The most recent College Football GameDay flashback takes us back to a time when FSU vs. Florida meant something. From 1993 to 2000, the Sunshine Showdown directly affected the national game. But 1996 was the year when it all came together at Doak Campbell Stadium. It was No. 1 vs. No. 2 and it was the game that everybody was talking about.
Right now things are rough. FSU has a coach the fans don't want and Florida is likely going to watch the coach they want choose LSU instead. So as you enjoy your Thanksgiving feast, remember the times when the Seminoles vs. Gators mattered.
The backstory
The Gators were a motivated bunch in 1996. They were coming off of being absolutely dog walked by Nebraska in the previous year's national championship game 62-24. Florida was 10-0 and had been ranked No. 1 since late September. And they wrecked teams. During a three-game span in October the Gators beat LSU 56-13, Auburn 51-10 and Georgia 47-7.
FSU was also 10-0, but it wasn't the fast break offense that Charlie Ward and Danny Kanell had. The Seminoles relied more on Warrick Dunn in the run game and a defensive line that featured three All-Americans -- Reinard Wison, Peter Boulware and Andre Wadsworth. The latter two would be ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997 respectively. Despite not having as explosive a pass game under first-year starter Thad Busby, FSU came into the Sunshine Showdown on a hot streak, outscoring its four previous opponents 195-34.
The teams
Give the devil its due, the Gators were loaded. Danny Wuerffel was going to win the Heisman. The offense had Fred Taylor, Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard and Jacquez Green. The defense had Fred Weary, Johnny Rutledge, Ed Chester. They were some dogs. But FSU's defensive line was the best in school history (and still is as far I'm concerned) because beyond the top three guys you had Corey Simon and Greg Spires. It was nuts. On the back end there was Samari Rolle and Mario Edwards. Lamont Green was at linebacker. The offense had great receivers. Peter Warrick, Andre Cooper and E.G. Green are legends.
The game
What a day at Doak Campbell Stadium! No. 1 vs. No. 2. Bowden vs. Spurrier. From 1994-2000 was the absolute peak of FSU-Florida. And what's with Lee Corso picking the Gators? Unbelievable. Anyway FSU got out hot with Dunn running the ball, the defensive line getting to Wuerffel and some big plays on special teams. The Seminoles were 17-0 after the first, but the Gators pulled it to 17-14 at halftime. From there it was a war on the trenches, with both defenses taking over. Finally Busby put together the best drive of the game and Pooh Bear Williams scored midway through the fourth quarter for a 24-14 lead. The Gators got the touchdown back with 1:20 remaining, but did not get the onside kick. FSU was No. 1 and the crowd rushed the field -- first I had ever seen it at Doak. Dunn had 185 rushing yards in a clutch performance. The Gators racked up nearly 500 yards but Wuerffel was sacked seven times and that proved to be the difference.
The aftermath
In a perfect world, FSU would've played Nebraska in the Orange Bowl for the national title, but Texas came out of nowhere to upset the Cornhuskers and that meant the Gators got a second shot in the Sugar Bowl. We don't have to talk about that game. Dunn had the flu and could barely play and it was just four hours of torture. But the real aftermath was that college football was going to be centered around Tallahassee and Gainesville for the second half of the 1990s. If you wanted to win a title, you had to go through the Seminoles or the Gators. It's a far cry from the situations that both programs face currently.