100 Days Until FSU Football: Kermit Whitfield’s 100-Yard Kickoff Return

Florida State football is now just 100 days away from its Sept. 3 kickoff against the Virginia Tech Hokies. As part of our attempts to pass the time, we’re starting a countdown that highlights players, games, and specific moments from FSU football history.

Our first highlight: the 100-yard kickoff return touchdown from Kermit Whitfield in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game.

By every objective measure, this game was one of the best of all-time. Whitfield’s return late in the fourth quarter added the perfect twist to the exhilarating contest. Instead of a long drive to burn out the clock, Whitfield sprinted 100 yards for a touchdown that stunned the college football world.

Most Florida State fans knew him already from the Wake Forest game, where he housed a 97-yard kick for a score. This was his moment to shine on a national stage.

Whitfield never seemed to have the same prowess after that. He was a capable receiver who tallied over 1,300 yards and seven touchdowns in his final three seasons. But when it came to kickoffs, Whitfield never did return another one for a touchdown. If that’s the trade-off for his national championship heroics, fans are OK with it.

Whitfield’s return gave FSU a 27-24 lead late in the fourth quarter. Auburn, of course, would answer before Jameis Winston’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin gave the Seminoles a 34-31 victory and their third national championship.

Whitfield is currently with the Cincinnati Bengals.