There’s no doubt that despite being a late arriving program that played its first game in 1947, Florida State has become one of college football’s blue bloods.
The Seminoles have three national championship, numerous top-10 finishes and plenty of Consensus All-Americans. What FSU also happens to have is 27 bowl wins, which ranks eighth all-time. Technically, the Seminoles have 26 because the 2006 Emerald Bowl was vacated because of ineligible players, but the contest still took place.
In a new series, we’ll count down and rank each of the Seminoles’ 27 bowl wins. We rank the victories based on the way FSU won and the magnitude of each game. We’re at the midway point in the countdown with Nos. 11-15:
15. 2013 Orange Bowl: Florida State 31, Northern Illinois 10
Jan. 1, 2013
Following its first ACC championship in seven years, Florida State notched its first major bowl victory in 13 years with a 31-10 victory over MAC champion Northern Illinois in Miami. Lonnie Pryor rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries to lead the FSU offense. Quarterback E.J. Manuel accounted for 291 yards passing and two total touchdowns in the victory as the Seminoles outgained the Huskies, 534-259. Linebackers Vince Williams and Christian Jones each recorded 10 tackles while Terrence Brooks came down with an interception in the dominant FSU victory. The win also clinched the first top-10 finish in the AP Poll since 2000.
14. 1982 Gator Bowl: Florida State 31, West Virginia 12
Dec. 30, 1982
Florida State was unranked as it got set to square off with No. 10 West Virginia in the Gator Bowl. FSU would win the contest however in dominating fashion. After the Mountaineers tied the game 3-3, Billy Allen’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown put the Seminoles ahead for good. Greg Allen rushed for 138 yards and two second half touchdowns to lead the victory. Brian McCrary intercepted a pair of passes in the 31-12 win as head coach Bobby Bowden defeated his former team for the first time.
13. 1993 Orange Bowl: Florida State 27, Nebraska 14
Jan. 1, 1993
In its first appearance in the Orange Bowl in more than a decade, Florida State capped an 11-1 finish with a dominating effort against No. 11 Nebraska. Charlie Ward threw a pair of first half touchdowns for the Seminoles, but it was running back Sean Jackson who would lead the offensive attack. Jackson finished with 162 yards from scrimmage while also completing a pass for 28 yards. Defensively, FSU held Nebraska to under 300 total yards and forced three turnovers. The victory sealed a No. 2 national ranking, which tied the highest ever for the Seminoles at the time.
12. 1990 Fiesta Bowl: Florida State 41, Nebraska 17
Jan. 1, 1990
After an 0-2 start to the 1989 season, Florida State closed the campaign with 10 straight victories, but none were more impressive than a 41-17 rout of No. 6 Nebraska in Tempe to end the season. Florida State quarterback Peter Tom Willis passed for 422 yards and a Fiesta Bowl record five touchdowns as FSU scored 34 unanswered points to take control of the contest. Reggie Johnson scored twice while Ronald Lewis finished with 106 yards receiving. Kirk Carruthers recorded 12 tackles in the win for the Seminoles while LeRoy Butler and Kevin Grant each tallied interceptions.
11. 1965 Gator Bowl: Florida State 36, Oklahoma 19
Jan. 2, 1965
Florida State’s Gator Bowl victory over Oklahoma to close the 1964 season gave the Seminoles their first-ever ranked finish and went a long way in putting FSU on the football map. Steve Tensi passed for five touchdowns in the Florida State victory, including four to All-American Fred Biletnikoff. Phil Spooner rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown in the win for the Seminoles while the FSU defense held the Sooners to just 74 yards rushing on 42 carries. Florida State finished the season ranked 11th in the country.
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Mike Olivella/FSU athletics
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