1993
The 1993 Florida State Seminoles won the school’s first ever National Championship going 12-1. In mostly dominating fashion, FSU allowed only 2 touchdowns over the first 5 games outscoring opponents 228-14 including a 57-0 thrashing of a Top 25 Clemson squad and a 33-7 beatdown of a Top 20 UNC team. The only teams that stayed with 3 touchdowns of the Noles all season would be Notre Dame in “The Game of the Century” when the 2nd ranked Irish knocked off the Noles 31-24 in South Bend, Florida kept it within 2 touchdowns at 33-21 and 2nd ranked Nebraska (and a questionable offensive strategy) kept the Noles to a season low 18 points in the National Championship game. The ’93 team featured one of the greatest defenses and offenses in Florida State history and was littered with some of the all-time great Noles in Charlie Ward, Warrick Dunn, and Derrick Brooks.
1988
1988 would mark the first time in FSU history that the Noles opened up the season as preseason #1. It would be short lived, however, as the Miami Hurricanes embarrassed the Seminoles to the tune of 31-0 on opening night. It would be the only loss of the season, however, as the Noles went on an impressive 11 game win streak playing, arguably, the best football in the nation by years end. In the 3rd week, the went to Clemson and defeated the #3 ranked Tigers in one of the most memorable games in college football history that featured “Puntrooskie” to win the game 24-21. Then late in the season, the Noles traveled again to South Carolina, this time taking on the Gamecocks, who were ranked 15th in the nation. The Noles put a pounding on South Carolina 59-0. Three weeks later FSU would hand Florida its most lopsided loss in the series history with a 52-17 lights out performance. The ’88 team featured an FSU record 14 players named to at least an Honorable Mention All-American list including names like Deion Sanders, Odell Haggins, Sammie Smith, Pat Tomerblin, and Stan Shiver. It also featured the “Fab Four” at receiver with Terry Anthony, Ronald Lewis, Bruce LaSane, and Lawrence Dawsey.
JUST THE FACTS
| 1993 | 1988 | |
| Record | 12-1 | 11-1 |
| Final Rank | #1 | #3 |
| Top 25 Record (Gametime) | 6-1 | 3-1 |
| Scoring Offense | 43.2 | 40.2 |
| Scoring Defense | 9.4 | 15.0 |
| Total Offense | 548.0 | 442.8 |
| Total Defense | 284.5 | 282.3 |
| Off Yards Per Play | 7.0 | 6.4 |
| Def Yards Per Play | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Passing Offense | 325.8 | 242.3 |
| Passing Defense | 186.0 | 131.2 |
| Rushing Offense | 222.3 | 199.5 |
| Rushing Defense | 98.5 | 151.1 |
| Turnover Margin | +6 | +2 |
| All-Americans | 12 | 14 |