There are six 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 former FSU quarterback Peter Tom Willis and his school-record six touchdown passes in a 57-20 victory over Memphis in 1989.
Willis had made just two career starts before finally taking the reigns as the team’s starting quarterback as a redshirt senior in 1989. Willis had a season that earned honorable mention All-American honors. It was his Senior Day performance on Nov. 18, 1989 however, where Willis rewrote the Florida State record books.
After the Seminoles exchanged field goals by the midway point of the first quarter, Willis found Lawrence Dawsey for a 26-yard touchdown pass that put FSU ahead for good, 10-3. As for Willis, he was just getting started.
A short rushing touchdown by Dexter Carter extended the FSU lead to 17-6 after a quarter. In the second quarter, Willis fired five touchdown passes with two going Ronald Lewis. Also getting in on the action were wide receivers Bruce LaSane and Terry Anthony and running back Amp Lee.
By halftime, Willis had thrown for 423 yards and six touchdowns while FSU enjoyed a 51-13 lead. Willis lasted just two series in the second half, finishing the day with 482 yards passing in his final game at Doak Campbell Stadium as the Seminoles cruised to an easy 37-point victory.
Before and again since Senior Day 1989, Florida State has had plenty of great quarterbacks including Bill Cappleman, Steve Tensi, Gary Huff, Casey Weldon and three Heisman Trophy winners in Charlie Ward, Chris Weinke and Jameis Winston. In 42 years before and 28 since however, no other FSU quarterback has managed to throw six touchdown passes in one game.
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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