The Daily Nole

16 Days Until FSU Football: FSU Beats Clemson 16-13 on Long Hopkins Kick in 2010

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There are 16 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.

On Friday, it was quarterback Charlie Ward, who wore No. 17 and ascended to legendary status as Florida State’s signal-caller.

Today, it’s FSU’s 16-13 win over Clemson in 2010 that ended in thrilling fashion.

After a 6-1 start, Florida State looked potentially on the verge of dropping a third straight heartbreaking contest as Clemson came to Tallahassee on Nov. 13, 2010. The Seminoles had lost the week before to North Carolina, 37-35, on a missed 40-yard field goal by kicker Dustin Hopkins in the game’s waning seconds. The week prior, FSU turned the ball over in the game’s final minute after driving inside NC State’s 10-yard-line in a 28-24 loss.

If FSU wanted any hope of reaching the ACC title game for the first time in five years, beating Clemson was a must. The Tigers led 10-3 at halftime and 10-6 entering the fourth quarter.

With more than 10 minutes to play in the game, quarterback E.J. Manuel, who had been filling in for an injured Christian Ponder, finally put the Seminoles in the end zone with an 8-yard touchdown run to make it 13-10. With less than a minute to go in the game, Clemson marched into the FSU red zone, but the Seminoles were able to hold the Tigers to a short field goal by Chandler Catanzaro.

With the contest knotted 13-13, FSU started the ensuing drive at its own 29-yard-line, unwilling to settle for overtime. Manuel was 3-for-4 on the drive, but it was his 18-yard strike to Rodney Smith with less than 10 seconds remaining that put FSU inside the Clemson 40-yard-line. With three seconds to play, Hopkins trotted onto the field with a chance for redemption.

Facing a 55-yard attempt, Hopkins had the chance to erase the previous week’s heartbreak. Hopkins, then a sophomore, had never connected on a kick of that distance. That would soon change.

With punter Shawn Powell holding, Hopkins’ kick never strayed from between the uprights as the ball was hit solidly. On a kick that probably would have been good from 60 yards out, Hopkins split the sticks and the Seminoles topped the Tigers in walk-off fashion, 16-13.

FSU was unable to win the ACC, but it did reach the conference championship for the first time since 2005, thanks largely to the win. The Seminoles also beat rival Florida and reached the 10-win mark to close the season — two things they had not done since 2003. Had Hopkins’ kick not gone through, there’s no telling whether the first season under head coach Jimbo Fisher would have ended on as high a note.

Hopkins would go on to have a stellar career for Florida State and would conclude his career as a Lou Groza Award finalist in 2012. Currently with the Washington Redskins, Hopkins is in his sixth year in the NFL. Still, almost eight years later, his kick to beat Clemson remains the most memorable moment of his kicking career.

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

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