There are 39 days left until Florida State football starts the 2018 season. As part of the offseason, we’re highlighting players, games, and specific moments from FSU football history.
Today, it’s Rashad Greene’s 39-yard game-winning touchdown reception in a 28-22 Thursday night victory over Virginia Tech in November 2012.
The Seminoles needed a victory to stay in control of their own destiny in their efforts to win a first ACC title since 2005. On that Nov. 8 evening in Blacksburg, FSU led by 10 points late in the third quarter. After a Logan Thomas touchdown run, a safety and a short field goal by Cody Journell, the Hokies pulled ahead 22-20 with just over two minutes to play.
Thanks largely to a fourth down conversion on a run by James Wilder Jr. earlier on the drive, FSU had moved the ball inside the Virginia Tech 40-yard-line looking to inch closer to field goal range for All-American Dustin Hopkins. Hopkins would never need to come onto the field.
On 2nd-and-10, FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel hit Greene, a then sophomore wide receiver, on an in route. Greene was able to make the catch with some separation from the defender as he headed toward the middle of the field. Greene got a block from tight end Nick O’Leary and was able to outrace defenders to the corner of the end zone to put the Seminoles ahead with 40 seconds remaining.
Tyler Hunter would end up sealing the contest for Florida State with an interception on the ensuing Virginia Tech drive. FSU would go on to beat Maryland to clinch a spot in the ACC title game nine days later before going on to win its first conference crown in seven years and its first BCS bowl in 13 years.
As for Greene, the standout receiver showed a knack for coming through in the clutch for the Seminoles. Greene would leave FSU as the school’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. He’s the only player to lead FSU in receiving in four straight seasons.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole and former editor of Noled Out. Mike has more than seven years experience as a sports writer including the last four in print and online media. Mike graduated from Florida State University in 2009 with a Bachelors in Religion and a minor in Communications. Mike provided press coverage of Florida State's run to the 2013 BCS National Championship. Mike is also a news reporter at Polk County's newspaper, The Ledger in Lakeland, Florida. and contributes to Athlon Sports and ACCSports.com. Mike has been featured on sites as prominent as Yahoo Sports, FoxSports.com, Associated Press and the front page of SI.com while interviewing athletes as high profile as 2013 National League MVP, Andrew McCutchen. Email Mike at Mike@TheDailyNole.com. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.
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