Over 67 years of football action, the Florida State Seminoles have come to be known as a national power. The Seminoles have won three national championships, 27 bowls games while producing numerous consensus All-Americans. Although Florida State got its first taste of football success in the 1960’s, the 1970’s brought about even bigger things for Florida State including the arrival of a head coach that would take the program to national prominence. Here’s a look back at the best victory for Florida State each season during the decade of the 70’s:
1970
Wake Forest 14, Florida State 19
September 26th, 1970
Florida State and Wake Forest met in 1970, long before the schools were ACC foes. As was the case the previous season with South Carolina, the Seminoles got the better of the eventual ACC champion Demon Deacons. Wake Forest led 14-6 at halftime, but the FSU defense blanked the Demon Deacons in the second half. Arthur Monroe’s 1-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter put Florida State ahead for good as kicker Frank Fontes finished the day with four field goals.
1971
Southern Mississippi 9, Florida State 24 (Mobile)
September 11th, 1971
The first game of the Larry Jones era was a successful one as Florida State topped Southern Mississippi in Mobile, Alabama. Arthur Monroe rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown while the Florida State defense was dominant over the final three quarters. The Seminoles would finish 8-4 in Jones’ first season as head coach.
1972
Florida State 37, Miami 14
September 16th, 1972
Florida State had won six straight games against rival Miami as the teams met in South Florida in September of 1972. The Hurricanes drew first blood, but Miami had no answer for the FSU passing combination of quarterback Gary Huff and receiver Barry Smith. The two hooked up for three touchdowns as Huff finished the day with 329 yards passing in what would eventually be a 23-point rout in favor of the Seminoles.
1973
N/A
After going 15-8 in Larry Jones’ first two seasons, Florida State went winless in 1973. A 9-7 loss to Wake Forest in the season-opener would be as close as Florida State would come to earning a victory. The 0-11 campaign would bring about the end of the Jones era.
1974
Florida State 21, Miami 14
November 8th, 1974
After 20 straight losses, Florida State would earn its only victory of the 1974 season and first under head coach Darrell Mudra. Leon Bright rushed for 105 yards and a score in the rivalry win. Miami made it interesting with two long touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, but a short touchdown run from Jeff Leggett put the game away.
1975
Utah State 8, Florida State 17
September 20th, 1975
The lone home victory of 1975 saw Florida State get the better of Utah State in a defensive struggle. Leon Bright rushed for 138 yards in the win while quarterback Clyde Walker threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half. FSU would finish the 1975 season with a record of just 3-8.
1976
Kansas State 10, Florida State 20
October 2nd, 1976
After an 0-3 start to the 1976 season, Bobby Bowden would earn his first victory as head coach of the Seminoles. Florida State trailed Kansas State 10-0 at the break, but drew even in the third quarter. After Dave Cappelen’s 41-yard field goal gave FSU its first lead, the Seminoles put the game away on Jimmy Black’s second touchdown pass of the day. Bowden would go on to win 303 more games as Florida State’s head coach and is currently the all-time wins leader in major college football.
1977
Florida State 37, Florida 9
December 3rd, 1977
Florida State had lost nine straight contests to Florida entering the 1977 season, but that streak came to an abrupt ending in Bobby Bowden’s first visit to Gainesville. Larry Key ran for 143 yards as the Seminoles racked up nearly 600 yards of offense. Jimmy Jordan threw three touchdowns to Roger Overbay as Florida State routed the Gators by four touchdowns. The 28-point victory would be the largest ever for the Seminoles over their rivals from Gainesville.
1978
Florida 21, Florida State 38
November 25th, 1978
As Florida arrived in Tallahassee in 1978, the Seminoles looked to defeat their rivals in consecutive years for the first time ever. Mark Lyles and Sam Platt stoked Florida State to a 21-0 lead first quarter lead, but the Gators answered in the second quarter with 21 unanswered points to knot the game at halftime. The FSU defense blanked Florida in the second half as Homes Johnson and Wally Woodham each scored touchdowns to help the Seminoles pull away. Scott Warren recorded a pair of interceptions for Florida State in the victory.
1979
Florida State 27, Florida 16
November 23rd, 1979
Florida State arrived in Gainesville for its final game of the 1970’s undefeated and ranked fifth in the country. Its counterpart, Florida, did not have a victory to that point in the season. Florida however, held tough by rallying from 10 points down to draw even in the third quarter. Mark Lyles’ two fourth quarter touchdowns however, would be just what the Seminoles needed as FSU completed a perfect regular season. Lyles rushed for 151 yards while teammate Michael Whiting added 123 yards on the ground. Defensively, Florida State forced six turnovers in a third straight victory over rival Florida.
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