The 2001 season for Florida State was the first where it failed to win the ACC. The team that did win the conference that year however, still wasn’t good enough to win in Tallahassee.
On Oct. 27, 2001, Maryland arrived at Doak Campbell Stadium ranked 10th in the country with a perfect 7-0 record. FSU was just 4-2 through six games and ranked 19th. The Terrapins started fast, but on this day 15 years ago, Maryland turned out to be no match for the Seminoles as FSU romped 52-31.
Midway through the second quarter, it appeared as though Maryland’s undefeated season would continue as Marc Riley scored from a yard out to give the Terrapins a 14-0 lead. From there however, redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Rix caught fire and the FSU offense started rolling.
Maryland’s 14-point lead quickly evaporated as Rix fired a pair of touchdown passes to Talman Gardner sandwiched around FSU linebacker Michael Boulware’s 23-yard interception return for a touchdown. Maryland kicker Nick Novak booted a 51-yard field goal as the first half expired and the Seminoles went to the locker room with a 21-17 lead.
Bruce Perry and quarterback Shaun Hill each scored rushing touchdowns for the Terrapins in the third quarter. Greg Jones added one of his own for the Seminoles after a Xavier Beitia field goal and the game entered the final quarter even at 31.
It took about eight minutes and three Rix touchdown passes into the fourth quarter for Florida State to run away with the contest. His third touchdown connection to Gardner — a 28-yard toss — put the Seminoles ahead for good before the freshman later found Javon Walker for a 22-yard score and Atrews Bell from 31 yards away.
Rix finished the day with 350 yards passing and five touchdowns — a total he wouldn’t match for the duration of his career. Gardner and Bell each went over the 100-yard mark receiving.
On defense, the Seminoles forced four turnovers with Boulware and safety Chris Hope each recording an interception and defensive tackles Jeff Womble and Darnell Dockett each forcing fumbles.
Unfortunately for Florida State, the Seminoles would lose two of their next four games including a 34-28 home loss to N.C. State which ended FSU’s ACC title hopes. Maryland went on to finish the regular season 10-1 before falling to Florida in the Orange Bowl. That loss in Tallahassee on this day 15 years ago however, prevented the Terrapins from completing their first perfect regular season since 1976.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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