The Elite Eight of our Warchant Bracket Challenge is coming into focus following third-round victories by offensive tackle Walter Jones and defensive end Peter Boulware.
Jones moved on despite a major challenge from No. 3 seed Rodney Hudson; the top-seeded Jones claimed 54.3 percent of the vote. Boulware advanced by cruising past defensive lineman Andre Wadsworth with a landslide total of 85.5 percent
The Sweet 16 concludes today with two battles in the Legends/Special Teams bracket.
No. 1 seed Ron Simmons vs. No. 2 seed Fred Biletnikoff
No. 1 seed Sebastian Janikowski vs. No. 1 seed Greg Reid
If you need more information and insight, we present bios on each player below:
Don't miss our great FSU sports coverage. Get your 30-day FREE trial
All voting will be done on our Tribal Council message board, and the voting window is 24 hours. Each round offers an opportunity for Warchant subscribers to win a $25 e-card to Garnet & Gold. That prize will go to the person who makes the most compelling and/or original argument for their vote.
If you already know who gets your vote, click here to make your picks on the Tribal Council:
The Matchups
No. 1 seed Ron Simmons vs. No. 2 seed Fred Biletnikoff
Ron Simmons was one of the most important signees in Florida State football history and is credited by many with helping Bobby Bowden launch his legendary tenure with the Seminoles. Simmons was a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive line, earning Freshman All-America honors in 1977 and then being named a Consensus first-team All-American in 1979 and '80. Simmons was so dominant that he went on to become the first FSU defensive player to have his number retired, and he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988. During his four-year career, the Georgia product racked up 383 tackles, which still ranks No. 5 all-time in school history. He also ranks No. 4 all-time with 24 career sacks, and he's tied for fourth with 44 career tackles for loss. Simmons played briefly in the NFL and USFL before moving on to a very successful career in pro wrestling.
Fred Biletnikoff redefined the wide receiver position at Florida State shorty after signing with the Seminoles in 1961 out of Erie, Pa. Playing in Bill Peterson's wide-open passing attack, which was one of the first of its kind, Biletnikoff delivered a pair of brilliant seasons in 1963 and '64. His final campaign was his best, as he set FSU single-season records with 57 receptions for 987 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those numbers don't include his record-smashing Gator Bowl performance against Oklahoma, in which he caught 13 passes for 192 yards and four scores. Biletnikoff had his jersey retired at Florida State and went on to be inducted into the college and pro football halls of fame. He was FSU's first Consensus All-American as a senior, and he played in four Pro Bowls with the Oakland Raiders.
No. 1 seed Sebastian Janikowski vs. No. 1 seed Greg Reid
Sebastian Janikowski was a legend at Florida State even before his freshman season was complete. The "Polish powderkeg" had a leg unlike anything most fans, coaches and players had ever seen before. It wasn't just that most of his kickoffs went for touchbacks, it's that so many of them went out of the end zone. A few even went through the uprights. But Janikowski had more than just a strong leg. He had a really accurate one, too. He is still the only two-time winner of the Lou Groza Award. He finished his three-year FSU career with 66 made field goals (in 83 attempts) and was 126 of 129 on extra points. He led the nation in field goals made in both 1998 and 1999. And the power of his left leg was so rare, so transcendent, that Janikowski was a first-round pick (17th overall) of the Oakland Raiders in 2000. He went on to play 19 seasons in the NFL.
Greg Reid was one of the most exciting players of the Jimbo Fisher era and one of the most dynamic special-teams players in school history. He is tied for the FSU career record for punt return touchdowns with three, and he also boasts two of the longest returns in school history. His 83-yard punt return against Miami in 2010 is tied for fifth all-time, and his 74-yarder against Samford that season is tied for 15th. Reid also holds the school record for most kickoff return yards in a single game with 193 against North Carolina in 2010. His 742 yards on kick returns that season also stands as an FSU record.
Winner of $25 eCard from Garnet & Gold - islandchief
Click here to make your votes on the Tribal Council. If you're not yet a member of Warchant.com, start your 30-day Free Trial today.
About the tournament
We've broken down the field of 64 into four 16-team brackets:
* Offensive Playmakers
* Defensive Playmakers
* Linemen (offensive and defensive)
* Legends/Special Teams
The first three "regions" are pretty self-explanatory. The final one is a combination of eight Seminole "legends," which we've defined as players who graduated by 1985 (just before the Dynasty era really began), and eight special-teams players.
The special-teams players were broken down further into two four-team brackets -- kickers/punters and "specialists" (return men or players who specialized in blocking kicks).
* CLICK HERE for a printable bracket -- updated with Round 1 & 2 results
(Note: Players who already held a spot in one of the other categories were not eligible to also be selected as specialists. That is why Deion Sanders, Peter Warrick and Terrell Buckley are not listed there.)
----------------------------------------------------
Talk about this story with other Florida State football fans in the Tribal Council
