Florida State Strikes Fast, Finishes Off Florida : Seminoles Score on First Three Possessions on Way to Routing Gators, 52-17

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Coach Galen Hall came to Tallahassee worried about Florida State’s explosiveness. He left town with his worst fears confirmed.

“I was afraid if it was a high-scoring game, we would come out on the short end,” Hall said after watching Florida State demolish his Gators, 52-17, Saturday night.

“We had to stop them sometime and we didn’t get it done,” said Hall, who watched the Seminoles score on their first three possessions.

Chip Ferguson threw touchdown passes to Lawrence Dawsey, Tom O’Malley and Sammie Smith in the first 12 minutes as the Seminoles shot into a 21-7 lead.

“If we execute, we feel like we can score against anybody,” Ferguson said. “It always helps to come out and be successful on your first possession.”

Coach Bobby Bowden, who removed his starters in the third quarter after the Seminoles opened a 45-10 cushion, was pleased with his team’s balance.

“We thought we had to run and throw to win and we did,” Bowden said. “We have never beaten them much and when we did, it wasn’t by much. This was decisive.”

Florida State, which takes a 10-1 record into the Sugar Bowl against Southeastern Conference co-champion Auburn, racked up 132 yards on offense and 11 first downs in the first quarter against Florida’s defense, which was ranked second nationally going into the game.

It was Florida State’s largest margin of victory over Florida and its 10th straight win since losing to No. 3 Miami in the season opener.

Florida, which will meet Illinois in the All American Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., finished the season 6-5 for the second straight year.

Dawsey gave the Seminoles a 7-0 lead with a spectacular individual effort, catching the ball at the Florida 15, faking out one defender and tripping into the end zone. He touched the ground four times with his hand to keep his balance.

Tony Lomack’s 46-yard kickoff return and a 27-yard Kyle Morris to Mark McGriff pass set up Emmitt Smith’s 1-yard touchdown run as Florida tied the score, 7-7, midway through the opening quarter.

Ferguson’s 15-yard scoring pass to O’Malley gave Florida State a 14-7 lead.

Kelvin Smith’s interception of a pass by Morris at the Florida 24 set up the Seminoles’ third touchdown, which came on Ferguson’s 8-yard pass to Sammie Smith.

The teams exchanged field goals in the second period with Florida State’s Bill Mason successful from 19 yards and Florida’s John David Francis booting a 23-yarder with 1:17 left in the half to cut the Gators’ deficit to 24-10.

Florida State took a 31-10 lead early in the third quarter when Marion Butts recovered Kerry Watkins’ fumble of a punt in the end zone.

The defense added a touchdown when nose guard Odell Haggins went 11 yards with an intercepted pass that had been deflected by Anthony Moss. That put Florida State ahead 45-10, coming just 9 seconds after Dayne Williams 1-yard run.

Florida’s Willie McClendon scored on a 2-yard run with 3:07 to play to complete the scoring. Ferguson completed 10 of 16 passes for 131 yards in less than three quarters Sammie Smith gained 109 yards on 20 carries.

Florida State’s previous largest margin of victory over the Gators was 38-9 in 1977.