Best FSU Football bowl game for December 22nd: 1984 Citrus

FSU football isn’t playing in a bowl game this season, so we’re taking a look back at some of the best postseason games for the Seminoles by date.

During the dynasty era of the FSU football program, fans of the Seminoles got used to playing on New Years Day or a couple after in either one of the big name bowls or playing for a national title. What some in garnet and gold don’t remember is that there was a time when the Noles were among the first teams to play their bowl game each year.

In the first 14 bowl games the Seminoles were in, FSU football played eight of them before New Years Day and four of those were even played before Christmas Day. That trend continued with the 15th bowl game in program history when the Noles headed back to Orlando for the second time in eight seasons – but with a whole new name to their game.

Here’s a look at the best FSU football bowl game the program has played on December 22nd.

1984 Citrus Bowl – Florida State 17 Georgia 17

To say that both teams were in a slump entering this game would be an understatement as both the Bulldogs and Seminoles lost six of their final 10 games to limp into this pre -Christmas affair in Central Florida (ironically, both teams lost to Auburn and Florida during that slump).

From the start of the game, FSU football seemed like they were destined for another loss on the season as Georgia exploded early for two touchdowns in the second quarter and were able to keep the Seminoles’ offense from doing anything to move the ball, forcing two interceptions and holding the Noles scoreless in the first half for the first time in nine seasons.

But, a funny thing happened on the way to the funeral as the Seminoles did just enough in the second half – getting a field goal in the third quarter and scoring a touchdown to start the fourth to get within one score. After Georgia kicked a field goal to go up eight, the special teams won the game with Joe Wessel recovering a blocked punt and going into the end zone.

A two point conversion tied the game, but the Bulldogs would not go quietly as kicker Kevin Butler – one of the better legs in the game at that time – attempted a 71 yard field goal that came within yards of being good but was just short enough to let each team walk off with the tie.

It was just the second time in FSU football program history that the Noles had two ties in a season – in 1967 when they tied No. 2 Alabama and later Penn State in the Gator Bowl – as the Seminoles would only have two more ties (1986 vs. UNC and 1994 vs. Florida) before they were outlawed in the 1996 season.