10/14/2023 football Edit

Memories of garnet and gold: FSU's 1993 national champions

Members of the 1993 FSU national championship team gather for a reunion on Friday night. (Patrick Burnham)

Jim Joanos

Special to the Osceola

There is an important reunion this weekend. It has been 30 years since FSU won its first football national championship and a large number of the members of that team will be here to celebrate that memory together.

Beginning with the 1987 season, FSU’s football team began knocking on the door of a national championship. Each year, FSU had suffered only one or two losses preventing a shot at the title. Although throughout that time period, FSU had each year finished among the top teams in the country, there had developed a scary feeling that FSU could never win a national championship. It seemed that FSU was destined to be a “bridesmaid but never a bride.”

The season began with a 42-0 rout by FSU over Kansas in a game billed as a “Kickoff Classic” and played in Rutherford, N.J., just over the state line from New York City. FSU had a great day on offense but what is remembered the most about that game is a goal-line stand that FSU accomplished when it stopped Kansas on six consecutive plays within five yards of the goal line.

FSU’s Fast Break Offense, led by quarterback Charlie Ward, and its sturdy defense had little trouble in defeating its next four opponents, at Duke 45-7, home vs. Clemson 57-0, at North Carolina 33-7, and home vs. Georgia Tech, 51-0.

FSU’s old nemesis, Miami, was next. While FSU was pressed more than in any of its previous games that season, a solid victory was obtained, 28-10. Very important in FSU’s victory were several big plays. They included a 69-yard touchdown run by FSU’s Sean Jackson, a 72-yard touchdown pass from Ward to wide receiver Matt Frier, and a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown by defensive back Devin Bush.

The Seminoles won their next three games easily, at home vs. Virginia 40-14, and Wake Forest 54-0, and at Maryland, 49-20. Next on the schedule was at Notre Dame. Journalists called it the “Game of the Century,” pitting two undefeated teams against each other: No. 1 FSU and No. 2 Notre Dame. The stadium was packed and the television audience set records. They must have oversold tickets as there were folks standing in front of us making it difficult to see the game.

FSU scored first on a touchdown pass from quarterback Charlie Ward to Kevin Knox. Notre Dame came right back and scored three touchdowns to lead 21-7 at halftime. FSU fought back and outscored the Irish 17-10 in the second half but it was not enough. In the last few minutes of the game, FSU moved the ball down the field but time ran out as on the final play of the game a Ward pass was knocked down in the Notre Dame end zone leaving the score as Notre Dame, 31-24. The national audience loved the game because of the outstanding play by both teams. For FSU fans, however, it seemed like it would be another “close but no cigar” season.

Not so fast! The following week Boston College upset Notre Dame 41-39 on a field goal at the end of the game. We were on the way to FSU’s home game against North Carolina State, listening to the radio, when we got the good news. Arriving at Campbell Stadium, we joined a joyous crowd of fans celebrating. FSU was given another chance to win it all. As to that game, FSU totally dominated NC State 62-3.

The last game of the regular season was at Florida. FSU took the lead early and at the end of the third quarter, led 27-7. But the Gators fought back and scored two touchdowns and it seemed that FSU’s offense had run out of steam. However, on a play that ranks up there with the most important ones in FSU football history, FSU put the game away. Charlie Ward lofted a pass into the flat where Warrick Dunn caught it and ran 79 yards for the touchdown that sealed the victory, 33-21.

Thus, ended an 11-1 regular season. As a result, FSU was ranked No. 2 in the country and was matched up to play No. 1 Nebraska, in the Orange Bowl for the national championship on New Year’s Day. The game garnered additional interest as FSU’s Charlie Ward in December was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the “best player in the country.”

Most of FSU's 1993 assistant coaches returned for reunion weekend. (Patrick Burnham)

We got to Miami a couple of days before the game and participated in some of the activities. There were pep rallies, dinners and lots of parties. We stayed at the same hotel as the team, which was a mad house. The lobby was almost always filled with journalists, fans and folks that wanted to be a part of the excitement. When an FSU player went through, he was almost attacked. It was especially a big problem when Charlie Ward would be there. After a few such incidents Ward’s parents shielded him by having him go up to his room by way of the back stairs and avoid the lobby.

The game was not what was expected. Both teams built resumes with high scoring offenses during the regular season. But this game was about defense. Neither team scored until the second quarter in which FSU’s Scott Bentley kicked two field goals, one before and one after a Nebraska touchdown so that FSU trailed 7-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter FSU scored a touchdown on a William Floyd run and a Scott Bentley field goal to make it 15-7 FSU. Then came the fourth quarter and Nebraska took over the momentum. They scored a touchdown and a field goal taking the lead at 16-15 with just a little over a minute left in the game. The last minute of that game was most hectic.

FSU, led by quarterback Charlie Ward, drove down the field to the opponent’s 22-yard line where with 21 seconds left Scott Bentley kicked a field goal, giving FSU an 18-16 lead. Seminole fans began to celebrate but it was too soon. Somehow, after that, Nebraska moved down the field and what seemed like the last play of the game, completed a long pass into FSU territory. The game clock showed zero time left. Celebrating, the FSU team had even doused Coach Bowden with the customary electrolyte drink, symbolic of victory. But again, it was too soon. Nebraska had managed to call time out with one second remaining and there they were within field goal range of winning the game. FSU fans, who just a few moments before, were celebrating became concerned that their chance of a national championship had once again failed. But it ended well for FSU as the Nebraska 45-yard field goal attempt sailed left of the goal post.

FSU fans around us began to celebrate. But for me it was a time for reflection. I thought about how FSU football had started from scratch in 1947 and reached this point. I thought about the several times when the team had been close to winning it all but did not make it. This time they did. The dream had come true.