The Daily Nole

25-Year Nole Anniversary: Ward Leads Improbable Comeback in Atlanta

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Former Florida State quarterback and 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward certainly had a flare for the dramatic. Perhaps his greatest comeback — although probably not most notable — came on this day 25 years ago in the capital city of Georgia.

No. 6 Florida State arrived at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Oct. 17, 1992 with a record of 5-1. Its opponent, Georgia Tech, was 4-1 and ranked 16th in the country. On a day where everything went right early for Georgia Tech, Ward and the Seminoles snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, 29-24.

Ward and FSU felt little resistance early as his first of three total touchdowns — a 3-yard toss to fullback William Floyd — gave the Seminoles a 7-0 lead less than six minutes in. From there on however, points would be hard to come by as FSU would not hit the scoreboard again until the fourth quarter.

A pair of long field goals by Georgia Tech’s Scott Sisson cut the lead to 7-6 at halftime before the Yellow Jackets went ahead with a dominant third quarter. Georgia Tech’s first lead came on a 5-yard touchdown run by Dorsey Levens. After Marlon Williams intercepted Ward to set Georgia Tech up in the red zone, quarterback Shawn Jones found Jason McGill to make the score 18-7.

Sisson’s third field goal — a 20-yard make early in the fourth quarter — gave the Yellow Jackets a 21-7 lead with 14:27 to play. Floyd answered with a 1-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to a touchdown, but Sisson’s fourth field goal of the day looked to be the dagger with 5:20 to play.

With the Seminoles trailing 24-14 and time running out, Ward made the impossible possible. His 5-yard touchdown run with 3:20 to play cut the lead to four, which is where it stood after a missed 2-point conversion.

Rather than kick it deep and trust the defense, kicker Dan Mowrey tried an onside kick that landed in the hands of FSU defensive back Corey Sawyer. Ward and the Florida State offense went back to work, but with less than two minutes to play, the Seminoles faced 4th-and-5 from the Georgia Tech 17-yard-line. The Yellow Jackets sent pressure, but Ward was able to find receiver Kez McCorvey, who turned a first down into a touchdown.

FSU was able to preserve the win after Reggie Freeman sacked Jones in the end zone to cap a 22-point fourth quarter. McCorvey recovered the ensuing onside kick and the Seminoles proceeded to run out the clock in a 29-24 victory.

Ward finished the day with 183 yards passing, three total touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, but also led the team with 65 yards rushing. Defensively, FSU linebacker Derrick Brooks had a monster day with 13 total tackles, including five for loss.

As for the Seminoles, they would go on to run the table, win the ACC and finish the year with a No. 2 national ranking. The heartbreaking loss began a downward spiral for Georgia Tech, which lost four of its final five games to finish 5-6. It’s worth pondering how each’s season may have been different without the improbable comeback that took place 25 years ago today.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

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