At Florida State University, winning is the standard, excellence is assumed and greatness is found at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.
Last season, the Seminoles football team compiled a record of 2-10, logging their only wins over the California Golden Bears and Charleston Southern Buccaneers. It was their worst record since 1974, before head coach Bobby Bowden ushered in the glory years of FSU football.
In 1976, the ’Noles hired head coach Bowden, changing the trajectory of the program and setting a standard only few schools have matched.
From 1987 to 2000, the Garnet & Gold finished in the top five of the Associated Press (AP) poll, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record. They were the team of the ’90s, compiling a combined record of 120-14-1 and winning 89.3% of their games.
Between 1990 and 2000, Florida State played in 11 bowl games, won nine straight Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships and appeared in two national championship games.
In 1993, the Seminoles logging ranked wins over the Clemson Tigers, North Carolina Tar Heels, Miami Hurricanes (UM), Virginia Cavaliers and the Florida Gators (UF) on the way to an Orange Bowl win over the No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers and the national championship.
In 1999, FSU went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the AP poll, claiming ranked wins over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, NC State Wolfpack, UM and UF en route to an undefeated season. The team then secured the program’s second national championship with a Sugar Bowl win over No. 2 Virginia Tech Hokies.
Bowden left the program after the 2009 season following consecutive lackluster years. The ’Noles hadn’t posted a 10-win season since 2003 and the program was on a downward spiral.
From 2010 to 2016, the Garnet & Gold hired head coach Jimbo Fisher to revitalize the program and continue Bowden’s previous success. Florida State appeared in seven straight bowl games, won three ACC championships and made the inaugural College Football Playoff (CFP) in 2014.
In 2013, Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston led the Seminoles to an undefeated season and won the national championship at the Rose Bowl in an epic comeback win over the Auburn Tigers.
The game, now recognized as one of the most iconic in FSU history, was capped by a late fourth-quarter drive. With 17 seconds left, Winston connected on a leaping pass to All-Star receiver Kelvin Benjamin to seal the comeback and win the game.
The ’Noles then found renewed success in the early 2020s under head coach Mike Norvell. In 2022, they finished 10-3, their best record since 2016, and won the Cheez-It Bowl over the Oklahoma Sooners.
In 2023, led by All-Star quarterback Jordan Travis, wide receiver Keon Coleman and edge rusher Jared Verse, the Garnet & Gold went 13-1. Although Travis sustained a season-ending leg injury against North Alabama, Florida State finished the regular season undefeated and added its 16th ACC Championship.
After finishing 2-10 last season, many question: will the Seminoles will ever return to glory? The season opening game on Aug. 30 put this to the test, as both FSU and Alabama approach the game at a crossroads, holding past glory behind them and the unknown in front.
This past Saturday, the Garnet & Gold answered that question with a bold “yes.” In a newly renovated and sold-out Doak S. Campbell Stadium, faced off with the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide in and gave fans a commanding win, defeating them 31-17.
The ’Noles aim to build on any momentum gained from this game and try to return to their glory days.
Cameron Chassen is a Staff Writer for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Florida State’s return to glory: a historic win echoes the ’90s dynasty
Reporting by Cameron Chassen, Staff Writer / FSU News
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