2009 Florida State Seminoles football team

The 2009 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2009 college football season. The Seminoles finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in ACC play and won the Gator Bowl 33–21 over West Virginia.

Legendary head coach Bobby Bowden retired at the end of the 2009 season after 34 seasons at the helm for Florida State (and 33 consecutive winning seasons). Offensive Coordinator Jimbo Fisher was named the new head coach for the 2010 season.

Previous Season
Florida State entered the 2009 season coming off a 2008 season that ended with a 9–4 record (5–3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) and a Champs Sports Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Florida State also won a share of the ACC Atlantic Division, but due to the head-to-head record versus Boston College, the Eagles represented the Atlantic Division in the Championship Game held in Tampa.

Game Capsules
Please Note:
 * The records in parenthesis indicates the opposing team's record at the time Florida State played them, NOT Florida State's record.
 * The USA Today Coaches Poll rankings are used through Week 7. Starting with Week 8 (the UNC game), the BCS Rankings are used.
 * All pregame lines are based on what the game opened at and does not include any betting influence.

Miami (0–0)
Pregame Line: FSU −4

Miami's defense stops Florida St. to back up Harris' final TD drive

(0–1)
Pregame Line: Lines are not released when an FCS team plays an FBS team. Florida State steals win from lower-division Jacksonville State

#9 Brigham Young (2–0)
Pregame Line: BYU −6.5

Ponder drives Seminoles to decisive win over No. 7 Cougars

South Florida (3–0)
Pregame Line: FSU −12

Daniels steps in for injured Grothe, lifts USF to first ever win over FSU.

Boston College (3–1)
Pregame Line: FSU −5

BC blows 18-point lead, barely holds off FSU.

#23 Georgia Tech (4–1)
Pregame Line: FSU −2.5

Nesbitt, Yellow Jackets hand third straight loss to Bowden's Seminoles.

North Carolina (4–2)
Pregame Line: UNC −2.5

Ponder rallies Seminoles from deficit to knock off North Carolina.

NC State (3–4)
Pregame Line: FSU −7

Florida St. edges NC State late in barnburner

Clemson (5–3)
Pregame Line: Clemson −8

Spiller rushes for 165 yards, touchdown as Clemson routs Florida St.
 * FSU quarterback, Christian Ponder, was injured in the 4th quarter. He undergwent season ending surgery and was back for non contact drills in the spring of 2010.
 * Redshirt Freshman, E.J. Manuel, took over for Christian Ponder and got his first start at Wake Forest the following week.

Wake Forest (4–6)
Pregame Line: Wake −5

Thomas, Manuel help Florida State roll past Wake

Maryland (2–8)
Pregame Line: FSU −17

Florida State edges Maryland on last-minute TD to become bowl eligible

#1 Florida (11–0)
Pregame Line: Florida −21

Tebow accounts for five TDs in final home game as a Gator

Gator Bowl: #16 West Virginia (9–3)
Pregame Line: WVU −3

Bowden goes out a winner as Seminoles dispatch Mountaineers
 * The final game for Bobby Bowden, Mickey Andrews and Chuck Amato.

Scores by quarter

 * Updated after the November 21st, 2009 Maryland game.

Projected 2009 Depth Chart

 * Offensive
 * QB – Christian Ponder Jr
 * TB – Jermaine Thomas So
 * FB – Marcus Sims Sr
 * WR – Corey Surrency Sr
 * WR – Taiwan Easterling So
 * TE – Caz Piurowski Sr
 * LT – Evan Bellamy So
 * LG – Rodney Hudson Jr
 * C – Ryan McMahon Jr
 * RG – David Spurlock So
 * RT – Zebrie Sanders So


 * Defense
 * DE – Kevin McNeil Sr
 * DE – Markus White Jr
 * DT – Kendrick Stewart Sr
 * DT – Budd Thacker Sr
 * LB – Dekoda Watson Sr
 * LB – Nigel Bradham So
 * LB – Kendall Smith Jr
 * CB – Ochuko Jenije Jr
 * CB – Patrick Robinson Sr
 * S – Jamie Robinson Sr
 * S – Korey Mangum Sr


 * Special Teams
 * K – Dustin Hopkins
 * P – Shawn Powell