MsNole
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Quote:Unbeaten Florida State Looks to Get Defensive Against Virginia
Fourth-ranked Seminoles are looking to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1999.
Oct. 11, 2005
Unbeaten Florida State is pleased with the way its offense is coming together, but a little concerned after a shaky outing from its defense.
The fourth-ranked Seminoles try for a more balanced effort as they visit ACC rival Virginia on Saturday.
Florida State (5-0, 3-0 ACC) beat Wake Forest 41-24 on Saturday, but not before the lightly regarded Demon Deacons closed within 20-17 late in the third quarter. The Seminoles scored three times in the final period to pull away.
"I was concerned it was slipping away from us," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. "I was very concerned."
True freshman Greg Carr caught a 63-yard pass to set up the first of those fourth quarter scores. The 6-foot-6 wide receiver, who was named the ACC's rookie of the week, had three catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Weatherford went 20-of-31 for a career-high 351 yards with four touchdowns, one on a rush, in his first turnover-free performance.
"Can you imagine what we'd do if (Weatherford) wasn't very good? Can you imagine where we'd be sitting right now?" Bowden said. "Every time you win one, well, you say, 'he's ready for another."'
The Seminoles got touchdowns from four freshman in the win and totaled 587 yards - their most against a Division I-A opponent since picking up 771 against Clemson in 2000.
"We're not maxed out," said Bowden, who hiked his career-best victory total to 356. "The best is still ahead of us."
However, the Deacons piled up 415 yards, and Wake Forest running back Chris Barclay had 125 yards against a rush defense that was ranked sixth nationally coming into the game.
The defense is also struggling with injuries. Defensive end Darrell Burston will likely miss a second straight week with an injured shoulder, and Anthony Kelly, another reserve, is nursing an injured hip. Bowden said Tuesday he wasn't sure if cornerback Trevor Ford would recover from a neck injury in time for the game.
The Seminoles also lost guard Matt Meinrod, perhaps their best offensive lineman, for the season after he broke his left leg against the Deacons. Bowden named John Frady as his replacement Monday.
The Seminoles are looking to improve to 6-0 for the first time since 1999, when they went 12-0 and won the national championship. Florida State, which is playing on the road for just the second time, plays four of its last six games away from home.
The Seminoles are 99-8 since joining the conference in 1992 and can become the fastest team to win 100 ACC games.
Virginia (3-2, 1-2) lost its second straight game Saturday, falling 28-17 to No. 14 Boston College. Marques Hagans went 21-of-35 for 195 yards and two touchdowns for the Cavaliers, who have not lost three in a row since 2001 - Al Groh's first season as coach.
"I would say in the last 12 minutes, we had the opportunity to make some plays and BC had the opportunity to make some plays," Groh said. "The game hinged on their ability to make those plays and the fact that we did not."
Offensive lineman Brad Butler was suspended for one week after he was caught cut blocking Mathias Kiwanuka after a play had ended. Outside linebacker Jermaine Dias will miss his third consecutive game because of an injury, and cornerback Chris Cook had surgery Monday to repair a broken leg and will likely miss the rest of the regular season.
Saturday's game comes on the 10th anniversary of Florida State's first ACC loss after 29 straight wins, a 33-28 defeat to Virginia. The Cavaliers will honor that team, which won the ACC championship, at halftime.
Florida State leads the all-time series 12-1, including the last nine in a row.
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10-13-2005 11:42 PM |
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BeliefBlazer
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Posts: 13,806
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I Root For: UAB
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Quote:the last nine in a row.
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10-13-2005 11:47 PM |
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Yawhooos
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It was a HELLUVA game !!!
I meet some really cool Nole fans they were a class act !!!
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10-16-2005 11:31 PM |
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MsNole
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Congratulations on your win Saturday night. Your QB is the TOPS - Bowden said between Hagans doing his "Vick" like QBing and all the penalties we got, no wonder we lost. Wonder if this will happen every 10 years or what :eek:
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10-18-2005 10:26 AM |
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