobby Bowden steps down.

And E.J. Manual isn't just the 'Noles' backup quarterback. He is Fisher's first prized recruit and will be the first quarterback to go through his career under Fisher's guidance.

Manual went out in his first game and threw for 220 yards with a touchdown and interception. He also had 45 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.

The offensive line also played well, providing gaping holes for running back Jermaine Thomas to run for 149 yards and a touchdown.

That kind of play on helps to take pressure off of Manual.

Fisher showed that his schemes and mindset work. Not only did his first prized recruit from the 2008 recruiting class shine but his second prized recruit that came in the 2009 class, true freshman defensive back Greg Reid, returned a punt for a touchdown against Wake Forest to give the Seminoles a 31-7 lead.

If these types of recruits are going to be the ones that keep coming in and wanting to play for the Seminoles under Jimbo Fisher, than the future looks bright for the 'Noles.

Florida State Ponders Future of the Program After Losing Starting QB for Season

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:07:44 -0500

It seems only fitting that the decline the Florida State football team has suffered will end on the note that it did during the fourth quarter at Clemson in 2009.

Throwing his fourth interception of the game, FSU's Christian Ponder went to make the tackle on Clemson's DeAndre McDaniel.

That hit separated Ponder's shoulder, and a few days later, FSU head coach Bobby Bowden confirmed that Ponder will require season-ending surgery.

Coming into the game with bruised ribs, anyone could notice Ponder was not himself. He was wearing a mold around his ribs that he said made him feel uncomfortable, and anytime he threw a vertical pass, it was obvious he was not able to gain the velocity he normally throws with.

A decade that began with FSU playing in the BCS National Championship Game will end with the Seminoles possibly missing their first bowl game in 27 years. The Noles will need to win two of their final three games, and with Wake Forest, Maryland, and Florida left, it could seem likely they will stay home after their final game in Gainesville against Florida.

FSU has to turn to redshirt freshman E.J. Manuel, who has only taken less than a handful of snaps in his time at FSU, all in times when the game was decided.

Like the trend has been since 2006, FSU is spending November hoping to be able to have enough wins to make it to a bowl. When it comes down to it, pride is going to be the thing this team is fighting for now.

No one wants to be on the FSU football team that did not reach a bowl for the first time in over 27 years. They don't want to be the first losing Seminole team since 1976. No one certainly wants to lose to Wake Forest for a fourth straight year.

This is a decade where Seminole fans heard from the coaches every year, "this is a young team and they're a year away...." Every year, they're a year away. When one side of the ball was sound, the other side was in shambles.

Now the fans are beginning to question if the Seminole football isn't a year away from becoming a contender in the ACC, but a coaching staff away from being a contender in the ACC.

FSU Breaking Tradition?

Chris Whitmore — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:50:13 -0500

Photo Courtesy of Seminoles.com

Over the last three years, FSU fans have started to see new variations of the traditional FSU garnet and gold. It all began with the infamous blackout uniform in 2006 against Boston College for Homecoming.

In their marketing for the new black uniforms, FSU emphasized that they were to represent the "unconquered spirit" of the Seminole tribe. They even unveiled a Seminole family statue outside of Doak Campbell Stadium.

But then FSU lost 24-19 to BC and many fans wanted to erase the idea of the black uniforms.

The next season, the athletic department decided to play it safe and scheduled the blackout game against Duke. The 'Noles did get their first victory in the black uniforms, but in a lowly 25-6 win over Duke.

Like a gambler who has a hot hand, the AD tried their luck again. The 2008 blackout was once again against Boston College. And like 2006, the Eagles got the best of the 'Noles in their black uniforms, winning 27-17.

So 2009 brought a fresh idea: the whiteout. Scheduled against USF, the idea sat well with a little more fans since FSU did have an all white uniform amongst its variations, but never wore it at home. A 17-7 loss to USF drove a lot of FSU fans to the message boards pleading and begging for the FSU Athletic Department to stick to the traditional garnet and gold.

The fans didn't even get their wish in 2009. On November 5th, FSU and Nike unveiled a completely new uniform to be worn at the Nov. 21st home game against Maryland. The uniform consists of feathers down the side of the pants that correspond to the traditional uniforms of the FSU basketball teams, a new font for the numbers, and a black helmet.

Nike contends the uniforms are a breakthrough in lightweight technology. FSU fans are split on the decision. Some lament the drastic change in the traditional garnet and gold. Others claim recruits love seeing new uniforms and hope that using them for the Maryland game can boost the lull in recruiting.

In a time in FSU football when the fan base is already split on tradition versus the future in the Bobby Bowden debate, this just throws in a new wrinkle. Is it worth changing tradition to impress new recruits?

Another argument thrown in for those against the new variations is that the Maryland game will be long-time FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrew's final home game. They fear the new uniforms will be a distraction to the players on what will be his last match and since FSU is 1-3 in "gimmick" uniforms, they almost had a valid point.

When does it become an acceptable time to venture away from tradition? Yes, FSU was one of the dominant teams of the 1990s, but ever since 2001, the program has been on a steady decline. There must be a point when it becomes alright in the traditionalist's eyes to accept changes and look forward and think about what would be best for the program in the future.

If the recruits do view the new uniforms with eager eyes, is it alright to accept these since these recruits will be the future of the program?

Sorry, Tim Tebow, but Seminoles' Christian Ponder Is Best Quarterback in Florida

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:22:27 -0400

The clock was winding down on the first half in the Labor Day game pitting Florida State against Miami. Miami was up 14-10, and FSU quarterback Christian Ponder's hail mary into the end zone was intercepted. Ponder has not looked back since.

Questions surround the lack of hype for FSU's junior quarterback, Christian Ponder. His numbers are the best in the state of Florida. But with the worst defense FSU has fielded in years, he is not getting the recognition that Tim Tebow is getting.

But the Gators are 7-0.

In reality it should be Charlie Strong's defense and the Gators. Not Tim Tebow and the Gators. Strong's defense has allowed only four touchdowns and averages 229 yards a game. Perhaps the entire defense deserves Heisman recognition over Tebow.

FSU fans are sitting in pain that finally the Seminoles have their quarterback, but yet their defense is constantly giving up big plays. Ponder has 12 touchdowns to that one interception on the year. He ranks No. 7 in the nation in passing.

Would Ponder be in a more serious Heisman contention if the FSU defense wasn't the way it is?

Ponder has passed for 2,176 yards on the year, already eclipsing his total passing yards for the entire 2008 season (2,006).

The teams that Ponder and Tebow are each going up against make a difference, too. Down 18 points to one of the nation's top defenses at UNC, Ponder showed why he is worthy of Heisman talk. His 98-yard touchdown pass to Rod Owens tied the longest pass in FSU history. FSU's opponents this season so far have a record of 36-16 while Florida has faced teams that are 26-24.

It seems the last few games are setting career highs for Ponder. He threw for a career -high five touchdowns against Georgia Tech. The next game, against one of the best passing defenses in the nation, Ponder threw for a career high 395 yards.

Winning brings recognition. The Gators are undefeated, which is why Tebow is the front runner on most Heisman lists. But are his stats really on par for a Heisman?

Tebow is averaging 165 yards passing a game with 1,159 passing yards on the year. He has eight touchdowns to four interceptions. Two of those interceptions were against Mississippi State, by the same guy, who is a true freshman...who returned both for touchdowns.

Tebow's 466 yards rushing and six touchdowns on the ground are clearly his strength this season, but for being past the mid-point of the year, even those numbers are not of quality for the Heisman.

But it is those numbers that are winning the games for Florida. His short runs are winning the games and that is what is keeping Tim Tebow in the media as the best player in the nation.

But he is not even the best quarterback in the state of Florida.

There's No "Me" in Seminole

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:04:13 -0400

When the ACC released the 2009 FSU football schedule back in January, everyone knew this would be FSU's toughest schedule in years. Eleven out of 12 of their opponents went to bowl games last year. Yet, a 2-3 start for the Seminoles has created an unrest in Tallahassee not seen in years.

Divisions are formulating around the team: Bowden supporters vs. Jimbo supporters, offensive coaches vs. defensive coaches, young players vs. upperclassmen players. Everyone is picking sides. And where does Bobby Bowden see himself?

"I will determine my situation with Florida State University when my move has to come," said Bowden on Sunday.

Supporters of Bowden fight that he brought FSU to national prominence and he deserves the right to go out on his own. During the '90s when FSU was always a top-five team, Bowden was quoted as saying he knew it was his time to go when the team was a constant four to five loss team. Since 2003, FSU has consistently been that team.

Now the team is in shambles. The coaches are fighting amongst themselves. The fanbase is calling for change. And now the chair of the FSU Board of Trustees, Jim Smith, has come out and said it is time for Bobby Bowden to retire.

Supporters of Bowden question how effective Jimbo Fisher really would be at head coach. They point to the goal line instances against USF and Boston College when FSU was at the one-yard line and went for it on fourth down each time and came away with no points.

No one knows who Jimbo Fisher would bring in to complete his staff but with defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews retiring after this season, it is almost certain that linebackers coach Chuck Amato would not be on staff in Jimbo Fisher's team.

Where is the line drawn in allowing Bobby Bowden to retire on his own or not renewing his contract? Yes, he was the coach of 14 years of top-5 teams but the last national championship was ten years ago.

For fans of The Office, last week's episode strikes an odd resemblance to the state of the Florida State coaching staff. The episode revolved around the young Jim Halpert being promoted up to co-manager with Michael Scott.

Michael had a hard time dealing with this and delegated his duties in only handling "big-time" problems while Jim would handle the "day-to-day" aspects of The Office.

When Jim wanted to resolve how to handle a situation involving a decrease in pay raises, Michael avoided the situation entirely by demeaning Jim. When Jim tried to take control and deliver the news that only certain members of the staff would receive raises, it caused turmoil among the office staff.

It feels like Jim is Jimbo Fisher and Michael is Bobby Bowden. The episode did not end with any resolution between the two co-managers. They sat in Jim's office drinking gin while the members of the office staff were yelling outside.

No one has proof that Jimbo Fisher will revive the Seminoles into becoming a BCS team again. But the Seminoles have declined steadily since their last national title appearance in January 2001 against Oklahoma.

Bowden's comments about his retirement lately have been pointing that it seems he wants to retire when he feels it is right and not what is best for the team. The coaching staff is in disarray in delegating the authority since Bowden "coaches the coaches."

Fans of FSU are not going to budge in their opinions. Supporters of Bobby are dead set on allowing Bowden to retire on his own terms. And supporters of Jimbo will do anything to show their support for him. A Facebook movement has been ignited in which FSU fans are calling for an "unofficial blackout" to show that they want a change on the coaching staff.

As of the Monday after the Boston College game, all signs are pointing to a coaching staff overhaul for the 2010 season. With trustee Jim Smith calling for this being Bowden's last year, Jimbo's contract being finalized recently for a five year head coaching term, and Mickey Andrew saying he wishes to retire after this season, it looks like the Jimbo Fisher era is going to start soon.

But all the speculation and rumors are doing nothing but hurting Florida State. Players are said to be confused on which coaches to listen to, recruits are not entirely sure who they will be playing under, there needs to be certainty in Florida State.

Someone needs to come forward and state what is going to happen with the coaching staff because the longer everyone waits, the longer this 2-3 season can feel and turn into something much worse.

The State of the Seminoles

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:52:44 -0400

The blame is certainly going around following Saturday's 17-7 home loss to USF. But when the ball is fumbled four times and come away with zero points after getting inside the USF 10-yard line three times, FSU deserved to lose.

Rumors of tension among the coaching staff is certainly not helping matters. Players are being said to have difficulty knowing which coach to listen to: Bobby Bowden or head coach in-waiting Jimbo Fisher. It doesn't help that linebackers coach Chuck Amato is also the "Executive Head Coach" or offensive line coach Rick Trickett is the "Assistant Head Coach" or defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews is the "Associate Head Coach." What is the difference between an "associate" or assistant?" Are the egos of the coaches getting in the way?

The big picture question for Florida State football is Bobby Bowden hurting Florida State football by staying as the head coach but letting the position coaches make the decisions? The fans and media may not know how much coaching or an influence Bowden actually has over the players but watching games and practices, when Bowden is seen standing at a distance from the action or up in his tower at the practices, his unofficial title of "figurehead coach" is justified.

The debate comes into play if FSU should allow Bowden to retire on his own terms or will athletic director Randy Spetman approach Bowden at the end of the season (Bowden signs one year contracts now) and tell him "I'm sorry but it is in the best interest for the team that we go ahead and promote Jimbo to head coach."

Where is the line drawn in allowing the coach who turned FSU into a powerhouse to retire on his own terms or letting him go and allowing Fisher to hire his assistants?

Or is this season a player's issue? Is the talent at Florida State football just not there? Christian Ponder is obviously a better quarterback in 2009 than in 2008. His performance at USF was plagued by a knee injury that he downplayed to the media prior to the game but it obviously affected his performance as he was noticeably limping off the field.

The season for Florida State is not over. The 'Noles have yet to get into the heart of their ACC schedule and from the looks of how the ACC games have gone already in the first four weeks, the ACC will be wide open until late in November again.

An ACC title would certainly erase the September woes of the 2009 Florida State football. When it looked like the BYU game was the wake-up call the team needed after the 19-9 "win" over Jacksonville State, Jimbo Fisher said the team "crossed the line" and it looked the 2009 Seminoles would be dominant. The team clearly hasn't. The blame can be shared by the coaches and the players. The coaches didn't fumble the ball four times against USF but the player's didn't call a defensive scheme that allowed the safeties to get burnt on a long pass play.

The team, the fans, the media head into October with no idea anymore what to expect from the team. Optimists would like to think the USF loss would spark a wake-up call in the team but then the mind drifts back only two weeks before when the team was in a similar situation. "Uncertainty" is the one word to define this team. No one knows how the next game will go for the Seminoles and until they muster up a winning streak, it'll be hard for the confidence to be seen from the team and the fans.

USF Is a No-Win For FSU

Chris Whitmore — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:20:35 -0400

No matter what the score is...FSU is in a no-win situation versus USF. If FSU has a close win...then they barely beat an unranked team using their back-up quarterback. If FSU blows them out...then they beat a team when they were down without their starting quarterback. If FSU loses...then they lost to another unranked team at home in 2009 (Even though Miami is now #9, so that unranked team is nullified).

New starting USF QB B.J. Daniels is going to come into Tallahassee with a chip on his shoulder. He is from Tallahassee. He wants to show himself off to his home crowd. And USF wants to show they belong in the same conversation as the big three in Florida. They have that chance this season with facing FSU this weekend and Miami in November.

USF knows this is the game they have been waiting for. They need this win for recruiting. The FSU rout over BYU only has magnified this game for USF.

USF's offense has a better time than ever to strike at the FSU defense. The defensive line has been hit hard with injuries since Moses McCray suffered an elbow injury at BYU. he is expected to play Saturday if need be. Justin Mincey will not play on Saturday. But as BYU found out, FSU's offense can take their time going down the field and getting a touchdown. The USF defense is going to need to get the FSU offense off the field and use dual-threat Daniels to keep the FSU defense on the field and off balance.

FSU doesn't need this for recruiting. Or ACC implications. But for reputation. FSU has to show that they are consistent, which is something they have not done this season. The Seminoles need to show they can come off a big win and follow it up with a concrete win against another team before heading into the heart of their ACC schedule. FSU has a history the last few years of not turning big wins into momentum.

2007

FSU def. #2 Boston College 27-17 at Boston College

Virginia Tech def. FSU 40-21 at Virginia Tech

2008

FSU def. Clemson 41-27

Boston College def. FSU 27-17 after FSU regains lead in Atlantic Division with Wake Forest loss earlier in the day.

FSU def. #25 Maryland at Maryland 37-3.

#4 UF def. FSU 45-15.

Florida State needs to show the are on the way back. The Jacksonville State game is already becoming a distant memory and the only "win" FSU can gain from this USF game is showing they can win on a consistent basis no matter if the team is #7 in the nation or unranked.

FSU's Statement Win Against BYU Came With Exclamation Point

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:04:11 -0400

Few analysts predicted FSU would go to No. 7 BYU and win.

Why?

Because BYU hasn't lost at home in there last 18 games. Throw in the fact, that most of the match-ups favored BYU in this matchup and you never expected what came; a rout by the Seminoles.

Going into the game, we knew a few things; FSU had a pass defense ranked in the bottom five of the nation, and BYU boasted one of the most efficient passers in the nation. It only seemed logical the Seminoles would not be able to withstand the aerial assault.

But we were all proven wrong as the Seminole defense picked off Hall three times and held the offense to 21 points (the last BYU touchdown was from their second string offense against the second string FSU defense).

Florida State knew the way to beat BYU was to keep Max Hall off the field. And offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher, came up with a plan to do just that. They converted all their first downs in the first half and ate time off the clock as they scored a touchdown on their first four drives.

Despite all this, BYU's Max Hall was still a threat in the first half.

Even though BYU fumbled on their first and last drive of the first half, Hall did lead BYU down the field for two touchdowns with accurate passes. But in the second half, knowing when his team was down, he showed his weaknesses.

With BYU getting the ball back first in the second half, down 30-14, Hall knew BYU needed points right away. At the same time, so did true freshman FSU DB Greg Reid. Reid picked off Hall and returned it 63 yards to put FSU up 37-14 and essentially end the game for BYU.

Bowden and the Seminoles went into Provo with a mentality of "us versus the media." The media wrote off FSU after their unconvincing win against FCS team, Jacksonville State. The few analysts and writers who did predict an FSU win, had them barely getting by BYU.

But in this game, the Seminoles showed the nation that they are a legit team. More importantly, Christian Ponder has showed FSU that he is the quarterback they have been looking for since the Chris Weinke era.

In the three games so far this season, when FSU has needed Ponder, he has stepped up.

He drove FSU down to Miami's two yard line for what would have been a win if not for dropped passes. He drove FSU down the field against Jacksonville St. in the final minutes, when it looked like FSU could actually lose to them.

After years of ineptitude, Florida State has their confidence back. The team we saw on Saturday night, was the team the media predicted would win the ACC Atlantic Division.

The Hangover: FSU Survives Jacksonville State.

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:11:42 -0400

Sometimes this happens. A team from a BCS conference struggles to beat a FCS team. In 2008, Georgia Tech escaped Gardner-Webb 10-7. Wisconsin needed the entire game to beat Cal-Poly. On Saturday, FSU needed the entire 60 minutes to beat Jacksonville State.

FSU did not play Jacksonville State like expected until the final two minutes when Christian Ponder drove the offense down the field and Ty Jones rushed for a touchdown to take a 13-9 lead. On the ensuing Jacksonville State Drive,quarterback Ryan Perrilloux was hit by Jaccobi McDaniel and Kevin McNeil picked up the fumble and returned it for a touchdown. That was the game FSU fans expected. Not a 19-9 win that was much closer than anyone expected. The loss to Miami felt more like a win and the win against Jacksonville State felt more like a loss.

But FSU can take this and go to BYU this Saturday. Jacksonville State runs the same base 3-4 defense BYU runs. Jimbo Fisher was given an idea of what type of plays could work against this defense and which do not.

The sluggish play by FSU was painfully obvious. They were still dealing with the last-minute loss to Miami just five days prior and two days of practice was not enough to put it behind them. Add in that the team travels to Provo to take on #7 BYU the following Saturday, it shows why they had a hard time focusing on FCS Jacksonville State.

The Noles might have also found their go-to receiver in Richard Goodman. He led the team with 80 yards including the 24 yard reception to set up the game-winning touchdown.

The defense though got lucky. Perriloux missed some wide open receivers. But this wasn't a normal FCS quarterback. This is a former five-star recruit, who was the winning QB in the 2007 SEC Championship game against Tennessee. The Noles will face probably the top passing quarterback they will see all season against BYU.

The BYU game will make or break the season for FSU. If they lose, they go 1-2 heading into a home game against USF and struggle to regain composure. They win, they regain confidence, the shoddy performance against Jax. State is erased and they notch a win over a top 10 team on the road. FSU looks to use their speed to create mismatches with the defense. If anything, the Jacksonville State game should do nothing but inspire the team to prove they are not a team that needed two touchdowns in the final minute of the game to beat a FCS team.

Simply, FSU is going to have to out-score BYU. They have the confidence of Christian Ponder who threw for a career high 324 yards against Jacksonville State who has shown the last two games that he is capable of leading the team down the field to win a game.

Why Florida State Can Still Be Excited for 2009...

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:42:15 -0400

Yes, FSU lost their first game to Miami. Yes, FSU is 0-1 in the ACC to start the season. But this was against Miami. History shows both teams can rebound from a loss to the other. Miami lost in 2007 but was still in the race for the Coastal Division title before Georgia Tech ran over them. The game last night showed why FSU is still the front-runner for the ACC Atlantic Division title.

Christian Ponder

In 2008, Christian Ponder only threw for over 200 yards once all season (254 against NC State). Last night, Ponder threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns with a jump-ball interception in the end zone at the end of the first half. In 2008, when Ponder didn't see anyone open right away, he would immediately take off. Last night, he stayed poised. He sat in the pocket and would find an open receiver. And when he did run, it was crucial, like his 30-yard run in the final minute to set FSU up deep in Miami territory. Ponder hit five different receivers for over 30 yards against Miami and has dramatically improved over last year.

Greg Reid

The true freshman had a debut party against Miami—an interception. His pressure on Miami quarterback Jacory Harris caused a lobbed pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by FSU defensive end Markus White. Reid had 100 yards in kickoff returns with a long of 51 and averaged 33.3 on the night. All in his first collegiate game ever. And against Miami.

Dustin Hopkins

Another true freshman. First game ever at FSU. Many were skeptical FSU could easily replace 2008 Lou Groza Trophy-winner Graham Gano, but when FSU called on Hopkins in the second quarter to come out for a 52-yard field goal, the Seminoles would find out how good Hopkins was. The field goal was perfect, with distance to spare. Though he did miss a PAT, which was a result of bad timing on the holder, snapper and Hopkins, he did come out in the fourth quarter and hit a 45-yard field goal.

Receivers/Tight end

Much of the offseason focused on the off-field issues the wide receivers faced from their on-campus brawl in November 2008 and others with DUIs. Those problems were erased last night. Ponder hit a total of eight receivers last night, with Richard Goodman leading with 82 yards. With a stronger offensive line, Jimbo Fisher stated during the offseason he wants to work senior tight end Caz Piurowski into the passing game. He did just that. FSU's first touchdown of the game was a 10-yard pass to a wide open Piurowski in the end zone. Piurowski added two other catches in the game to finish with 33 yards.

Prowler Defense

The defense unveiled a new scheme last night called the "prowler." Essentially, the defensive line consists of just a single lineman, five linebackers, and five defensive backs. The scheme is used so the offense does not know how the five linebackers will be used. Against Miami, FSU used the prowler defense on both interceptions. For a defense that was scorched by Miami's passing attack last night, this seems to be a bright spot in a defense that looks to have work ahead when they face BYU on September 19th.

Last night should not be a determining factor on how the FSU season will go. Though Miami beat the FSU secondary for 386 yards, Miami came into this game with one of the better receiving corps the Seminoles will face this year. FSU can use this as a measuring stick to base their season on. The offense was already in midseason form and it's good the defense was tested early in the season.

Reasons For Florida State to Loathe and Be Excited About Miami

Chris Whitmore — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:50 -0400

Only a handful of fan bases have to actually worry this weekend. With the majority of college football scheduling essentially "practice games," few teams are in for a test in the very first game.

Florida State and Miami are two of those teams. On top of playing each other in their first game, they have to wait two extra days from college football Saturday to play each other.

FSU fans are eager to get the troubled offseason behind them, and all can be forgotten with a win over the Hurricanes on Monday night. Otherwise groans will be heard if Miami leaves Tallahassee with a win.

Why FSU should be worried against Miami

Defensive Line: The line was already thin. Now we add preseason injuries.

Senior Budd Thacker dislocated his toe during practice and is questionable for Miami. Demonte McCallister was listed as doubtful by Bobby Bowden. Kendrick Stewart is recovering and practiced on Wednesday. Jaccobi McDaniels has gotten praise in practice but is still a true freshman and is untested in a college atmosphere.

Kicking/Special teams: True freshman Dustin Hopkins essentially won the starting job and has been pretty accurate in practice but has still yet to face the pressure of a college game.

The kick/punt return team must replace Michael Ray Garvin who was one of the top returners in 2008. The special teams have been trying out various players and the official depth chart is listing Patrick Robinson and Bert Reed as returners.

New Miami coordinators: With new coordinators on both sides (Mark Whipple on offense and John Lovett on defense), FSU has nothing to base their gameplan on. Trick plays have worked for Miami in the past (fake field goal for a touchdown pass in 2007 and halfback pass in 2008) so essentially the entire playbook for Miami could be a surprise for Jimbo Fisher and Mickey Andrews.

Why FSU should be excited to face Miami

Offensive Line: The line was responsible for 310 rushing yards against Miami. As a backup, Jermaine Thomas had two rushes for 51 yards against them last year.

Christian Ponder looks to have more confidence in this offensive line and looks to stay in the pocket more.

Jamie Robinson: The safety has had an interception in almost every preseason practice.

New Miami coordinators: This could work in FSU's favor. The new coordinators have to go into a rival's stadium on a Monday night. The FSU students will be loud. The players are anxious to play.

How The FSU Season Could Depend on The Defensive Line

Chris Whitmore — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:32:39 -0400

Two specific games in the 2008 season seem to be more painful to watch for the Florida State defensive line than the rest—the November 1 game at Georgia Tech and the November 15 game against Boston College.

Those two games featured the offensive lines of GT and BC walking over the front four of the Seminoles. Georgia Tech ran for 288 yards led by a two-touchdown, 145-yard game by Jonathon Dwyer.

Boston College ran for only 175 yards but it was stopping the running game when it mattered most where the 'Noles defensive line failed.

BC led 24-17 early in the fourth quarter. They then ate up nine minutes off the clock by running the ball for 67 yards en route to a field goal that extended their lead to 27-17—which ended up being the final score.

BC ran 16 plays, all rushing, to keep the Seminole defense on the field and the game in BC's control.

What stung more is earlier in the day, Wake Forest lost to N.C. State. A win over BC would have propelled FSU into the driver's seat for the Atlantic Division title.

The defensive line goes into 2009 after losing star defensive end Everette Brown to the NFL. Markus White and either Toshmon Stevens or Kevin McNeil look to start on the ends to attempt to pick up the production left off by Brown.

McNeil came into the preseason as the other starter but missed some practices while he had to sort out academic issues. So he now is battling Stevens for the other starting defensive end spot.

In the middle, the defensive tackle spot took a hit in preseason practices when Justin Mincey suffered a knee injury. Mincey will be unavailable until further notice.

Much optimism is surrounding heralded freshmen Jaccobi McDaniels and Demonte McCallister.

Sophomore defensive tackle Moses McCray commented on them to the Tallahassee Democrat.

"They're big, strong and fast," McCray said. "They can play."

Kendrick Stewart, Moses McCray and Budd Thacker are expected to get the majority of the playing time at defensive tackle until Mincey comes back from his knee injury.

McDaniel could get in some playing experience while the coaches see how he handles the transition against college offensive lines.

The d-line will be able to see how far they've progressed from 2008 in the first game against Miami.

The defense held Miami to only 51 yards rushing last year, and the Labor Day match ups against Miami have traditionally been a defensive battle. But anything could go.

Miami is coming into Tallahassee with a new offensive coordinator who could look to exploit the FSU defensive line.

Florida State to White Out for South Florida Sept. 26

Chris Whitmore — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:08:49 -0400

The Florida State University Athletic Department announced Tuesday that their Sept. 26 game versus the University of South Florida in Tallahassee will be a white out.

The Seminoles will don all-white uniforms and the Bulls will wear their home jerseys. This is the first time Florida State will wear all-white at home and the first time they have worn them since a Labor Day contest at Clemson in 2007.

The school is asking for all fans to wear white to the game in support of the team. This goes along with the theme of the Blackout the school put on when the 'Noles went 1-2 during games against Duke and Boston College.

Do Not Judge on Labor Day

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 13:40:58 -0400

Florida State and Miami scored more points in the second half during their midseason 2008 matchup in Miami then both teams did combined in both of their previous Labor Day games (2005, 2006). When the 2005 and 2006 games ended with defensive struggles (10-7, 13-10, both won by FSU),

2005: Miami Muff Miami's holder fumbles the field goal attempt in the final minutes which allowed FSU to win, 10-7.

2006: Defense FSU headed into the half with gaining 42 yards in the first quarter and only 1 yard in the second quarter and down 10-3. Both teams combined for 3 yards total rushing during the entire game.

the ACC moved the game back to mid-season where anything went. Miami led FSU 30-29 in the final minutes in 2007 in Tallahassee for a fumble by FSU QB Xavier Lee gave Miami a 37-29 lead and win.

The 2008 game felt weird. FSU came into Miami and ran up a 24-0 lead and went into the half leading 24-3. It didn't feel like Miami-FSU. FSU imploded and the weather down poured in the second half to allow Miami to close the gap to 34-32 with eight minutes remaining before FSU sealed their 41-39 win with an Antone Smith TD run to escape Miami.

This is why there should be no stats, judging, nothing on Labor Day. Yes, Miami is breaking in new offensive and defense coordinators. Yes the game is at 8p on a Monday night so the students at FSU have an entire weekend and extra day to prepare for their rivals.

Yes, this is the first game of the season. Nothing should be judged on 2009 on this one game. This is Miami and Florida State where odds, fate, predictions, stats, everything is thrown out the window because as the past few seasons have dictated anything can happen.

Miami is looking to make Randy Shannon's third season the one where they jump start their team after a 5-7 record in 2007 and 7-6 in 2008. Florida State wants to begin the season with a win to put all the offseason troubles with their wide receivers to rest. Anything can and will happen.

Just remember the second half of the 2008 game where Miami scored on a interception returned for a touchdown, halfback pass, safety, offensive lineman running for a TD. Miami will remember that second half and are not afraid to use trickery as they also faked a field goal and passed for a touchdown in 2007. Florida State though is eager to show off it's running game again. The game in 2008 was a coming out party for the running game of Florida State as they ran for 281 yards (144 by QB Christian Ponder).

Expect this Labor Day Matchup to be similar to the midseason games with a lot of scoring.

Early Preview of FSU's 2009 Football Season

Chris Whitmore — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:48:46 -0500

Before spring ball. Before two-a-days. Before the official depth chart. Anything can still change before the first kickoff in 2009. But here is a very early preview and analysis of the 2009 Florida State football schedule.

Sept. 7 (Mon/Labor Day) Miami

Miami will be breaking in a new offensive and defensive coordinator in Tallahassee on a Monday night. The last two Labor Day matchups between the 'Noles and the Canes were won by FSU, 10-7 and 13-10.

This game should be the opposite of last year's game, where FSU nearly blew a 24-3 halftime lead to win 41-39. Expect this game to be close until the fourth when FSU's coaching experience allows them to pull away in what will be a hostile environment for the U.

Sept. 12 Jacksonville State

To be played merely five days after the Monday night rivalry game. On paper, FSU should walk over Jacksonville State, but with former LSU standout QB Ryan Perrilloux leading the Jacksonville State offense, this game could be closer than many think. That being said, FSU will prevail with a sound victory.

Sept. 19 at BYU

In one of the more interesting out-of-conference games in 2009, the Seminoles travel out to Provo to meet the 2008 nationally ranked BYU Cougars. The time of this game could have a factor on the Noles, as if the game takes place in prime time in Provo, that could essentially feel like a 10pm kickoff to FSU.

This BYU team brings back many of their star players from a squad that only lost to TCU and Utah in the 2008 regular season. The game could go either way depending how well the new FSU secondary plays when facing BYU's Max Hall.

Sept. 26 USF

USF is another team that will be breaking in new coordinators. USF and FSU will face each other for the first time in what could have a rivalry game atmosphere in Tallahassee, due to the mass of USF fans expected to travel the three hours to FSU.

USF will be well rested for this game after opening their season with Wofford, Western Kentucky and Charleston Southern, while FSU will have already played a major rival and traveled across the country.

Oct. 3 at Boston College

These two teams can only seem to win in each other's stadiums. Since joining the ACC in 2005, Boston College has only beaten FSU in Tallahassee in 2006 and 2008, and FSU has only beaten BC in Chestnut Hill in 2005 and 2007.

This has developed into a rivalry as of lately since FSU knocked off undefeated No. 2 Boston College in 2007 and Boston College spoiled the chances of an FSU ACC divisional title with a win in Tallahassee in 2008.

Oct. 10 Georgia Tech

A fumble into the end zone in Atlanta gave Georgia Tech its first victory over Florida State. FSU had no defensive answer for the triple option and was only in the game when GT's starting QB left the game due to injury.

With GT returning their running backs and QB, this game in Tallahassee could get ugly, real quick. Perhaps, FSU can study the 38-3 Chik-Fil-A rout LSU laid upon GT to learn how to stop the triple option.

Oct. 22 (Thurs) at North Carolina

Thursday night games have always been trap games for FSU. The Noles hope to have ended that streak with a 26-17 win at N.C. State last season on a Thursday night, but UNC will be energized facing FSU on a national stage in their hopes to gain strength in the Coastal Division. This game should be close.

Oct. 31 NC State

Since Chuck Amato was fired as head coach from N.C. State, FSU has been on a two-year win streak.

If talented N.C. State QB Russell Wilson is on his game, expect N.C. State's offense to keep the game interesting, as the Wolfpack had arguably the best second half season in the ACC. This should be the most talented N.C. State offense the FSU defense has faced since Phillip Rivers was the Wolfpack QB.

Nov. 7 at Clemson

Facing Clemson this late in the season is dangerous. Any problems they have in new head coach Dabo Swinney's first full season should be ironed out, and their new starting QB should be fully confident this late in the season.

FSU has not had much luck in Death Valley this decade, but expect the FSU offense to pull the Seminoles away in this one.

Nov. 14 at Wake Forest

Raise your hand if you would ever believed Wake Forest would have a three-year winning streak against FSU, let alone not allowed the Seminoles to score a touchdown in Tallahassee the last two meetings there.

This will be the year FSU ends the streak. Since Alphonso Smith and Aaron Curry graduated, FSU's offense will finally be able to put the pesky Deacs away.

Nov. 21 Maryland

A 38-3 rout by the Seminoles at Maryland last season can only predict how the Seminoles will treat the Terps in Tallahassee this season.

Nov. 28 at Florida

Tebow returns. Spikes returns. If FSU can score more than two touchdowns in the Swamp this game, it'll be considered a positive step.

UF could be in national title contention at this time and won't let their rival get in the way. Let's get back to this when Spikes and Tebow are gone and UF comes back to Tallahassee in 2010.

FSU, USF Schedule Home-and-Home Series

Chris Whitmore — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:05:08 -0500

The two schools share the same three letters and will soon have a chance to brag on whether they should be aligned FSU or USF.

The Florida State University Seminoles and University of South Florida Bulls agreed to schedule a home-and-home series between the two schools.

The Bulls will travel to Tallahassee to face the Noles on Sept. 26 this upcoming season. The Noles will travel down to Tampa in 2012.

This move allows USF to gain exposure against the "Big Three" of Florida as they will play Miami for the next five years on Thanksgiving week and the Gators in 2010 and 2015 in Gainesville.

Florida State Jumps Around Wisconsin in Champs Sports Bowl

Chris Whitmore — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:31:18 -0500

The Seminole bench seemed to be enjoying the fourth quarter Wisconsin tradition of jumping around to House of Pain's "Jump Around."

The Wisconsin bench was somber when the fourth quarter began. And that was when they were only down 28-6.

Florida State would score two more touchdowns and allow a useless touchdown by Wisconsin to win the game 42-13.

The Nole's speed proved too much for the powerful Wisconsin after a slow start when both teams remained scoreless in the first quarter.

FSU would get on the board first with a 75 yard fumble recovery by Derek Nicholson after FSU lineman Neefy Moffet batted down a lateral pass. Florida State would never look back on their lead.

Sophomore quarterback Christian Ponder threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns including an amazing one-handed grab by Greg Carr in the back corner of the end zone.

Senior running back Antone Smith made FSU 9-0 when he scores a touchdown as he reached the endzone in the third quarter.

The Champs Sports Bowl MVP was awarded to FSU'S Lou Groza Award kicker Graham Gano. Gano landed three punts inside the Wisconsin three yard line in the first half and another in Wisconsin 10 yard line.

FSU's win improved their record to 9-4 and their first 9-win season since 2004.

Champs Sports Bowl Preview: Creature vs. Creature

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:22:34 -0500

Game Preview

Florida State was a fumble away from going to the ACC Championship Game and Wisconsin had to pull out their all to eek out a 36-35 win over Cal Poly. The two teams have never met before, but the match-up has already been played. The quick, fast southern team versus the big, powerful northern team. The Badgers ended their season on a three game winning streak and the Seminoles felt the wrath of BCS National Championship-contender Florida in a 45-15 rout.

Both teams want to end their season on a high note. Florida State wants to achieve a nine-win season and the hopes of regaining national prominence.

FSU will win if...

When Ponder is healthy, Ponder is dangerous. When Seminoles signal-caller Christian Ponder has both options available (run or pass), he can scramble out of the pocket and make a first down or pass on the run.

Florida State also has a healthy rotation of running backs featuring senior Antone Smith—who leads the team with 14 rushing touchdowns—and freshman Jermaine Thomas, who averages 7.2 yards per carry.

The 'Noles can use their offensive speed to create mismatches with reverses to some of their speedy wide receivers (Bert Reed or Preston Parker).

Defensively, if Everette Brown gets even an inch of space on his blocker, Wisconsin's quarterback has about a second to get that ball off or face a sack. Brown is third in the nation with 12.5 sacks and third again with 22 total tackles for a loss.

FSU will lose if...

The Badgers can take the run away. Wake Forest, Boston College, and the Gators all took the run away from Florida State, and those games resulted in losses. Ponder has not matured enough yet as a quarterback to be relied on just for his passing ability. When he is forced to throw consistently, he has turned the ball over consistently.

When the Seminoles only have their passing option, it slows down their offense and forces them to make critical passing plays.

The Badgers can use the Florida State defense's speed to the their advantage. When the Seminoles over-pursue, it can result in big plays. Boston College ran right at Florida State towards the end of the game to eat up nine minutes of clock and kick the game-clinching field goal.

The X Factor

Health. Antone Smith has had injuries this season. So has Christian Ponder. When they are not at full capacity, the offense must rely on the passing game.

Prediction

Since there will have been a month between Florida State's last game against Florida by the time the Champs Sports Bowl against Wisconsin kicks off, all of the Seminoles should be in full health. Preston Parker has had some ankle problems since the Florida game but it should not affect the offense.

Florida State will start off slow but eventually establish a nice rush on first and second down, and then pass on third down to get a groove going. The defense may have some rust in the first quarter, but the adjustments will be made by Mickey Andrews to stop the rushing attack of Wisconsin.

FSU 27 - Wisconsin 14

FSU's Graham Gano Wins Groza Award

Chris Whitmore — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:56:27 -0500

Since 2000, no Florida State football player has brought home a national college football award.

Graham Gano has ended that dry spell.

Last night at the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Awards Show, FSU all-around kicker Graham Gano won the Lou Groza Award for top place kicker in college football.

All this after Gano missed the first two games of the season and then missed his first field goal attempt of the season against Wake Forest on Sept. 20th (granted it as from 52 yards). Gano then made 18 straight field goals before missing his next field goal on Nov. 15th against Boston College (another one from 50 yards out).

Gano led the NCAA in field goal percentages with 92.3 percent on the season and made five field goals of 50 yards and longer.

Other finalists for the Grozia Award were Louis Sakoda of Utah and Josh Arauco of Arkansas.

Gano joins Sebastian Janikowski as the other FSU kicker to win the Groza Award. Janikowski won it in 1998 and 1999.

Myron Rolle Wins Male Athlete of the Year Award

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:32:04 -0500

The Touchdown Club of Columbus has named FSU junior safety Myron Rolle their 2008 Male Athlete of the Year.

The Club stated Rolle personified the "Student Athlete" title in 2008 by winning the Rhodes Scholarship, earning second team All-ACC honors, and being second on FSU in tackles for the season.

The Touchdown Club of Columbus previously awarded Rolle in 2005 as the National High School Football Player of the Year.

ACC Bowls a Strike: Conference Sends 10 Teams to Bowl Games

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:36:16 -0500

In bowling, 10 pins down is a strike. Simple. In college football, for a conference to send 10 teams to bowls is more of a feat.

The ACC just bowled a strike.

Filling all nine of its bowl tie-ins and sending N.C. State out as an at-large, the ACC is being represented by the most of any conference with 10 teams spanning the U.S. this December and January.

Eagle Bank Bowl: Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4)

Dec. 20, 11am on ESPN

The first ACC bowl game of the season features a rematch from the regular season, when Navy came into Wake Forest and optioned their way into a 24-17 upset of the Demon Deacs. Wake looks to salvage a mediocre season that saw ACC title aspirations but fell to a mere 7-5 record and a 4-4 ACC conference record.

Meineke Car Care Bowl: UNC (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4)

Dec. 27, 1pm on ESPN

West Virginia came into Bill Stewart's first season as their head coach with higher aspirations than to spend their bowl season in North Carolina. UNC appears in the first bowl game since 2004 and are vastly improved during the second year under Butch Davis—they finished 4-8 in 2007.

Champs Sports Bowl: Florida State (8-4) vs. Wisconsin (7-5)

Dec. 27, 4:30pm on ESPN

This isn't the Gator Bowl, where many Noles felt they should have gone, but it is an improvement over the Emerald Bowl and Music City Bowl, where they spent their last two Decembers. Wisconsin is looking to end their season on a high note after suffering a four-game losing streak in the middle of the season and blowouts from Penn State and Iowa.

Emerald Bowl: Miami (7-5) vs. Cal (8-4)

Dec. 27, 8pm on ESPN

Cal did not fare too well in their last meeting against an ACC school, when they fell to Maryland 35-27 back in September. But this game is closer to home. Much closer. Miami spent last bowl season at home and wants to show the college football world they are rising to the top again after being in the ACC hunt toward the end of the season.

Papajohns.com Bowl: N.C. State (6-6) vs. Rutgers (7-5)

Dec. 29, 3pm on ESPN

This bowl should renamed Teams-you-thought-wouldn't-be-in-a-bowl-game-Bowl. Heading into November, N.C. State was a lowly 2-6 and Rutgers was 3-5. But both teams turned their entire seasons around in November by going undefeated for that month.

Humanitarian Bowl: Maryland (7-5) vs. Nevada (7-5)

Dec. 30, 4:30pm on ESPN

Maryland was in the ACC mix until the second to last week of the season, but after losing their final two games to FSU and Boston College, they're going bowling on the infamous blue turf on Idaho. With Idaho not exactly being the ideal destination for a winter bowl game, the Terps will most likely play to end their season on a win and not a three-game losing streak.

Music City Bowl: Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6)

Dec. 31, 3:30pm on ESPN

Once again, Boston College is not ACC Champion. Although the Music City Bowl is not the best place for the losers of the ACC Championship Game, it is financially wise to bank that Boston College fans would not travel to Florida for a higher tier bowl for the third time this season. Vanderbilt began the season as the media darlings of the SEC before fading into obscurity and being overshadowed in the SEC by Florida.

Chick-fil-A Bowl: Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. LSU (7-5)

Dec. 31, 7:30pm on ESPN

LSU continued the trend of SEC National Champions not going to a BCS game the following season. Following their 2003 National Championship, LSU lost to Iowa in the Capital One Bowl the following season. Florida followed up their 2006 National Championship with another Capital One Bowl loss in 2007 to Michigan. At least this LSU team is not going there for their bowl.

Georgia Tech stays in Atlanta for the bowl season and looks to cap their first option season with a 10-win season.

Gator Bowl: Clemson (7-5) vs. Nebraska (8-4)

Jan. 1, 1pm on CBS

Many college football fans from the late '80s and early '90s were excited at the rumored FSU vs. Nebraska match p. But Clemson travels—and travels well. New Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney wants to show why he was the best choice for the job by leading Clemson to their first bowl win since 2005.

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech (9-4) vs. Cincinnati (11-2)

Jan. 1st 8:30pm on FOX

Note to Virginia Tech: Please win. The ACC has not won a BCS game since Florida State did in 2000 for their 1999 National Championship. The ACC and Big East will square off after being ridiculed all season as the two worst conferences. Both teams want to prove they are worthy of being in a BCS game.

Florida St. Seminoles and Wisconsin Badgers Will Meet In Champs Sports Bowl

Chris Whitmore — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:28:24 -0500

After waiting to see the results of the ACC Championship Game in Tampa, the Florida Citrus Sports organization invited Florida State of the ACC and Wisconsin of the Big Ten to meet in the 2008 Champs Sports Bowl.

The game will kick off at 4:30p.m. on Dec. 27th and will be broadcasted on ESPN.

The Noles and the Badgers have never met in football.

FSU finished the season 8-4 and a 5-3 ACC conference record while the Wisconsin Badgers finished 7-5 in the regular season and had a 3-5 record in the Big Ten.

The Seminoles have the nation's longest consective bowl streak extending to 27 straight season of going bowling.

Jimbo Fisher Not Interested in Auburn Despite Reports

Chris Whitmore — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:28:41 -0500

Rumors have been strong during the last few days of Florida State's offensive coordinator and future head coach, Jimbo Fisher, being at the top of Auburn's head coach list.

Last year, Jimbo Fisher was formally announced as FSU's head-coach-in-waiting after Bobby Bowden steps down. The Noles would have to pay Jimbo $2.5 million if he is not named Head Coach by early 2011.

"Auburn has not contacted me or my agent and we have not contacted them," Fisher told ESPN.com. "I’m very happy at Florida State, and I’m happy to be here."

The Birmingham News had an article yesterday stating Jimbo Fisher was in Auburn's list of candidates.

AuburnSports.com is also reporting Fisher's name is one of the top names.

FSU President T.K. Wetherell states Fisher would be forced to pay $5 million if he wants to pursue another coaching job.

"That contract is real plain,” Wetherell told the Tallahassee Democrat. “He doesn’t do anything, or doesn’t allow anything. This is different than last year.”

Wetherell was referring to when he allowed Fisher to speak with West Virginia about a head coaching position last year so Fisher could spend some time with his family in his home state.

Gator Bowl Snub Upsets FSU and Nebraska Fans

Chris Whitmore — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:53:05 -0500

This past weekend, Nebraska fans got a whiff of potential revenge against Florida State. Before FSU took the field against UF, rumors were heavy and persistent that the Noles would represent the ACC at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville against likely opponent Nebraska from the Big 12.

The 1994 Orange Bowl, where FSU won its first national championship, is still on the minds of Husker fans, and many of them were eager to see a matchup of the two teams on the rise.

But the UF Gators and Gator Bowl had a different opinion.

After the 45-15 rout the Gators put on the Noles this past Saturday in Tallahassee, reports from the Gator Bowl committee started coming out that they were set on inviting Nebraska but were 50/50 on choosing Clemson or FSU to represent the ACC.

Then, early in the week, it became clear it would be Nebraska vs. Clemson meeting at the Gator Bowl. Despite FSU being 8-4 and beating the 7-5 Clemson Tigers, 41-27, earlier in the season, the Gator Bowl Committee had bad memories of Jacksonville Stadium in September, when FSU beat Colorado, 39-21, in front of a half-empty stadium.

But did the Gator Bowl seriously think FSU vs. Colorado would honestly sell out in Jacksonville?

In 2007, FSU beat Alabama in Jacksonville because it was two old powerhouses on the rise. The same formula would have applied for a Noles vs. Cornhuskers matchup.

But according to a Tallahassee Democrat article, FSU fans are not the only ones upset at the Clemson pick. Sportswriter Steve Ellis mentions Nebraska fans haven't exactly warmed up to a Clemson matchup yet after getting their hopes up in facing the Noles.

While FSU has not been selected for a bowl game yet, it is predicted to slide down to the Champ Sports Bowl against the Big Ten's Wisconsin or Minnesota. Even that bowl is not a lock for FSU, which could slide down even further to the Meikene Car Care Bowl against a Big East school.

The Noles will find out Sunday where they go, with talks of the Champs Sports Bowl inviting Virginia Tech in the event they lose to Boston College in the ACC championship.

But would Virginia Tech fans travel to Florida twice in one month? That would make it three times VT has come to Florida this season after a matchup in Tallahassee. Granted, if the Hokies win, they will be going down to Miami for the Orange Bowl, but that would be a repeat of last season.

In revenue sense, it is best if Virginia Tech goes to an ACC bowl up north.

The Year No One Wanted the ACC

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 01:31:36 -0500

The media predicted a Clemson vs. Virginia Tech ACC championship game during the preseason.

Clemson didn't want it.

Wake Forest, Maryland, and Florida State all at one point controlled their destiny in November to win the ACC Atlantic Division. They didn't want it.

Virginia, Miami, UNC, and Georgia Tech all at one point controlled their destiny to win the ACC Coastal Division. They didn't want it.

So we're stuck with a Boston College vs. Virginia Tech ACC championship rematch.

After getting lambasted following Clemson's 34-10 loss to Alabama and N.C. State's 34-0 loss to South Carolina during Week One, many wrote off the ACC as the worst of the big six conferences.

No one is saying that now, with the entire Atlantic Division bowl eligible and four out six from the Coastal Division eligible. Only Duke and Virginia are certain they're staying home for the holidays.

Boston College backed its way into the ACC title game. When it headed into November with a 2-3 conference record, BC was essentially written out of the Atlantic equation. The Eagles impressed the ACC with consecutive wins over Wake Forest, Florida State, and Maryland to claim their second ACC Atlantic Division title.

The surprise team of the Atlantic is N.C. State. Sure, it's last in the Atlantic, but who is not impressed with its undefeated month of November? The Wolfpack headed into November 2-6, with one of those wins coming against William & Mary. State took charge behind its talented young quarterback Russell Wilson and looked Wake Forest, Miami, UNC, and Duke in the face and told them that N.C. State is going bowling. And the Pack did. Most impressively is their 41-10 rout of No. 25 UNC.

Florida State was not picked to contend in the ACC. It was supposed to finish Clemson, Wake Forest and then Florida State at a distant third. FSU was too young. Their offensive line was going to get eaten alive by defensive lines. But somehow, FSU ran. And they ran. They ran in the ACC Atlantic Division until the final week of the regular season when the Boston College win over Maryland kept them out of the ACC game.

FSU was essentially a fumble away from going to the game when they fumbled into the end zone with less than a minute left against Georgia Tech. That win would have essentially gave them a 6-2 conference record pending games against Clemson, BC, and Maryland played out the same.

The Coastal Division was as muddled as the Atlantic. Every week when one team controlled their destiny, they choked it away. Miami had a gasp of returning to the top of a conference but the Hurricanes blew it away when Georgia Tech triple-optioned the Cane's hopes with their 41-26 win.

UNC showed promise in 2008 but could never seem to win when they were supposed to. After beating Georgia Tech to open November, UNC had just Maryland to get through to make it to the ACC game; N.C. State and Duke seemed like write-offs. The ever unpredictable Maryland upset UNC 17-15. The UNC against N.C. State seemed like the UNC of the past as they were routed 41-10 by the Wolfpack.

Had the regular season gone another week, it is almost certain from the trend of 2008 of ACC teams, that Boston College and Virginia Tech would not be in the game. Every week, college football pundits had different reps from each division in the game. With many teams in the ACC featuring freshman or sophomore play makers, one could bet the 2009 season will just be as competitive with stronger teams.

Is FSU's Offense Progressing?

Chris Whitmore — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 02:21:48 -0500

After Jimbo Fisher's second year under the offensive reigns, many FSU fans are questioning if the Noles are progressing after consecutive 7-6 seasons in 2006-2007.

Yes.

The Seminoles finished with their first eight win regular season since 2003. I know two of those wins were over FCS schools but that situation arose over a scheduling conflict and other FBS teams wanting the Seminoles to pay a hefty price to schedule them for an early season game at Doak.

FSU showed flashes this season of competing in games it seemed to lose the past few seasons. Throughout October and November, the Noles found themselves down 10-0 in the first quarter and came back to win against N.C. State, Clemson, and Virginia Tech.

The running game this year was something FSU has not seen in years. True freshman Jermaine Thomas is giving the FSU fans something to look forward to as he finished the season with 478 yards and three touchdowns. His 131 yard game against Georgia Tech hopefully offered what will come in the next few years.

Christian Ponder. There have been games where it was easily obvious for anyone to see why Jimbo Fisher chose him to lead the offense. But then in games against Wake Forest, Boston College, and some degree Florida (even though he had a back injury leading up to the UF game that coaches kept under wraps).

When completely healthy, Ponder has shown he is capable of making plays with his feet when the receivers had a hard time getting open. His 144 yard rushing yards against Miami showed what he is capable of when he can get into the open. Though he suffered a rib injury for most of October, his rushing stats dropped through October and up until the Maryland game when he rushed for 81 yards. Ponder also finished the last four ACC games with one rushing touchdown per game.

Ponder's passing ability has been questioned all season as when defenses took out the run option, it was painfully obvious when FSU was forced to throw. He only had one 200+ passing game this season (at N.C. State) and finished the season with 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

When pressure is put squarely on Ponder with a defense that has a good rush attack, Ponder has caved under the pressure. In games against Wake Forest and Boston College, Ponder combined for six interceptions and one touchdown (rushing).

With Ponder having low passing numbers then so do the wide receivers. FSU game into the season with high expectations for their deep receiving unit. Redshirt freshman Taiwan Easterling developed into a clutch third down receiver during the season and had one of the more memorable touchdown catches against Virginia Tech when he got a toe in bounds in the back of the end zone.

It is tough to say Greg Carr underperformed this season but his senior season took a hit as the offense was a run first-pass second type.

I believe the Florida State offense is getting better. When FSU needed a drive to seal a win, they did that this season. They were a fumble away from going to the ACC Championship game in a stronger ACC this season.

I think the Noles will be stronger next season with a matured Ponder at quarterback and a very fast running back unit.

Bert Reed, Cameron Wade Arrested Following Brawl

Chris Whitmore — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:37:51 -0500

Florida State wide receivers Bert Reed and Cameron Wade were arrested today on misdemeanor charges of simple battery.

Both were booked into jail at 12:38 pm and released at 12:52 pm on bail. No suspensions for the game against Florida have been announced.

Are These College Football Rivalries Really Overrated?

Chris Whitmore — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:17:13 -0500

Aram Tolegian posted an article on FoxSports.com about the top six most overrated rivalries in college football.

College Football's Most Overrated Rivalries

Here are excerpts from what he said for what he claims are the most overrated rivalries...

6. Kansas vs. Missouri

"One good season by both teams, and all of a sudden this is one of the best rivalries in the country? Yeah, right. Sorry, but our memories are longer than that. Who really cares if this is the second-longest rivalry in college football?"

Who really cares? I'm sure if you ask a Kansas fan or a Missouri fan, they will tell you who really cares with a few expletives filtered in between.

5. Florida State vs. Florida

"That this rivalry lands on our list is no fault of the Gators. They've held up their end of the bargain."

Where was this guy between 1998-2003, when the Gators only won once (2001)? So now when the Gators have the winning streak, all of a sudden it is not a rivalry anymore?

4. Miami vs. Florida State

"It's because not much has happened since those early '90s classics."

Not much has happened? Did he witness the Miami Muff in 2005? Did he see Xavier Lee turn the ball over twice within two minutes in the fourth in 2007 for Miami to win? Did he see the comeback Miami mounted to almost win in 2008?

3. Army vs. Navy

"Last season's TV's ratings checked in a distant last for the day and fell eight percent from the year before. So again, you can say you're a big fan of this series and preach patriotism, but it's obvious that passion no longer translates to interest."

I'm not going to even dignify this asshole with an answer on Army vs. Navy.

2. Notre Dame vs. USC

"But efforts like that have been few and far between. For it to become a legitimate rivalry again, Notre Dame must close a wide talent gap."

I'll admit this game has been less exciting to watch, but I am not a fan of USC or Notre Dame. I am sure the message boards are still heated during that week.

1. Alabama vs. Auburn

"Until this game pits two teams having meaningful seasons, it will remain one of the most overrated rivalries of the season."

Has this guy ever been on the Rivals message board for either team during the Iron Bowl week?

So if you are a student, fan, or alumni of one of the schools this guy mentioned, we should collectively get together and write an apology letter to him because our rivalry games bore him now. Sorry we cannot include you in our hatred of the other school since you no longer find the games interesting to watch.

Dictionary.com defines a rivalry as, "The state or condition of competition or antagonism." A rivalry in college football is between two schools. There have been times that national implications are on the line in the rivalry, and yes, that does increase the rivalry, but in the end, a rivalry is between those two schools.

I am a graduate of Florida State, and I know there are some Seminoles who fully believe that if we go 0-11 the first 11 games of the season, the entire season could be redeemed with a win over the Gators in the last game of the season. I know that is true for other rivalries.

So Aram Tolegian, what school did you graduate from? What apparent hot sh*t of a rivalry is your school in that the entire nation cares about?

A rivalry is not supposed to be about getting good television ratings. It's not supposed to be about what other fans from other schools think about them. It's not supposed to be about impressing some smug asshole sports writer.

For those 60 minutes, once a year, that rivalry is about beating the other team and bragging the hell out of that win for the next year.

Graham Gano of Florida State Named Groza Finalist, Player of the Week

Chris Whitmore — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:28:53 -0500

After connecting on all three field goals against Maryland, FSU kicker Graham Gano has been named one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Trophy. The Groza Trophy goes to the top kicker in college football. Gano joins Josh Arauco of Arkansas State and Louie Sakoda of Utah as the three finalists.

Sebastian Janikowski won the award in 1998 and 1999 while he was the kicker for FSU

Gano leads the nation in field goals per game and has hit more field goals from 50 yards and out than any other FBS kicker. He is made 21 of 23 field goals, including a streak of 18 in a row. His only two misses have come from 50 yards or better.

He is also the leading scorer in the ACC even though he was sidelined the first two weeks of the season with a knee injury.

On top of being named a Groza finalist, Gano was also honored as the ACC Specialist of the Week for his three field goal effort against Maryland. It was Gano's fourth time being awarded ACC Specialist of the Week. He was also joined by FSU's Everette Brown, who was awarded the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week Award.