Before and After Fisher: FSU Ascends, Florida Declines, Miami Stagnates

Florida State’s rise in seven years under head coach Jimbo Fisher has not gone without notice. The FSU head man is constantly mentioned among the best in college football and he’s just one of five active FBS coaches with an FBS national championship to his name.

While the Seminoles’ rise is well-documented, along with it has come the decline of rivals Miami and Florida. In this segment, we’ll look at the “Big 3” Florida schools in the seven years since Fisher became the head coach in Tallahassee compared to the seven years prior.

First, here’s a look at the last seven years under Fisher. The column “Rival Record” refers to FSU’s record against Florida and Miami. For Florida and Miami, the numbers reflect the record against FSU:

Since 2010, Florida State has averaged more than three wins per year more than Florida and nearly four more wins per season than Miami. Going down the line, there isn’t a single category where either team has fared better than FSU.

Of the three schools, FSU is the only one to win a conference or national championship. Miami has not won as much as a Coastal division. While FSU has played in five straight major bowl games, the two other schools have combined to play in just one.

Head-to-head, Florida State claims a 13-1 record against its in-state foes. The lone blemish was in 2012 when the Gators defeated FSU in Tallahassee, 37-26. That was also the only year where an FSU rival played in a major bowl.

Here’s how the three schools fared in the seven years prior to Fisher taking over. FSU’s vacated wins in 2006 and 2007 are not taken into account:

Among the “Big 3” schools in the seven years prior to Fisher’s promotion to head coach, the Seminoles actually had the worst record, but only slightly. FSU was tied for the most conference titles with Florida over that span, but both of the Gators’ conference crowns were followed by a national championship. Miami’s title came in 2003 in its final year as a member of the Big East.

FSU’s bowl record over that span was the same as Florida, but both the Gators and Hurricanes had more BCS bowl victories. Miami’s lone BCS bowl win came over Florida State at the conclusion of the 2003 season.

Head-to-head, FSU was a dismal 4-11 against its two biggest rivals, losing six straight to Florida from 2004-09. After losing the first three to Miami during that span (and six straight overall), the Seminoles were able to win three of five from 2005-09.

Overview

Under Jimbo Fisher, the tides have certainly turned for Florida State as the Seminoles have averaged better than 11 wins per season. Florida and Miami each suffered through one losing season during that stretch.

Florida saw the biggest drop-off after being a national power in the final years of Urban Meyer’s tenure while Miami’s stretch was more stagnant. The Hurricanes got slightly worse over the last seven years, but if you eliminate Miami’s 2003 season which resulted in an 11-2 record, an Orange Bowl victory and a top-10 finish, the program’s winning percentage improved slightly.

While FSU is looking to begin the 2017 season ranked in the top 5 nationally, there is hope moving forward for each of the Seminoles’ two biggest rivals.

Florida is coming off back-to-back SEC East titles in the first two years under head coach Jim McElwain and just brought in its best recruiting class under the third-year head coach. Last season under first-year head coach Mark Richt, Miami won a bowl game for the first time in a decade and finished ranked nationally for the first time since 2009. Though things are improving for both Florida and Miami, neither will be a major player on the national scene until one is able to overtake the Seminoles for Sunshine State supremacy.

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