Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Florida State
Seminole Offense Too Much For Deacons, 48-24
9/29/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 29, 2001
By BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida State Seminoles looked like their old selves Saturday night, at least for awhile.
Chris Rix threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns as the 18th-ranked Seminoles raced to an early 42-7 lead and rebounded from their worst regular-season loss since 1983 with a 48-24 victory over Wake Forest.
"I think they realized we can't just go on the field and win with our name," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. "We looked better, but we can't play with a swagger yet."
But with top-ranked Miami up next, the improvement was exactly what Bowden was looking for in the wake of last week's 41-9 embarrassment at North Carolina. Florida State is off next Saturday before facing the Hurricanes at home Oct. 13.
"There had to be a different mindset and Wake Forest had to pay for last week, unfortunately," said Rix, who passed for 262 yards and three scores by halftime. "I don't think we did anything special. Just throw and catch."
Rix, the first freshman to begin a year as the starting quarterback for a Bowden-coached team, was almost perfect with a variety of short and long throws, leading Florida State on six straight first-half scoring drives.
"They were ready to play and just took it to us," new Wake Forest coach Jim Grobe said after his first meeting against the Seminoles. "When you play Florida State, you hope you can catch them napping. They weren't napping tonight."
Nick Maddox and Greg Jones each ran for two touchdowns, and Rix teamed with Talman Gardner, Javon Walker and B.J. Ward - who just moved to the offense from the secondary - on scoring passes.
"Obviously they're not used to losing so they came out fired up," Wake Forest guard Michael Moosbrugger said. "A lot of people had it in their mind that this was a down year for Florida State. That's a bunch of bull."
Florida State (3-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won 37 straight home games and is undefeated in 54 at Doak Campbell Stadium dating to a 1991 loss to Miami.
The win kept the Seminoles in the thick of the ACC race as well, especially in light of Clemson's overtime upset of Georgia Tech, leaving all but Virginia and Maryland with at least one loss in league play in the opening month.
"At least it shows we're going in the right direction," senior safety Chris Hope said.
Wake Forest (2-2, 0-2) didn't make it easy for Florida State's defense, totaling 212 yards offense by the half, including quarterback Anthony Young's 71-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Fabian Davis and Fred Staton also ran for touchdowns and Wake Forest scored twice on safeties in the final quarter: The first when Florida State backup quarterback Adrian McPherson was called for intentional grounding as he tried to pass out of his end zone and the second when Jamie Scott blocked a Florida State punt with 1:18 left in the game.
Using misdirection running plays in a no-huddle offense throughout much of the game, Wake Forest managed 432 yards and 26 first downs.
"Wake Forest ran up and down the field on us," Bowden said. "We gave up a whole lot of yardage out there."
However, Florida State managed to hold Tarence Williams to 46 yards rushing, well below his season average of 124.7 yards.
Rix's passing and Maddox's running keyed early scoring drives, covering 80 and 76 yards as Florida State rolled up 226 yards during the first quarter on its way to a 14-7 lead.
But the Seminoles had only just started, scoring four second quarter touchdowns. Two scores were set up by a pair of second quarter interceptions by linebacker Kendyll Pope.
"We might have been down but we're not completely out," said Pope, who also led the Seminoles with 10 tackles.
Florida State, 72-3 in the ACC since joining the league in 1992, has won all 10 of its games against Wake Forest in that span.
Wake Forest Notables
? WFU's game captains tonight are seniors Calvin Pace and Michael Moosbrugger.
? Sophomore linebacker Kellen Brantley recorded his first career interception when he picked off a Chris Rix pass on FSU's first offensive series of the game. He also recorded his first career tackle-for-loss in the very next series.
? Quarterback Anthony Young's 71-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was Wake's longest offensive play of the season. It also goes down in the books as the eighth-longest scoring run in school history. It was the longest rush by a Deacon (scoring and non-scoring included) since Tarence Williams had a 72-yard TD run against Duke last season.
? Florida State's 14 points in the first quarter were the most given up by Wake Forest in the opening stanza of a game since allowing 14 points to Maryland on Oct. 21 of last season.
? Senior wide receiver Ira Williams saw his first action of the 2001 campaign after being sidelined with an injury in the first three games of 2001. He did not catch a pass, however, halting an 11-game streak of catching at least two passes per game.
? Sophomore Fred Staton had his best career night in a Deacon uniform, rushing for 52 yards and recording his first career reception for 28 yards. He also recorded his first career touchdown - a nine-yard run in the fourth quarter.
? Junior Fabian Davis recorded his first career rushing touchdown and his sixth career touchdown overall with a eight-yard run just before halftime. He also recorded his longest career kickoff return with a 56-yarder in the fourth quarter that set up a Deacon touchdown.
? Redshirt freshman Jason Anderson has caught at least two passes in every game this season. He is the only Deacon receiver to own such a streak this year.
? WFU recorded its second and third safeties of the season when FSU was called for intentional grounding in the endzone and after Jamie Scott blocked an FSU punt, both in the fourth quarter. The Deacs scored their first points of the 2001 campaign on a safety at East Carolina, when ECU was penalized for illegal batting in the endzone. Prior to this season, WFU's last safety occurred in 1998.
? Wake Forest scored its highest number of points (24) against FSU since the Seminoles began ACC play in 1992. The mark also tied the highest number of points WFU has ever scored against FSU in this series. The Deacs scored 24 points in a 42-24 loss in 1968 and in a 27-24 loss in 1958. Tonight's point total was also the highest posted by WFU this season.
? On the flip side, Florida State's 48 points were the most scored against WFU in this series since the 'Noles put 58 on the board in 1997, winning 58-7. FSU's point total is also the highest against the Deacs since Georgia Tech scored 52 points on Oct. 14 of last season.
