FSU Football's Most Memorable Bowl Wins: No. 3

FSU football is heading back to another bowl game – here’s a look at the one of the more memorable postseason games in program history.

On January 2nd, 1950, the Florida State Seminoles made program history in just their third season of play. FSU football traveled from Tallahassee to Tampa to take on the Wofford Terriers in the Cigar Bowl – the first time the ‘Noles had been selected to play in a postseason bowl game since the program started.

This season, the Seminoles will take part in their 46th all-time bowl game when they play in the (bowl game) against the (opponent). It will be another in the list of memorable postseason contests for FSU football – a list that has taken the team everywhere from Miami to San Francisco and Atlanta to Dallas and points all over the place.

But, which bowl games have truly been the best ever for the Seminoles? Here’s a look at another memorable moment in the postseason for Florida State.

No. 3 – 2000 Sugar Bowl (Florida State 46 Virginia Tech 29)

On the fourth day of January of a new millennium, the Seminoles were looking to do something that had never been done in the history of college football – go wire to wire as the top ranked team the entire season. Standing in their way was a Hokies team that was not supposed to be so good so soon – but had maybe the best player in recent history in quarterback Michael Vick.

In a battle of top offenses and defenses in the country, the first half was certainly a win for the ‘Noles. Peter Warrick – who had been shut out of the Heisman Trophy due to a mid-season arrest – scored on a 64 yard touchdown pass from Chris Weinke and a 59 yard punt return while Jeff Chaney returned a blocked punt for a score and Weinke found Ron Dugans for a 28-14 lead for the ‘Noles at the half.

The third quarter was one to forget if you’re a fan of the ‘Noles, as Virginia Tech scored 15 unanswered points – which was paced by two rushing touchdowns for running back Andre Kendrick – and the underdog Hokies were 15 minutes away from pulling off the upset.

Florida State answered back in the fourth quarter with 18 points of their own, as Dugans hauled in another touchdown pass while Weinke and Warrick hooked up for a memorable, bobbling catch that sealed the 46-29 win and the school’s second national title.

Statistically, the Hokeis dominated the game with over 500 yards of offense while the ‘Noles had slightly over 350 – but the Seminoles dominated the one stat that mattered and came away with the victory. Getting some validation, Warrick was named MVP and ended up being drafted in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft, taken fourth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals.