Florida State Football: Where Does This Team Rank Among the Seminoles Greats?

With a titanic game awaiting all of us tonight, it brings up the way too early question of how this team stacks up against the all-time greats.

If these 'Noles can knock off the Sooners or at least reach a BCS Bowl by winning the ACC Championship (again way too early) how great of a team would they be considered?

Florida State has a ton of talent this season, but we have heard that plenty of times before. So, can they finally live up the hype and become one of those great Seminole teams? Let's take a dive into the past with who they are competing with.

1992 Florida State Team

Record: 11-1

AP Finish: Second

Bowl: Won Orange (ACC Champions)

This was Charlie Ward's year before he won the Heisman, but this offense was not quite as explosive in '92. It was a nasty loaded with All-Americans that led the way.

Marvin Jones and Derrick Brooks were beasts at linebacker. They were easily the best duo in the nation that season, but they were also arguably the best defensive players in the nation that season.

Both were First Team All-Americans and Jones ended up being the fourth pick in the NFL Draft later that season. Brooks was just a sophomore but ended up being one of the greatest to ever don the garnet and gold.

The laundry list of All-Americans does not end there though. Defensive back Corey Sawyer was also an All-American in just his junior year. Talk about a fast and furious defense! 

No need to talk about the offense too much with a loaded defense. Charlie Ward connected with Tamarck Vanover early and often during the season.

The current 'Noles have arguably better players in the secondary though their linebackers are not quite as great as the '92 team. The defensive line will probably determine how "good" the current Noles become as the offense is still developing into a respectable and explosive offense.

1997 Florida State Team

Record: 11-1

AP Finish: Third

Bowl: Won Sugar

Only a three point loss at the "Swamp" stopped them from going onto to win another National Championship.

Their offense was in great hands or should I say "leg(s)" thanks to All-American Sebastian Janikowski. One of the greatest kickers in NCAA history gave this offense a ton of opportunities to put points up on the board. 

Offensively they were led by the trio of Travis Minor (RB), Thad Busby (QB) and EG Green (WR). Green was a Second Team All-American by both the AP and Football News while hauling in 54 catches for 1,059 yards and 11 touchdowns.  

Minor did a solid job replacing Warrick Dunn that season rushing for 623 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. 

Besides Green, the 'Noles had Laveranues Coles, Snoop Minnis and a young Peter Warrick for Busby to thread the needle to.

The defense bottled up the Buckeyes in their Sugar Bowl victory 31-14. Andre Wadsworth was a hog up front in the middle. A consensus First Team All-American was joined by a few other All-Americans such as Sam Cowart, Tay Cody and Samari Rolle.

The linebackers were not spectacular but a solid front four and an amazing secondary along with a consistent offense made this Seminole team one of the best in program history.    

1994 Florida State Team

Record: 10-1-1

AP Finish: Fourth

Bowl: Won Sugar

Known as the "Choke at Doak" this Seminoles team was loaded with talent. A tie with the Gators was then made up with a 23-17 victory in the Sugar Bowl. 

The dynamic duo of Warrick Dunn and Zack Crockett was nearly unstoppable. They combined to rush for over 1,300 yards and had 19 touchdowns!

Danny Kanell was no All-American, but he took care of the ball and had plenty of playmakers. Kez McCourvey was a First team All-American (United Press International).

The defense had senior Derrick Brooks who was an unanimous All-American and the rest of the defense was not too shabby. Derrick Alexander and Clifton Abraham were studs on defense, but it was the offense that was the sparkplug.

They reached 50 points three times during the season and if it were not for a tough loss 14 point to Miami and the "Choke at Doak" these 'Noles would have played for a possible National Championship.

1993 Florida State Team

Record: 12-1

AP Finish: First

Bowl: Won Orange

Winning to what many Cornhusker fans still find was "questionable game" ended up being the first National Championship victory for Bobby Bowden.

Charlie Ward was the catalyst offensively winning the 1993 Heisman Trophy. His numbers were filthy offense leading the 'Noles to 41 PPG.

Warrick Dunn had a typical stud season but he backed up Sean Jackson as the two combined for over 1,000 yards with nine touchdowns. 

The All-Americans were the same as the '94 team except as a group they were even better.

Their 18-16 victory over Nebraska in the National Championship was on a missed field goal from the Cornhuskers which ended all of the awful wide lefts and rights that haunted FSU previous National Championship.  

1999 Florida State Team

Record: 12-0

AP Finish: First

Bowl: Won Sugar

Chris Weinke led one of the all-time best offenses in the BCS era averaging 38 points per game, but over 500 yards of offense. 

Peter Warrick was an All-American receiver and their were a bevy of other options downfield. Ron Duggins and Snoop Minnis were solid complementary receivers and their backfield was led by Travis Minor.

The defense was arguably the top in the BCS era with Corey Simon, Chris Hope and Tommy Polley putting relentless pressure on opposing signal callers. This team dominated a Michael Vick (most electric player maybe I have ever seen) led Virginia Tech Hokie squad for a National Championship 46-29.

This is arguably the greatest Florida State team ever because of the stellar play from Chris Weinke and Peter Warrick and a defense that was suffocating.  

2011 Florida State Team

This Seminoles squad has all the talent in the world, but if they have any chance of living up to that hype they need to for one knock off these Oklahoma Sooners. Even if they don't they could rank solid among these teams with an outside chance of reaching the BCS National Championship.

Even with high expectations these Seminoles could easily reach a BCS Bowl with an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.

Nothing is wrong with a 11-2 or a 12-1 season, however a victory over the Sooners tonight could be the start of something really special.