It's been almost a decade since Christian Ponder played his last game inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
Since then, he's had a lucrative NFL career, gotten married to a famous broadcaster, had children and begun the second phase of his professional life.
But still. That last game inside Doak Campbell Stadium in November of 2010 is one that he'll always remember. Vividly. Because it's the game that ended the streak.
Behind Ponder's three touchdown passes, the Seminoles, who had lost six straight games to the Florida Gators, dominated their rivals 31-7 in what turned out to be Urban Meyer's final game as UF's head coach.
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"For me personally, for the seniors, it was emotional because it was our last game in Doak Campbell, our last game to have a chance to beat Florida," Ponder said in our latest "War Chat" episode. "In my two previous games against Florida: I was hurt the year before and missed that whole game; and then the year before that, my first year starting, I had a back injury from the week before playing Maryland and didn't practice all week.
"And then had a horrible first half and they pulled me and put Drew Weatherford in. ... So, this was kind of my redemptive game to go out and finally beat Florida."
That game, in fact, started a streak in which the Seminoles would win seven of eight against the program to the east.
At kickoff, that afternoon in November, there was no way anyone could know Florida State was about to go on a run like that. Or that Florida would be looking for a new head coach a few days later. Or that it would essentially turn out to be Ponder's last game as the Seminoles' quarterback.
He sat out the ACC Championship game against Virginia Tech the following week with an elbow injury and then got knocked out early in the bowl game against South Carolina with a concussion.
So, his last highlight as a Seminole was that afternoon against the Gators. And what a highlight it was.
After the offensively challenged Gators scored a TD on their first drive of the game, the FSU defense completely shut them down for the remainder of the game. And the Florida State offense scored the final 28 points.
Lonnie Pryor scored from 9 yards out (after Greg Reid forced a Florida fumble deep in Gator territory) to give FSU a 10-7 lead and then, after the Seminoles snuffed out a fake punt, Ponder hit Rodney Smith for a 39-yard touchdown pass down the right sideline.
"We wanted to take advantage of (Florida's) aggressiveness," Ponder said. "I think we were all confident that yeah this is going to work. And we got the perfect look. He was so wide open, it was such an easy throw.
"I want to say the cornerback fell down. He bit so hard on the pump-and-go that I just had to complete the football to get the touchdown."
The 17-7 lead became a 24-7 advantage after Ponder hit Taiwan Easterling for a 15-yard score with 2:47 left in the second quarter.
Defensive back Mike Harris then ended the Gators' drive on the next possession with an interception, and the Seminoles went into the locker room with a 17-point lead. Ponder even did a Gator Chomp motion to FSU's student section as he ran into the tunnel.
"It was probably stupid to do," Ponder said with a smile. "And I still get people tweeting it at me every now and again. ... I don't know why I I did it, but it made it more fun. I think there was one poor little Florida student that was sitting in the Florida State student section."
That UF fan had a good view of the Seminoles' final touchdown early in the third quarter when Ponder, taking a vicious hit as he delivered the ball, found Willie Haulstead for a 29-yard TD with 9:19 left in the third quarter.
It was the final points of the day for the Seminole offense, but they already had more than enough. Ponder was actually in so much pain from the hit, and his elbow injury swelling up, that he didn't stay on the field to celebrate the win after it was over.
He immediately headed back to the locker room to get treatment.
The work had been done.
Not only had he beaten Florida and Miami in the same year (the first time the Seminoles had done that since 1999), but he had helped FSU get back to the 10-win plateau. In Jimbo Fisher's first year as head coach.
Obviously, more success was going to follow for the Seminoles in the coming years, but that 2010 season laid the foundation.
Ponder, who wanted no part in taking credit for the rebuild, was instrumental in that early success under Fisher. He was the veteran QB for a team with a bunch of young, talented players who were still getting adapted to college football, still trying to learn how to win.
Three years later, many of those players were bringing home a national championship.
The 2010 Florida State Seminoles weren't one of the best teams in school history. But, after going through three 7-6 seasons in the previous four years, getting back to that 10-win mark proved to be a kickstart to the championships that would follow.
"It was a fun team to be a part of," Ponder said. "I was fortunate to play the role I got to play on that team. ... We had a ton of talent. It made my job easy. And look, there was a little jealousy after the fact. Like, hey, they won a national championship. They kept getting better and better. But it was fun to watch. You always want to be a part of the team, but it was fun to watch .
"And I never wanted to be the guy who took credit for everything. I was never going to take credit for that."
WATCH PREVIOUS WAR CHATS:
* WR Kez McCorvey -- 1993 win over Florida in the Swamp
* OC Mark Richt -- 1999 shootout win vs. Georgia Tech
* DB Bobby Butler -- 1980 victory over No. 3 Pitt
* WR Marvin 'Snoop' Minnis -- 1999 win over the Gators
* WR P.K. Sam -- Game-winning catch at Florida in 2003
* QB EJ Manuel -- Reliving FSU's 2012 win over Clemson
* LB Kirk Carruthers -- FSU's 1989 win over Miami at Doak
* QB Danny Kanell -- Remembering the 'Choke at Doak'
* Florida State's historic win at Michigan in 91
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