Florida State Seminoles football facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Florida State Seminoles football
First season	1902; 123 years ago
Head coach	Mike Norvell 4th season, 31–17 (.646)
Stadium	Doak Campbell Stadium (Capacity: 79,560)
Field	Bobby Bowden Field
Location	Tallahassee, Florida
NCAA division	Division I FBS
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference (1992–present)
Division	Atlantic Division (2005–2022)
Past conferences	Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1902–1904) Independent (1947, 1951–1991) Dixie Conference (1948–1950)
All-time record	588–287–18 (.669)
Bowl record	29–18–3 (.610)
Playoff appearances	1 (2014)
Playoff record	0–1
Claimed nat'l titles	3 (1993, 1999, 2013)
Unclaimed nat'l titles	6 (1980, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996)
National finalist	6 (1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013)
Conference titles	19 (1948, 1949, 1950, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2023)
Division titles	6 (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)
Rivalries	Florida (rivalry) Miami (rivalry) Clemson (rivalry) Virginia (rivalry)
Heisman winners	Charlie Ward – 1993 Chris Weinke – 2000 Jameis Winston – 2013
Consensus All-Americans	45
Colors	Garnet and Gold
Fight song	FSU Fight Song
Mascot	Osceola and Renegade
Marching band	Marching Chiefs
Outfitter	Nike
Website	Seminoles.com

The Florida State Seminoles football team plays for Florida State University (FSU) in the sport of American football. The Seminoles compete in the top level of college football, called the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). They are part of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team's current coach is Mike Norvell. They play their home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. This stadium is one of the largest in college football.

Florida State has won three national championships and nineteen conference titles. They have also won six division titles. The Seminoles have had three perfect seasons without any losses: in 1950, 1999, and 2013. From 1987 to 2000, they finished in the top four of the AP Poll for 14 years in a row. They also had 41 winning seasons in a row from 1977 to 2017. From 2012 to 2014, they won 29 games in a row, which is one of the longest winning streaks in college football history. The 1999 team is known as one of the best college football teams ever.

Three players from Florida State have won the Heisman Trophy. This award goes to the best player in college football. They are quarterbacks Charlie Ward (in 1993), Chris Weinke (in 2000), and Jameis Winston (in 2013). Many Seminoles players have become All-Americans or played professionally. Nine members of the team have been added to the College Football Hall of Fame. The Biletnikoff Award, which is for the best college receiver, is named after former FSU player Fred Biletnikoff. The Bobby Bowden Award is named after former FSU coach Bobby Bowden.

The Florida State Seminoles have one of the highest winning percentages in Division I FBS history. They have won over 500 games and had 26 seasons with ten or more wins. They have played in over 50 postseason bowl games. This ranks them fourth in the country for bowl wins.

Seminoles Football: A Look at Their Journey

The Florida State football program started in 1902. After a long break, they started playing again in 1947. That's when they got the 'Seminole' nickname. They joined the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 1992. Before that, they played as an independent team for many years.

Early Years of Florida State Football (1902–1975)

Florida State University's sports history began in 1902. Back then, Florida State College had a football team called "The Eleven." They played for three seasons, from 1902 to 1904. The players wore gold uniforms with a big purple 'F'. They had some padding and leather helmets.

W. W. Hughes, a professor, was the first coach. Their first game was against the Bainbridge Giants, which they won 5–0. They also played Florida Agricultural College, winning one game and losing another. In 1903, student excitement grew, and they played six games. They even played for a championship cup.

In 1904, Jack Forsythe became the coach. The team won the unofficial "state championship." But this was their last season for a while. A new law changed Florida's colleges. Florida State College became a school only for white women. Men had to go to a new university in Gainesville. Football didn't return to FSU until 1947.

After World War II, many veterans wanted to go to college. So, Florida State College for Women became Florida State University. Men could attend again, and football came back in 1947.

Coaches Don Veller and Tom Nugent led the Seminoles to success from 1948 to 1959. Ed Williamson was the first coach of the new Florida State Seminoles in 1947. His team had an 0–5 record. Don Veller coached for five years, with a record of 31–12–1. In 1950, Veller led the Seminoles to their first perfect season (8–0). Tom Nugent coached for six years, with a record of 34–28–1. He led FSU to their first win against an SEC opponent in 1958. Perry Moss coached for one year in 1959, with a 4–6 record.

When Bill Peterson became head coach in 1960, the Seminoles started to become nationally known. In 1964, they beat the Florida Gators for the first time. Peterson also led the team to their first top ten ranking. He even gave a young coach named Bobby Bowden his first big college coaching job. In October 1964, FSU was ranked number one after a big win over Kentucky. Peterson's team played in four bowl games between 1964 and 1968.

In 1967, Peterson started recruiting African American football players. J. T. Thomas became the first African American to play in a varsity game for the Seminoles in 1970.

After Peterson, the next two coaches, Larry Jones (1971–1973) and Darrell Mudra (1974–1975), had tough times. Jones had a 15–19 record, and Mudra had a 4–18 record.

The Bobby Bowden Era (1976–2009)

Under head coach Bobby Bowden, Florida State became one of the best teams in the country. Bowden came to FSU from West Virginia in 1976. The Seminoles played in five national championship games between 1993 and 2000. They won the championship twice, in 1993 and 1999.

FSU was the most successful college football team in the 1990s. They won 89% of their games. They also set an NCAA record by finishing in the Top 5 of the AP football poll for 14 years in a row (1987 to 2000). Under Bowden, FSU was the first college football team to be ranked number one from the start to the end of a season.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, the Seminoles had 14 straight seasons with 10 or more wins. They won 152 games, lost 19, and tied 1 during these years. Their accomplishments included eleven bowl wins, nine ACC championships, two Heisman Trophy winners, and two national championships.

Bobby Bowden retired after the 2010 Gator Bowl. He is honored with two awards named after him. Some of FSU's wins from 2006 and 2007 were later removed from the official record due to rule violations. This changed Bowden's career win total to 377.

Post-Bowden Years (2010–Present)

On January 5, 2010, Jimbo Fisher became the new head coach. He had been FSU's offensive coordinator. In his first year, Florida State won 10 games. They beat their rivals, Miami and Florida, for the first time since 1999. They also won the Chick-fil-A Bowl.

In 2012, Fisher led the Seminoles to their first conference title in seven years. In 2013, his team had a perfect 14–0 record and won a national championship. They came back to win against Auburn in the championship game. In 2014, FSU had another undefeated regular season. However, they lost to Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Fisher's teams won 10 or more games in six of his eight seasons.

Fisher left FSU in December 2017 to coach at Texas A&M. Defensive line coach Odell Haggins became the interim head coach. He led the team to a win, extending their bowl streak to an NCAA record 36 seasons.

Willie Taggart became head coach in December 2017. In his first season, the Seminoles had a losing record for the first time since 1976. They also missed a bowl game for the first time in 36 years. Taggart was fired in November 2019. Haggins again served as interim head coach.

On December 8, 2019, Mike Norvell became the new head coach. In 2021, the Seminoles lost to Jacksonville State. This was their first loss to a non-FBS team since 1959. In 2022, Norvell led the team to a 9–3 regular season record. They won the Cheez-It Bowl, finishing with ten wins for the first time in six years. In 2023, Norvell guided the Seminoles to a perfect regular season and a conference championship. However, the team was not chosen for the College Football Playoff. This made them the first undefeated Power 5 champions to be left out.

Conference History

Florida State started as an independent team. They were part of the Dixie Conference for three years. Then they became independent again. In 1992, they joined the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). They are still in the ACC today.

• Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1902–1904)
• Independent (1947)
• Dixie Conference (1948–1950)
• Independent (1951–1991)
• Atlantic Coast Conference (1992–present)
  • Atlantic Division (2005–2022)

Championship Wins

National Championships

Florida State has won three national championships. They claimed titles in 1993, 1999, and 2013. These were won after winning a postseason bowl game and being named the national champion by all major selectors.

Claimed National Championships

Year	Coach	Major Selectors	Record	Bowl	Final AP	Final Coaches
1993	Bobby Bowden	AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF	12–1	Won Orange (Bowl Coalition National Championship Game)	No. 1	No. 1
1999		BCS, AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF	12–0	Won Sugar (BCS National Championship Game)
2013	Jimbo Fisher		14–0	Won BCS National Championship Game

Unclaimed National Championships

Florida State has also been recognized as national champions in six other seasons by some selectors, but these are not officially claimed by the university.

Year	Coach	Major Selector	Record	Bowl	Opponent	Result	Final AP	Final Coaches
1980	Bobby Bowden	FACT	10–2	Orange	Oklahoma	L 17–18	No. 5	No. 5
1987	Bobby Bowden	Berryman	11–1	Fiesta	Nebraska	W 31–28	No. 2	No. 2
1989	Bobby Bowden	Billingsley Report	10–2	Fiesta	Nebraska	W 41–17	No. 3	No. 2
1992	Bobby Bowden	Sagarin	11–1	Orange	Nebraska	W 27–14	No. 2	No. 2
1994	Bobby Bowden	Dunkel	10–1–1	Sugar	Florida	W 23–17	No. 4	No. 5
1996	Bobby Bowden	Alderson System	11–1	Sugar	Florida	L 20–52	No. 3	No. 3

1993 National Championship Season

The Seminoles started 1993 ranked number one. They were led by quarterback Charlie Ward, who won the Heisman Trophy.

Florida State won their first nine games easily. Their only loss was a close 31–24 game against Notre Dame. Even with that loss, Florida State played for the national title. They beat Nebraska in the Orange Bowl with a field goal in the last seconds. This win gave FSU its first national title.

1999 National Championship Season

After losing the national title game in 1998, the Seminoles began the 1999 season ranked first.

Florida State had their second perfect season in school history. They were the first team ever to be ranked number one for an entire season. The Seminoles won their second national title by beating Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

2013 National Championship Season

After the 2012 season, FSU had many coaching changes. Despite this, Florida State became the highest-scoring team in FBS history. They scored 723 points in one season. This led them to their third national championship.

The 2013 Seminoles beat Clemson by a large score. They set a new attendance record at Doak Campbell Stadium against Miami. They also scored a school record of 80 points in a game. Freshman quarterback Jameis Winston led the team and won the Heisman Trophy that year.

Conference Championships

Season	Conference	Coach	Overall	Conference
1948	Dixie	Don Veller	7–1	4–0
1949			9–1	4–0
1950			8–0	2–0
1992	ACC	Bobby Bowden	11–1	8–0
1993			12–1	8–0
1994			10–1–1	8–0
1995†			10–2	7–1
1996			11–1	8–0
1997			11–1	8–0
1998†			11–2	7–1
1999			12–0	8–0
2000			11–2	8–0
2002			9–5	7–1
2003			10–3	7–1
2005			8–5	5–3
2012		Jimbo Fisher	12–2	7–1
2013			14–0	8–0
2014			13–1	8–0
2023		Mike Norvell	13–1	8–0

† Co-champions

Division Championships

Year	Division	Coach	Opponent	ACC CG Result
2005†	ACC Atlantic	Bobby Bowden	Virginia Tech	W 27–22
2008†			Lost tiebreaker to Boston College
2010		Jimbo Fisher	Virginia Tech	L 33–44
2012†			Georgia Tech	W 21–15
2013			Duke	W 45–7
2014			Georgia Tech	W 37–35

† Co-champions

Bowl Game Appearances

Florida State has played in 50 bowl games in its history. They have a record of 29 wins, 18 losses, and 3 ties. The Seminoles are one of the most successful bowl teams. They played in a record 36 consecutive bowl games from 1982 to 2017.

Season	Date	Bowl	Opponent	Result
2011	December 29, 2011	Champs Sports Bowl	Notre Dame	W 18–14
2012	January 1, 2013	Orange Bowl	Northern Illinois	W 31–10
2013	January 6, 2014	BCS National Championship Game	Auburn	W 34–31
2014	January 1, 2015	Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff)	Oregon	L 20–59
2015	December 31, 2015	Peach Bowl	Houston	L 24–38
2016	December 30, 2016	Orange Bowl	Michigan	W 33–32
2017	December 27, 2017	Independence Bowl	Southern Mississippi	W 42–13
2019	December 31, 2019	Sun Bowl	Arizona State	L 14–20
2022	December 29, 2022	Cheez-It Bowl	Oklahoma	W 35–32
2023	December 30, 2023	Orange Bowl	Georgia	L 3–63

Head Coaches of the Seminoles

Florida State has had 14 head coaches since 1902. Bobby Bowden coached for 34 years. He is the winningest coach in school history and is in the College Football Hall of Fame. Bobby Bowden won two national championships. Jimbo Fisher won one.

Tenure	Coach	Years	Record	Pct.	Bowl Games
1902–1903	W. W. Hughes	2	5–3–1	.611	0–0–1
1904	Jack Forsythe	1	2–3	.400
1947	Ed Williamson	1	0–5	.000
1948–1952	Don Veller	5	31–12–1	.716	1–0
1953–1958	Tom Nugent	6	34–28–1	.548	0–2
1959	Perry Moss	1	4–6	.400
1960–1970	Bill Peterson	11	62–42–11	.587	1–2–1
1971–1973	Larry Jones	3	15–19	.441	0–1
1974–1975	Darrell Mudra	2	4–18	.182
1976–2009	Bobby Bowden	34	304–97–4‡	.756	20–9–1‡
2010–2017	Jimbo Fisher	8	83–23	.783	5–2
2017, 2019	Odell Haggins†	2	4–2	.667	1–1
2018–2019	Willie Taggart	2	9–12	.429
2020–present	Mike Norvell	4	31–17	.646	1–1

† Interim head coach

‡ Bobby Bowden's record does not include 12 wins, including 1 bowl win, that were later removed from the official record.

Doak S. Campbell Stadium: Home of the Noles

The Florida State Seminoles first played at Centennial Field until 1950. Now, they play at Doak Campbell Stadium. This stadium can hold 79,560 fans. Florida State has a great record at Doak Campbell, winning 320 out of 429 games.

The stadium is named after former school president Doak Sheridan Campbell. The first game there was on October 7, 1950. FSU won 40–7. Back then, it held 15,000 people. Over the years, it grew to almost 83,000 seats. This was thanks to the team's success under coach Bobby Bowden. It is now the second-largest football stadium in the ACC.

The stadium has a brick design that matches other buildings on campus. University offices and colleges are also located around the stadium. The field was named Bobby Bowden Field on November 20, 2004. Florida State is known for having one of the best game day atmospheres.

Doak Campbell Stadium gives the Noles a big home field advantage. Florida State did not lose a home game from 1992 to 2001. That's 54 games! They have had 24 perfect seasons at home, with 22 of those at Doak Campbell. The largest crowd at the stadium was 84,431 fans. This happened during a game against Notre Dame in 2014.

Team Rivalries

The Seminoles have big rivalries with Florida and Miami. These games are some of the best in college football. A rivalry with Clemson has also grown. This is because both teams often compete for the Atlantic division title.

Florida Gators Rivalry

The Florida Gators are Florida State's main rival. They play each other every year at the end of the regular season. Florida has won 37 games, FSU has won 28, and they have tied twice. Since Bobby Bowden became coach in 1976, FSU has a record of 26–22–1 against Florida. The game switches between Florida's stadium in Gainesville and Florida State's stadium in Tallahassee.

Miami Hurricanes Rivalry

The rivalry with the Miami Hurricanes started in 1951. Miami won that first game. The teams have played every year since 1966. Miami leads the series 35–33 as of 2023.

In the 1980s and 90s, this became one of the top rivalries in college football. Between 1983 and 2013, Miami and FSU won 8 national championships together. They also played in 15 national championship games. Many future NFL players were on the field in these games. The 1987 game had over 50 future NFL players!

These games are very popular on TV. The 1994 game between Miami and FSU was one of the most-watched college football games ever on ESPN.

Florida Cup

The Florida Cup is a special trophy. It goes to the winner of the round-robin competition between Florida State, Florida, and Miami. It was created in 2002. The Florida Cup was given to Florida State in 2013.

Clemson Tigers Rivalry

Florida State also has a rivalry with the Clemson Tigers. Florida State leads the series 21–15. FSU was dominant in the 1990s. In 1999, Bobby Bowden's son, Tommy, became Clemson's coach. Their games were called the "Bowden Bowl." Bobby won 5 of the 9 games they played.

Before FSU joined the ACC in 1992, Clemson had won many ACC titles. But after FSU joined, they won the next 9 ACC Championships in a row.

Virginia Cavaliers Rivalry

The Seminoles also have a rivalry with the Virginia Cavaliers. They play for the Jefferson–Eppes Trophy. FSU has won the trophy 14 times. The Seminoles lead the all-time series 14–4. Because of conference changes, the teams do not play every year anymore.

Memorable Games

• 1950 – First Game at Doak: Florida State played its first game at Doak Campbell Stadium. They beat Randolph-Macon College 40–7.
• 1964 – FSU's First Win Over UF: Florida State had never beaten Florida before. FSU's strong defense forced five fumbles. Quarterback Steve Tensi threw for 190 yards. FSU won 16–7, ending years of frustration against the Gators.
• 1988 – Puntrooskie: At Clemson, FSU was on 4th down. They lined up to punt, but the ball was snapped to a player who handed it to Leroy Butler. He ran almost the whole field! FSU then kicked a field goal to win 24–21.
• 1991 – Big Win at the Big House: In their first trip to Michigan Stadium, Florida State beat No. 3 Michigan 51–31. Quarterback Casey Weldon and running back Amp Lee led the offense.
• 1993 – Ward to Dunn: FSU was ranked No. 1 and playing for the national championship. Florida was also highly ranked. FSU led 27–7 in the fourth quarter. Florida scored two quick touchdowns. With six minutes left, Charlie Ward threw a 79-yard touchdown pass to Warrick Dunn. This sealed FSU's 33–21 win.
• 1994 – FSU Wins First National Championship: FSU, ranked No. 1, played undefeated Nebraska, ranked No. 2, in the Orange Bowl. FSU led 18–16 late in the game. Nebraska missed a field goal in the final second. FSU won its first national title!
• 1994 – The Choke at Doak: Florida led FSU 31–3 after three quarters. But the Seminoles scored 28 points in the last 15 minutes to tie the game 31–31.
• 1995 – The Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter: After the tie, both teams played in the Sugar Bowl. FSU won 23–17.
• 1996 – No. 1 vs No. 2: The No. 1 Florida Gators played the No. 2 Seminoles. FSU started strong with a blocked punt for a touchdown. FSU held on to win 24–21.
• 1999 – FSU Wins Second National Championship: Florida State scored early against Virginia Tech. FSU led 28–14 at halftime. Virginia Tech came back to lead 29–28 in the third quarter. But FSU scored again in the fourth, winning 46–29. This gave FSU its second national championship.
• 2005 – The Miami Muff: Miami missed a game-tying field goal late in the game. The ball was mishandled, and FSU won 10–7. This ended Miami's six-game winning streak against FSU.
• 2005 – FSU Wins Inaugural ACC Championship Game: The Seminoles defeated Virginia Tech in the first-ever ACC Championship Game.
• 2010 – The Golden Toe: Dustin Hopkins kicked a 55-yard field goal as time ran out. This gave FSU a 16–13 victory over Clemson. It was the first game-winning kick like that in school history.
• 2013 – Top Five Matchup in Death Valley: In a game between two top-five teams, Florida State gave Clemson their worst home loss ever.
• 2014 – FSU Wins Third National Championship: Auburn led FSU 21–3. FSU came back, scoring a touchdown and a field goal. Levonte Whitfield returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. Auburn scored late, but FSU scored with 13 seconds left to win 34–31.
• 2016 – The Block at The Rock: Against rival Miami, FSU led by one point. Miami scored a touchdown, but DeMarcus Walker blocked the extra point. FSU won 20–19.
• 2021 – 4th and 14: FSU led Miami early. Miami came back to lead 28–20. FSU quarterback Jordan Travis made a big pass on 4th and 14. He then ran for a touchdown and a two-point conversion. FSU won 31–28 with 26 seconds left.

Individual Player Achievements

National Award Winners

Players

Heisman Trophy Best Player	Maxwell Award Best Player	Walter Camp Award Best Player	Chic Harley Award Best Player	Archie Griffin Award Most Valuable Player	AP Player of the Year
1993 – Charlie Ward, QB 2000 – Chris Weinke, QB 2013 – Jameis Winston, QB	1993 – Charlie Ward, QB	1993 – Charlie Ward,QB 2013 – Jameis Winston, QB	1993 – Charlie Ward, QB	2013 – Jameis Winston, QB	2013 – Jameis Winston, QB

Davey O'Brien Award Best Quarterback	Manning Award Best Quarterback	Kellen Moore Award Best Quarterback	Johhny Unitas Award Best Senior Quarterback	Sammy Baugh Trophy Best Passer	Jim Brown Award Best Runningback	Paul Warfield Award Best Wide Receiver	John Mackey Award Best Tight End	Dave Remington Trophy Best Center
1993 – Charlie Ward 2000 – Chris Weinke 2013 – Jameis Winston	2013 – Jameis Winston	1991 – Casey Weldon 1993 – Charlie Ward	1991 – Casey Weldon 1993 – Charlie Ward 2000 – Chris Weinke	2000 – Chris Weinke	2015 – Dalvin Cook	1999 – Peter Warrick	2014 – Nick O'Leary	2013 – Bryan Stork

Jim Thorpe Award Best Defensive Back	Jack Tatum Trophy Best Defensive Back	Lombardi Award Best Lineman/Best Linebacker	Bill Willis Trophy Best Defensive Lineman	Butkus Award Best Linebacker	Jack Lambert Trophy Best Linebacker
1988 – Deion Sanders 1991 – Terrell Buckley	1991 – Terrell Buckley 2016 – Tarvarus McFadden	1992 – Marvin Jones 2000 – Jamal Reynolds	1997 – Andre Wadsworth 2000 – Jamal Reynolds	1987 – Paul McGowan 1992 – Marvin Jones	1992 – Marvin Jones 1994 – Derrick Brooks

Lou Groza Award Best Kicker	Vlade Award Most Accurate Kicker
1998, 1999 – Sebastian Janikowski 2008 – Graham Gano 2013 – Roberto Aguayo	2013, 2014 – Roberto Aguayo

Bobby Bowden Award Best Student Athlete
2010 – Christian Ponder

Wuerffel Trophy Community Service, Athletic, and Academic Achievement
2022 – Dillan Gibbons

Coaches

Bobby Dodd Award Coach of the Year	Walter Camp Award Coach of the Year	Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Coach of the Year	Home Depot Award Coach of the Year
1980 – Bobby Bowden 2023 – Mike Norvell	1991 – Bobby Bowden	2023 – Mike Norvell	1994 – Bobby Bowden

Broyles Award Best Assistant Coach
1996 – Mickey Andrews, DC

Paul "Bear" Bryant 'Lifetime Achievement' Award Lifetime Achievement	Bobby Bowden Award Lifetime Achievement
2010 – Bobby Bowden	2011 – Bobby Bowden

Heisman Trophy Winners

Three Florida State players have won the Heisman Trophy. This award goes to the best player in college football. Charlie Ward won in 1993, Chris Weinke in 2000, and Jameis Winston in 2013.

Year	Name	Position	Place	Ref.
1967	Kim Hammond	QB	5th
1979	Ron Simmons	DT	9th
1984	Greg Allen	RB	7th
1988	Deion Sanders	DB	8th
1991	Casey Weldon	QB	2nd
1992	Marvin Jones Charlie Ward	LB QB	4th 6th
1993	Charlie Ward	QB	1st
1995	Warrick Dunn	RB	9th
1996	Warrick Dunn	RB	5th
1999	Peter Warrick	WR	6th
2000	Chris Weinke	QB	1st
2013	Jameis Winston	QB	1st
2014	Jameis Winston	QB	6th
2015	Dalvin Cook	RB	7th
2016	Dalvin Cook	RB	T-10th
2023	Jordan Travis	QB	5th

All-Americans from FSU

Many Florida State players have been named All-Americans. 38 have been "consensus" All-Americans, meaning most major selectors agreed they were the best. Seven FSU players have been two-time consensus All-Americans.

Year(s)	Name	Number	Position
1964	Fred Biletnikoff	25	WR
1967–1968	Ron Sellers	34	WR
1979–1980	Ron Simmons	51	DL
1983	Greg Allen	26	RB
1985	Jamie Dukes	64	OL
1987–1988	Deion Sanders	2	CB
1989	LeRoy Butler	6	CB
1991–1992	Marvin Jones	55	LB
1991	Terrell Buckley	27	CB
1993	Charlie Ward	17	QB
1993–1994	Derrick Brooks	10	LB
1993	Corey Sawyer	8	CB
1994	Clifton Abraham	2	CB
1995	Clay Shiver	53	C
1996	Peter Boulware	58	DE
1996	Reinard Wilson	55	DE
1997	Sam Cowart	1	LB
1997	Andre Wadsworth	85	DE
1998–1999	Sebastian Janikowski	38	K
1998–1999	Peter Warrick	9	WR
1999	Corey Simon	53	DL
1999	Jason Whitaker	68	OL
2000	Tay Cody	27	CB
2000	Snoop Minnis	13	WR
2000	Jamal Reynolds	58	DE
2003–2004	Alex Barron	70	OL
2010	Rodney Hudson	62	OL
2011	Shawn Powell	45	P
2012	Björn Werner	95	DL
2013	Lamarcus Joyner	20	S
2013	Bryan Stork	52	C
2013	Jameis Winston	5	QB
2014	Roberto Aguayo	19	K
2014	Tre' Jackson	54	OL
2014	Nick O'Leary	35	TE
2015	Jalen Ramsey	8	CB
2016	Dalvin Cook	4	RB
2016	DeMarcus Walker	44	DE

Unanimous All-Americans

15 Florida State players have been chosen as unanimous All-Americans. This means all major selectors agreed they were the best. Deion Sanders is the only Seminole to be a two-time unanimous selection.

Year(s)	Name	Number	Position
1987–1988	Deion Sanders	2	CB
1991	Terrell Buckley	27	CB
1992	Marvin Jones	55	LB
1993	Charlie Ward	17	QB
1993	Derrick Brooks	10	LB
1999	Sebastian Janikowski	38	K
1999	Peter Warrick	9	WR
2000	Jamal Reynolds	58	DE
2004	Alex Barron	70	OL
2010	Rodney Hudson	62	OL
2012	Björn Werner	95	DL
2013	Lamarcus Joyner	20	S
2014	Tre' Jackson	54	OL
2016	Dalvin Cook	4	RB

Honored Jersey Numbers

Florida State honors the jersey numbers of twelve great players. This means their numbers are special and often retired.

No.	Name	Position	Career	Ref.
2	Deion Sanders	CB	1985–88
5	Jameis Winston	QB	2012-2014
9	Peter Warrick	WR	1995–1999
10	Derrick Brooks	LB	1991–1994
16	Chris Weinke	QB	1997–2000
17	Charlie Ward	QB	1989–1993
25	Fred Biletnikoff	WR	1962–1964
27	Terrell Buckley	CB	1989–1991
28	Warrick Dunn	RB	1993–1996
34	Ron Sellers	WR	1966–1968
50	Ron Simmons	DT	1977–1980
55	Marvin Jones	LB	1990–1992

Hall of Fame Inductees

College Football Hall of Fame

Nine FSU players and two coaches are in the College Football Hall of Fame. One former player, Mack Brown, is also in the Hall as a coach.

Name	Position	Career	Inducted	Ref.
Ron Sellers	WR	1966–1968	1988
Fred Biletnikoff	WR	1962–1964	1991
Darrell Mudra	Coach	1974–1975	2000
Bobby Bowden	Coach	1976–2009	2006
Charlie Ward	QB	1989, 1991–1993	2006
Ron Simmons	DT	1977–1980	2009
Deion Sanders	CB	1985–1988	2011
Derrick Brooks	LB	1992–1994	2016
Terrell Buckley	CB	1989–1991	2019
Marvin Jones	LB	1990–1992	2022
Warrick Dunn	RB	1993–1996	2024

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Five former Seminoles have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is for players who had amazing careers in the NFL.

Name	Position	Career	Inducted
Fred Biletnikoff	WR	1965–1978	1988
Deion Sanders	CB	1989–2000, 2004–2005	2011
Derrick Brooks	LB	1995–2008	2014
Walter Jones	OL	1997–2008	2014
LeRoy Butler	S	1990–2001	2022

Team Traditions

Florida State has many special traditions for its sports, especially football. These include their mascots, the planting of the spear, the fight song, the War Chant, and the Sod Cemetery. The team's uniforms have Native American symbols. Fans of the Seminoles are called The Tribe.

Osceola and Renegade

Osceola and Renegade are the official symbols of the Florida State Seminoles. Before every home football game, a student dressed as the Seminole leader Osceola rides a horse named Renegade. They charge down the field and throw a burning spear into the ground. The Seminole Tribe of Florida officially supports FSU using the Seminole nickname and Osceola symbol.

Marching Chiefs Band

The Marching Chiefs is Florida State's official marching band. They play at every home game and some away games. They also perform at championship and bowl games.

War Chant and Tomahawk Chop

The Seminole War Chant was first used in a 1984 game. It started with the percussion section of the Marching Chiefs band. The chant is also linked to the tomahawk chop, a hand motion.

The War Chant was later adopted by the Atlanta Braves baseball team. This happened when former FSU football player Deion Sanders joined the team. It is also used by the NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sod Cemetery: A Symbol of Victory

Florida State's Sod Cemetery is a special part of its history. When FSU wins a tough away game, a piece of grass from that field is brought back. It is then buried in the cemetery. This cemetery honors those important victories. There are 111 pieces of sod there.

The tradition started in 1962. A professor challenged the team to bring back sod from Georgia's field. FSU won the game, and a piece of grass was buried. This created the tradition of the "sod game."

Before away games where FSU is the underdog, or against Florida, or in championship games, the team captains explain this tradition. If they win, the captains bring back a piece of the opponent's turf. It is then buried in the Sod Cemetery at the practice field.

Famous Former Players

• Lee Corso – Retired college football coach and TV analyst.
• Burt Reynolds – Famous actor. A song from his movie Smokey and the Bandit is played at home games as a tribute.
• Ron Simmons – Former professional wrestler.
• Mack Brown – Head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
• Deion Sanders – Hall of Fame NFL player and coach. He is the only person to play in both the World Series and Super Bowl.
• Robert Urich - Actor and television producer.

Seminoles in the NFL

Florida State has sent many players to the National Football League (NFL). Since 1951, 304 Seminoles have played in the NFL. 47 of them were first-round draft picks. FSU has had a player drafted every year since 1984. Jameis Winston was the highest drafted Seminole, chosen first overall in 2015.

74 former players have played in the Super Bowl. Two of them, Fred Biletnikoff and Dexter Jackson, were named Super Bowl MVPs. Three former Seminoles have won the Walter Payton Award. This award recognizes players for their community service.

Future Opponents

Conference Games

Florida State will always play Clemson and Miami in conference games.

Permanent Conference Opponents
Clemson
Miami

Non-Conference Games

Florida State and Florida must play each other every year.

2024	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030
Memphis	Alabama	at Alabama	Georgia	at Georgia	Notre Dame	at Notre Dame
at Notre Dame	Kent State	Notre Dame
Charleston Southern	Texas A&M–Commerce
Florida	at Florida	Florida	at Florida	Florida	at Florida	Florida

Images for kids

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  Florida State has had a football team since the 1890s.

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  Florida State College football in 1902.

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  Florida State College football in 1904.

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  The first Florida State University football team.

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  Under Peterson, the Seminoles defeated the Gators for the first time.

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  Darrell Mudra was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

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  Bowden is credited with Florida State's rise to prominence.

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  Coach Fisher led the Seminoles to the 2013 national title.

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  Florida State's 1993 and 1999 national championship trophies.

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  Florida State's 2013 national championship trophy.

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  During the 2013 season, quarterback Jameis Winston became the third Florida State player to win the Heisman.

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  ACC Title trophies.

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  Florida State has appeared in the ACC Championship Game on six occasions, winning five times.

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  FSU in the 1967 Gator Bowl vs. Penn State.

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  Bobby Bowden is the winningest coach in school history.

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  Doak Campbell Stadium has a current capacity of 79,560.

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  Doak Campbell Stadium hosted its first game in 1950.

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  Florida State and Florida have played each year since 1958.

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  The Seminoles and Gators have met as ranked opponents on twenty-four occasions.

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  Florida State and Miami first met in 1951 and have played each year since 1966.

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  The Seminoles and Hurricanes have met as ranked opponents on twenty-six occasions.

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  Bill Peterson coached the Seminoles to their first win over the Gators in the rivalry.

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  The Noles and Tigers competed for the Atlantic division title.

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  Charlie Ward, Heisman Trophy winner.

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  Chris Weinke, Heisman Trophy winner.

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  Jameis Winston, Heisman Trophy winner.

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  The Biletnikoff Award is named in honor of FSU All-American wide receiver Fred Biletnikoff.

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  Running back Dalvin Cook is one of fifteen Seminoles to have been named unanimous All-American players.

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  Deion Sanders is one of twelve Seminoles whose numbers have been honored by the school.

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  Ron Sellers was the first Seminole player to be inducted into the hall of fame.

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  The spear design has been used on FSU's helmets since 1976.

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  Osceola and Renegade were introduced in the 1978 season.

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  The Marching Chiefs were formed in 1949.

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  The Marching Chiefs are one of the world's largest college marching bands.

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  Florida State Football's Sod Cemetery is the final resting place for over 100 Sod Games.

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  Ron Simmons was a defensive tackle for the Seminoles before going on to have a career in the WWE.

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  Former Florida State running back Warrick Dunn is one of three Seminoles to have received the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.