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. Though the turn of the millennium brought about what some call a “lost decade” for Florida State, the Seminoles still managed some very impressive victories. Here’s a look at FSU’s best win each year during the decade of the 2000’s:
2000
Florida 7, Florida State 30
November 18th, 2000
The rivalry contest between Florida and Florida State in 2000 would serve as the final home game for quarterback Chris Weinke as the Seminoles entered with national championship aspirations still in mind. In his last game at Doak Campbell Stadium, Weinke passed for 353 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Marvin Minnis collected eight receptions for 187 yards and two scores while Tay Cody’s two interceptions paced a Florida State defense that held the Gators scoreless over the final three quarters. The win would be Florida State’s third straight against Florida as Weinke went on to win the Heisman Trophy.
2001
Maryland 31, Florida State 52
October 27th, 2001
Maryland arrived in Tallahassee with a record of 7-0 and ranked in the top 10 in late October of 2001 and jumped on the Seminoles early, taking a 14-0 lead. Florida State responded with 21 unanswered points, but the contest went back in forth and was even at 31 heading into the final quarter. In the fourth period, FSU freshman quarterback Chris Rix fired three touchdown passes including his third of the day to Talman Gardner. Rix finished the game with 350 yards passing and five scores while Gardner and Atrews Bell each broke the 100-yard receiving mark. Florida State’s victory over the Terrapins would serve as Maryland’s only loss of the regular season.
2002
Florida 14, Florida State 31
November 30th, 2002
For the first time in a long time, little was on the line as Florida State hosted Florida in 2002 at Doak Campbell Stadium — a place where the Seminoles had not lost to the Gators since 1986. After regaining his job as the team’s starting quarterback, Chris Rix found Anquan Boldin for a pair of scores and rushed for 83 yards. Freshman running back Leon Washington paced the Seminoles with 134 yards rushing and a touchdown while the FSU defense held Florida to just a 2-for-14 rate on third down. Linebacker Kendyll Pope’s 13-yard interception return for a score highlighted a stellar night as Pope also led the Seminoles with eight tackles.
2003
Florida State 38, Florida 34
November 29th, 2003
In a match-up of top 15 teams, Florida State was watching an early 17-6 lead evaporate in Gainesville just as it had six years prior. Trailing 34-31 and facing a 4th-and-14 from their own 24-yard-line, the Seminoles needed a first down to stay alive. With less than two minutes to play, quarterback Chris Rix found Dominic Robinson for 24 yards to keep the FSU hopes intact. On the very next play, Rix went deep to P.K. Sam in the end zone for a 52-yard touchdown with only 55 seconds remaining. The score gave Florida State an improbable road victory and the fifth in six tries against rival Florida. Rix finished the game with 256 yards passing and four total touchdowns.
2004
Virginia 3, Florida State 36
October 16th, 2004
Virginia came to Doak Campbell Stadium ranked sixth nationally and undefeated in 2004, but were simply outmatched by the Seminoles. The Florida State defense held Virginia to just 20 yards rushing on 29 rush attempts and dominated from the get-go. For the FSU offense, Lorenzo Booker finished with 123 yards on the ground and a pair of scores while quarterback Wyatt Sexton was near flawless, going 20-for-26 passing for 275 yards and a touchdown.
2005
Virginia Tech 22, Florida State 27 (ACC Championship)
December 3rd, 2005
A season that had begun with so promise had headed south in a hurry for Florida State as it met fifth-ranked Virginia Tech in the inaugural ACC Championship. Despite riding a three-game skid and being a two-touchdown underdog, the Seminoles held tight in the first half as the game went to the locker room knotted at 3. Early in the third quarter, receiver Willie Reid returned a Virginia Tech punt 83 yards for a score which would serve as the catalyst for 24 FSU points during the period. The Hokies would mount a late rally, but it was not enough as Florida State won its 12th ACC title in 15 years.
2006
Florida State 13, Miami 10
September 4th, 2006
In a match-up of top 15 teams, Florida State found itself down to rival Miami 10-3 in the final quarter of the 2006 season-opener. On the first play of the fourth quarter however, fullback Joe Surratt’s 1-yard plunge evened the contest. Florida State had always seemed to lose to Miami on missed kicks, but Gary Cismesia’s 33-yard field goal with over eight minutes to play gave FSU its first lead since the first quarter and the defense did the rest. Michael Ray Garvin’s late interception sealed the victory as Florida State won at Miami for the first time in eight years.
2007
Florida State 27, Boston College 17
November 3rd, 2007
Boston College was undefeated and ranked second in the country as it hosted Florida State in 2007. Despite being significant underdogs, Florida State never trailed as quarterback Drew Weatherford threw for 354 yards and a pair of scores. FSU had intercepted Boston College’s Matt Ryan twice, but with less than two minutes to play, the Eagles had the ball with a chance to win the game. With Ryan looking to lead a comeback, Florida State linebacker Geno Hayes sealed the deal by intercepting Ryan and returning it 38 yards for a score. The opportunistic FSU defense forced four turnovers in its first win over a top 2 team since 1999.
2008
Florida State 37, Maryland 3
November 22nd, 2008
At 22nd-ranked Maryland, Florida State needed a win to keep its ACC hopes alive in the final conference game of 2008. After a scoreless first quarter, the Seminoles took control with 21 second quarter points. Preston Parker and Antone Smith each found the end zone as did linebacker Derek Nicholson, who returned a fumble 22 yards for a touchdown. The Florida State defense held Maryland to 252 yards and forced four turnovers while quarterback Christian Ponder finished with 83 yards on the ground and a touchdown both as a rusher and a passer.
2009
Florida State 54, BYU 28
September 19th, 2009
Florida State was a big underdog as it went into Provo to face seventh-ranked BYU early in the 2009 season, but the Seminoles dominated the contest from start to finish. Florida State nearly doubled BYU’s time of possession and finished with over 500 yards of offense including better than 300 on the ground. Quarterback Christian Ponder passed for 199 yards and two touchdowns while Lonnie Pryor scored a pair of rushing touchdowns. The Florida State defense allowed nearly 500 yards, but forced five turnovers including an interception by Greg Reid that was returned 63 yards for a score.
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