The Daily Nole

FSU Football: Top 5 WR/TE Performances Under Jimbo Fisher

Ross Obley/FSU athletics

With six years under his belt as head football coach at Florida State, there’s no questioning Jimbo Fisher’s success. Since Fisher took over in 2010, the Seminoles have managed to go 68-14 with six ranked finishes, four major bowl appearances, three ACC championship and the 2013 national title.

While FSU has played great as a whole under Fisher, there are a number of individual performances that stick out as well. In a new series, we’ll be looking at the best individual games for Seminoles to play under Fisher. So, far we’ve looked as passers and rushers, but now, we turn our attention to the receivers. Here’s a look at the five best days for FSU pass-catchers under Fisher:

5. Nick O’Leary at Clemson (Oct. 19, 2013)
Stats:
5 catches, 161 yards
In what was one of Florida State’s greatest road victories of all-time, junior tight end Nick O’Leary had the greatest receiving night ever by an FSU tight end. Though O’Leary was unable to find the end zone, he finished the night with 161 yards receiving, which included a 94-yard reception. Still, the biggest highlight of the evening might have been the punishing forearm that O’Leary delivered to the chest of Clemson safety Travis Blanks in the second half in the 51-14 romp.

4. Travis Rudolph vs. Syracuse (Oct. 31, 2015)
Stats:
5 catches, 191 yards, 3 touchdowns
After underperforming for the first half of 2015, sophomore wide receiver Travis Rudolph would have his coming out party to close the month of October. Against a maligned Syracuse defense, Rudolph ran past, through and over defenders. Rudolph caught three touchdowns, including a highlight reel 75-yard score in which he broke multiple tackles over his final 40 yards to the end zone in a 45-21 Seminoles victory.

3. Rashad Greene vs. Oklahoma State (Aug. 30, 2014 — Dallas)
Stats:
11 catches, 203 yards, touchdown
Florida State’s all-time leading receiver, Rashad Greene, broke the 200-yard receiving mark just once in his FSU career and that was in the 2014 season-opener against Oklahoma State. Greene reeled in 11 of FSU’s 25 total catches and finished with 203 of the Seminoles’ 370 yards through the air. In a game that was tight the entire second half, Greene’s 50-yard touchdown with under four minutes to go helped cement the 37-31 victory.

2. Rashad Greene at Clemson (Oct. 19, 2013
Stats:
8 catches, 146 yards, 2 touchdowns
Rashad Greene didn’t lead the Seminoles in receiving against No. 3 Clemson in 2013, but he was still unstoppable. Greene beat the Tigers in virtually every way a receiver could, finishing with nearly 150 yards receiving with most of his damage coming after the catch. Greene’s 72-yard touchdown late in the first half made it 27-7 and let the Tigers know they were in for a long night. Greene would add a 19-yard score early in the fourth quarter of a 51-14 rout.

1. Kelvin Benjamin at Florida (Nov. 30, 2013)
Stats:
9 catches, 212 yards, 3 touchdowns
In the 2013 regular season finale against Florida, Kelvin Benjamin had the eighth best day ever for an FSU receiver and the best in more than a decade. Against 4-7 Florida, the game was close early until Benjamin decided he wouldn’t be stopped. Benjamin scored three times, blowing by, running through and being more physical than the Florida defenders. When all was said and done, FSU had its largest victory ever over the Gators in Gainesville, 37-7.

Honorable Mention

Willie Haulstead — 2010 vs. North Carolina
Rashad Greene — 2011 at Wake Forest, 2011 vs. Notre Dame (Champs Sports Bowl), 2012 at Virginia Tech, 2013 vs. Auburn (BCS National Championship), 2014 vs. Georgia Tech (ACC Championship)
Kermit Whitfield — 2015 vs. Louisville
Travis Rudolph — 2015 vs. Houston (Peach Bowl)

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