Ranking FSU Football’s Five Best Non-National Title Bowl Wins
By Jason Parker
No. 1 – 1988 Fiesta Bowl (FSU 31 Nebraska 28)
For the first time since back to back losses in the Orange Bowl following the 1979 and 1980 seasons, FSU football was back on New Year’s Day for their bowl game…and they made for quite a dramatic performance in their return to the bowl game spotlight.
Facing a Nebraska team for the first time not in Lincoln, NE, the schools exchanged the lead multiple times. The Cornhuskers jumped out to a 14-0 lead, to which the Seminoles responded with 21 second quarter points. Nebraska scored 14 more points in the third quarter and held a four point lead going into the games final minutes.
With less than seven minutes to go, Nebraska had the ball on the two yard line and was going for the clinching touchdown when the FSU defense forced a fumble and took over on the three yard line. Quarterback Danny McManus, in his final game with the ‘Noles, led the offense on a 97 yard drive that was finished off by a 15 yard touchdown pass to Ronald Lewis.
The comeback win put the Seminoles at No. 2 in the final polls with an 11-1 record. It would also start a tradition of FSU football being back in big time bowls (FSU would play in the Fiesta, Sugar, Orange or Cotton Bowls in 15 of the next 18 seasons).