Louisville at FSU: Good Times, Bad Times

Florida State will look to win consecutive games and at home for the first time this season on Saturday as the Seminoles welcome in Louisville. Like FSU, the Cardinals are off to a disappointing start at 4-3 overall and 1-3 in ACC play.

Although Louisville didn’t join the ACC until 2014, the Seminoles and Cardinals have a fairly extensive history against one another. Last season, Louisville made history by scoring more points than FSU opponent ever and handing FSU its biggest loss under head coach Jimbo Fisher.

In this piece, we’ll revisit the history between the schools in a segment we call “Good Times, Bad Times”. We look at the good and the bad for FSU against Louisville:

All-Time Series: FSU leads 14-3.
Good Times: The series history between Florida State and Louisville features five shutouts — all in favor of FSU. The first came during the Seminoles’ first win in the series on Oct. 3, 1953 by a score of 59-0. The Seminoles outgained the Cardinals 544-104 in the win and forced six Louisville turnovers. Bobby Fiveash rushed for three touchdowns and Stan Dobosz added two more in the win. Lee Corso also returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown in the shutout.

Prior to joining the ACC, Louisville’s last trip to Tallahassee took place on Sept. 23, 2000. The Seminoles also pitched a shutout in that one, 31-0, in a contest where the teams combined for more than 240 yards in penalties. The FSU defense held Louisville to just three yards rushing and linebacker Tommy Polley returned a touchdown four yards for a touchdown on a night where Jamal Reynolds recorded a pair of sacks. Travis Minor rushed for 120 yards and a score while quarterback Chris Weinke accounted for two total touchdowns.

It was the eve of Halloween in 2014 when No. 2 Florida State invaded Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium on a Thursday to face the No. 25 Cardinals and the start was quite spooky. Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston threw three interceptions early as Louisville raced to a 21-0 lead. After scoring a late touchdown in the first half to get on the board, FSU exploded for 35 second-half points. After Winston’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Ermon Lane gave FSU its first lead early in the fourth quarter, Dalvin Cook put FSU ahead for good with a 38-yard touchdown with 3:46 to play to make it 35-31. Winston’s third touchdown pass of the night — a 35-yard connection to fullback Freddie Stevenson — put the game away. Winston passed for 401 yards in the 42-31 victory while Cook added 110 yards and two scores on the ground on nine carries. Reggie Northrup led the FSU defense with 12 tackles and an interception.

Bad Times: The first meeting between FSU and Louisville was a 41-14 romp in favor of the Cardinals on Oct. 4, 1952. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas passed for 195 yards and three touchdowns for Louisville in the victory. The Cardinals outgained FSU by more than 200 yards and forced four turnovers. Al Woodham and Roy Thompson scored the only two touchdowns for the Seminoles.

FSU was ranked fourth in the country when it visited Louisville on the Thursday night of Sept. 26, 2002. FSU took a 13-6 lead into the locker room thanks to a 23-yard pass from Chris Rix to Talman Gardner on a rain-soaked night. After a Louisville touchdown tied the game with 4:05 to play in the third, Rix and Garnder hooked up again — this time from 21 yards out — to give the Seminoles a 20-13 lead after three. Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone’s short touchdown pass to Damien Dorsey with 11:37 to play tied the game at 20 and the contest went to overtime, which lasted just two plays. After Rix was intercepted by Anthony Floyd on the first play of overtime, Henry Miller scored a 25-yard rushing touchdown on the Cardinals’ first play in a dramatic 26-20 upset.

It was a match-up of top-10 teams as No. 2 FSU arrived in Louisville to face the No. 10 Cardinals on Sept. 17, 2016, but the Seminoles were no match for eventual Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson and company. Jackson accounted for 362 total yards and five total touchdowns in a 63-20 victory, which served as the worst loss for FSU under head coach Jimbo Fisher. The 63 points was the most ever by an FSU foe. After falling behind 14-0 thanks to two Jackson touchdowns, FSU answered with 10 straight points capped by a Deondre Francois touchdown pass to Auden Tate. From there, the Cardinals would score the game’s next 49 points in romp over the Seminoles. James Quick finished with 122 yards receiving for Louisville while running back Brandon Radcliff rushed for 118 yards and a score.

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