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FSU Football: Noles can tie major record with winning season in 2018

By Jason Parker

GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 25: Jacques Patrick #9 of the Florida State Seminoles is tackled by Chauncey Gardner Jr. #23 of the Florida Gators during the first half of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 25: Jacques Patrick #9 of the Florida State Seminoles is tackled by Chauncey Gardner Jr. #23 of the Florida Gators during the first half of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
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FSU football hasn’t had a non-winning record in a season in over four decades – and one more year of that will tie a longstanding record in the sport.

If you are an FSU football fan who was born after November 21, 1976 you have been  a part of one lucky group. Even with three straight wins to end the 1976 season including on November 20th against Virginia Tech, the Seminoles ended the year with a 5-6 record in the first season under new head coach Bobby Bowden.

It would be the last losing season as not only have the Seminoles avoid being under .500 each of the 41 seasons since, but they have even avoided being just at .500 on the year. That’s right – those of us FSU football supporters who were born after that date nearly 42 years ago haven’t known the sour taste of a season .500 or worse and we want to keep it that way.

It’s a streak that is currently the longest active streak in all the major levels of college football, both the FBS and FCS and even Division II. While the longest streak of non-losing seasons in FBS history belongs to Penn State from 1939 until 1987, there is something interesting about that streak (h/t Bleacher Report from 2015)

"The only thing holding Penn State back from besting Notre Dame’s record of 42 consecutive winning seasons (1889-1932) is its back-to-back 5-5 finishes in 1965-66."

Wait a minute there, folks. If the record for winning seasons is just 42, then the Seminoles can tie that mark from nearly a century ago with a winning campaign in 2018 under first year head coach Willie Taggart.

As a matter of fact, FSU football is currently tied for the third most consecutive winning seasons in college football history by any program at any level with that powerhouse from back in the day…the Princeton Tigers from 1876 to 1916.

In addition to being tied with the Fighting Irish if the Noles can have another winning campaign, 42 winning seasons would also tie the Noles with the 1881-1923 Harvard Crimson and the 1961-2002 Central (Iowa) Dutch from Division III.

The all-time record holders? The Division III Linfield Wildcats, who have had a winning season for the last 62 seasons and counting. That’s right – there is not a team in the top divisions of the NCAA or one who has played in the last eight decades that can top what the Seminoles have done.

Let that sink in for just one second – the Seminoles are one of just three current FBS teams to have ever gotten to 40 straight winning seasons along with Notre Dame and 1962-2001 Nebraska (only two other teams, 1911-1950 Alabama and 1980-2012 Florida have gotten to 30 wins).

Next: Top 5 leaders to emerge for FSU in 2018 season

We are witnessing history, fellow FSU football fans. There will come a day sometime in the future where the Seminoles might suffer a .500 season or worse – but for now, the streak looks like it will continue and become one that future teams will aspire to reach.

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