A rivalry will be renewed on Saturday as Florida State hosts arch-rival Florida in the final game of the regular season. Florida comes in this year with nothing to lose while Florida State’s dreams of a second straight national championship are alive and well. Over the years, the Seminoles have some great memories against their rivals from Gainesville. Here’s a look at the top 5:
5. Goalposts Down at Doak
#1 Florida 21, #2 Florida State 24
November 30th, 1996
Top-ranked Florida was a road favorite as it came to Doak Campbell Stadium in 1996, but second-ranked Florida State was able to race to a 17-0 lead. Florida twice drew to within three, but Pooh Bear Williams’ short touchdown in the fourth quarter was enough to put the game away. It was rare, but following FSU’s 24-21 victory, the Seminole faithful tore down the goalposts. Unfortunately for Florida State, the Gators would get revenge just over a month later with a 52-20 victory in a Sugar Bowl rematch for the national championship.
4. Rix to P.K.
#9 Florida State 38, #11 Florida 34
November 29th, 2003
In a game that went back and forth, Florida looked to be on the verge of closing out Florida State as the Seminoles faced a 4th-and-14 from their own 24-yard-line and trailing 34-31. Florida State junior quarterback Chris Rix was able to keep Florida State’s hope alive by finding Dominic Robinson for 24 yards and a first down. The next play, Rix went for the end zone and connected with P.K. Sam for a 52-yard touchdown which would prove to be the game-winner.
3. Warrick Makes Them Miss
#4 Florida 12, #5 Florida State 23
November 21st, 1998
With backup quarterback Marcus Outzen making just his second career start, Florida State was held without a touchdown in the first half by its rivals in the 1998 match-up between Florida and Florida State. Trailing 12-6 early in the third quarter, the Seminoles were driving, but Outzen looked to have made a critical mistake by throwing a pass right at Florida safety Marquand Manuel. The ball bounced off Manuel’s hands and into the arms of Florida State receiver Peter Warrick, who made two Gators miss on his way to the end zone for a 32-yard touchdown. The score gave FSU its first lead and the Seminoles never looked back. The win would eventually make way for Florida State to play for the national championship.
2. Dunn Down the Sideline
#1 Florida State 33, #3 Florida 21
November 27th, 1993
With the dream of a national championship for Florida State now in jeopardy, some say the crowd at the storied “Swamp” of Gainesville had never been louder. A 27-7 FSU lead had been trimmed to six and after stopping Florida State on the first two downs, third-ranked Florida was one play away from getting the ball back as the Seminoles faced 3rd-and-10 from their own 21. Florida State’s eventual Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Charlie Ward, was flushed from the pocket and flipped the ball to freshman running back Warrick Dunn. Dunn was able to make the first defender miss before racing down the sideline for the 79-yard game-clinching touchdown as the once raucous crowd sat in virtual silence. Just over a month later, the Seminoles would down Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to claim the school’s first national championship.
1. The “Choke at Doak”
#4 Florida 31, #7 Florida State 31
November 26th, 1994
What stands as the proudest non-victory in Florida State history still feels like one today. In 1994, the rival Gators were well on their way to getting their first victory in Tallahassee since 1986. After three quarters, Florida led 31-3 and a FSU loss looked inevitable. Inexplicably, everything changed in the fourth quarter. Led by junior quarterback Danny Kannell, the Seminoles rallied for four touchdowns. Kannell passed and rushed for a score during the famous final quarter. Reserve tailback Rock Preston’s 4-yard touchdown with 1:45 to go evened the game 31-31, which would be the final score. In the Sugar Bowl just over a month later, the teams met again for what was dubbed, “The Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter” with FSU winning 23-17. It would be 10 years later before Florida finally won at Doak Campbell Stadium. Steve Spurrier, Florida’s head coach at the time, took the Gators to heights never before attained in his 12 years in Gainesville. One thing he never accomplished was to win in Tallahassee.
