FSU over Maryland, 37-3
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Everette Brown had 3½ sacks and forced a fumble.
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FSU over Maryland, 37-3
COLLEGE PARK, MD - What a difference a week makes. Or perhaps, it was the best of games it was the worst of games.
After last week losing to Boston College in a game that coach Bobby Bowden described as "we just got whooped," Florida State responded by handing Atlantic Coast Conference leading Maryland their first loss of the year at home 37-3 Saturday night.
And while the Seminoles (8-3, 5-3) were demolished in every statistical category last week at home, they turned the game around completely this week dominating Maryland (7-4, 4-3) in every way.
Florida State held the ball for nearly 12 minutes more than the Terps, forced four turnovers while losing none, sacked Maryland quarterback Chris Turner six times for a loss of 43 yards and allowed only three points.
With the win, and Boston College squeaking by Wake Forest earlier in the day, FSU also kept their slim hopes for a ticket to the ACC championship alive.
When the day began, FSU, Maryland, Wake Forest and Boston College were all still in the running for the Atlantic division win. Maryland and Wake Forest were both eliminated by losing.
The division will be determined by next week's game when Maryland travels to Boston College. If the Eagles win, they will finish the season with the same 5-3 conference record as FSU. However, because the Eagles beat the Seminoles last week, they win the tie breaker and travel to Tampa. If the Terrapins win then Florida State heads to Tampa.
The Seminoles took control of Saturday's game midway through the first quarter launching a 16-play drive that took more than seven minutes off the clock capped by a seven-yard catch by junior wide receiver Preston Parker from redshirt sophomore quarterback Christian Ponder.
Ponder added another touchdown in the fourth quarter running it in on his own from a yard out.
The quarterback finished the game completing 19 of 24 passes for 144 yards with the touchdown pass and no interceptions but also led the Seminoles in rushing with 81 yards on 14 attempts including the touchdown.
Senior running back Antone Smith scored the other offensive touchdown while rushing for 45
yards on 13 attempts.
Senior kicker Graham Gano was once again perfect hitting field goals from 22, 34 and 48 yards. For the year Gano has only missed two field goals, both from more than 50-yards out.
With the win Bowden ensured that his team will not finish with a 7-6 record for the third season in a row.
However, the Seminoles return to Doak Campbell Stadium next week to finish their season against the fourth-ranked Florida Gators who demolished the Citadel Saturday 70-19.
The winner of next week's game will also be the winner of the Florida college championship as both the Gators and Seminoles have already beat the Hurricanes earlier in the year.
Junior safety Myron Rolle also made history during the game Saturday. He was giving special dispensation by coach Bowden and the NCAA to miss the first part of the game as he was in Tennessee interviewing for a Rhodes Scholarship.
Rolle, who has already earned his bachelors degree in pre-med with a 3.75 GPA was awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship which allows him to spend two years studying for his masters degree at Oxford University in England.
Of course first he'll have to decide if he wants to follow his cousin Myron Rolle into the NFL.
