Top 10 Shutouts in FSU History

With names like Mark Stoops, Charles Kelly and of course the great Mickey Andrews running the defense for Florida State, it’s no surprise that the Seminoles have pitched their fair amount of shutouts over the years.

Some, like Western Carolina in 2008 or Louisiana-Monroe in 2011 weren’t huge surprises, but some over the years have been downright impressive. Here are the top 10 shutouts in FSU history:

10. Cumberland College 0, Florida State 30
Oct. 9, 1948
Florida State’s first-ever football victory was a 30-0 home shutout of Cumberland College in 1948. Cumberland had blanked the Seminoles 6-0 the previous year, but FSU got its revenge by forcing four turnovers and holding Cumberland to just 133 total yards.

9. Kansas 0, Florida State 42
Aug. 28, 1993 (East Rutherford, N.J.)
Florida State’s national championship campaign of 1993 began with a bang as the Seminoles thumped Kansas in the Kickoff Classic. Kansas missed an early field goal that would have given it the lead and from there, the rout was on. Five different Seminoles scored a touchdown in the win. FSU held Kansas to just 240 yards, but the shutout was highlighted by a goal line stand in the first half where the Seminoles held the Jayhawks out of the end zone on six straight plays from the 1-yard-line. Derrick Brooks led the Seminoles with 11 tackles, including four for loss.

8. Georgia Tech 0, Florida State 38
Oct. 18, 1997
Against a top-25 Georgia Tech squad, the FSU defense dominated the 1997 contest, holding the Yellow Jackets to a meager 144 yards of offense. Butkus Award finalist Sam Cowart led the Seminoles with 15 tackles while Abdul Howard and Tay Cody each came up with interceptions for the FSU offense. Thad Busby threw three touchdowns to lead the offense.

7. Whiting Field 0, Florida State 74
Oct. 1, 1949
The largest margin of victory ever for Florida State came against Whiting Field in the 1949 season-opener. The Seminoles held Whiting Field to just 77 yards and forced seven turnovers. Ernie Reddick, Buddy Strauss and Ralph Chaudron combined for seven FSU touchdowns.

6. North Carolina 0, Florida State 13
Sept. 28, 1996
On a day where the Florida State offense could muster up just more than 200 yards and only seven first downs against No. 11 North Carolina, the Florida State defense rose to the occasion. The Tar Heels finished with just 40 yards rushing on 37 carries, thanks largely to eight FSU sacks, including three from Peter Boulware. Safety Shevin Smith came up with an interception in addition to blocking a field goal for FSU. Running back Warrick Dunn scored the game’s only touchdown.

5. Maryland 0, Florida State 63
Oct. 5, 2013
Many thought No. 25 Maryland’s visit to Tallahassee would serve as the toughest test of the young 2013 season for FSU. When the Terrapins left, they were the recipients of an old-school Seminole beatdown. Maryland was held to just 234 yards and 2-for-15 on third down conversions. Chris Casher and Dan Hicks combined for a sack and three tackles for loss for the FSU defense, while quarterback Jameis Winston stole the show for the Seminole offense, accounting for 417 yards of total offense and five touchdowns.

4. Florida State 37, Notre Dame 0
Nov. 1, 2003
FSU opened November of 2003 by visiting Notre Dame Stadium and handing the Fighting Irish their second worst home loss ever. Florida State quarterback Chris Rix passed for 327 yards and three touchdowns in the victory and the Seminole defense did the rest. Jeff Womble and Jerome Carter each intercepted Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn before Leroy Smith put the exclamation point on the shutout with a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown with under nine minutes to play.

3. Clemson 0, Florida State 57
Sept. 11, 1993
17th-ranked Clemson came to Tallahassee in September of 1993, only to leave with its worst loss in more than six decades. Derrick Brooks finished with two tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries, including one he returned 83 yards for a touchdown as the Seminoles pitched their second shutout in three games. Clifton Abraham also scored a touchdown on a blocked punt. Quarterbacks Charlie Ward and Danny Kanell combined to pass for 442 yards and five touchdowns.

2. Florida State 59, South Carolina 0
Nov. 5, 1988
Playing at No. 15 South Carolina looked to be a real test for fifth-ranked Florida State as the teams met at Williams-Brice Stadium, but it proved to be anything but. Quarterback Peter Tom Willis had an outstanding day for the Seminoles, completing 17 of 20 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns. The FSU defense led by Odell Haggins held the Gamecocks to 205 yards of offense and forced five turnovers. Dedrick Dodge, Leroy Butler and Stan Shiver all recorded interceptions in the convincing victory.

1. Miami 0, Florida State 47
Oct. 4, 1997
Against a Miami program that had robbed Florida State of so many national championships in the past, the Seminoles enjoyed one of their sweetest victories over their southernmost rival in 1997. Miami managed just eight first downs and 133 total yards, including a negative 33 yards on the ground. Sebastian Janikowski made four field goals and Travis Minor scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the victory. When Miami threatened to break the shutout late in the game, FSU defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews put his starting defense back in. Samari Rolle recorded his second interception of Scott Covington to preserve the shutout.