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2008 Florida State Seminoles football
Champs Sports Bowl Champions
ACC Atlantic Division Co-Champions
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
DivisionAtlantic Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 23
APNo. 21
2008 record9–4 (5–3 ACC)
Head coachBobby Bowden (33rd season)
Offensive coordinatorJimbo Fisher
Offensive schemePro Style
Defensive coordinatorMickey Andrews
Base defense4-3
CaptainDrew Weatherford
Home stadiumDoak Campbell Stadium
(Capacity: 82,300)
Seasons
← 2007
2009 →
2008 ACC football standings
v · d · e Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Atlantic
Boston College xy   5 3         9 5  
#21 Florida State x   5 3         9 4  
Maryland   4 4         8 5  
Wake Forest   4 4         8 5  
Clemson   4 4         7 6  
NC State   4 4         6 7  
Coastal
#15 Virginia Tech xy   5 3         10 4  
#22 Georgia Tech x   5 3         9 4  
North Carolina   4 4         8 5  
Miami   4 4         7 6  
Virginia   3 5         5 7  
Duke   1 7         4 8  

Championship: Virginia Tech 30, Boston College 12
† – BCS representative as champion
x – Division champion/co-champions
y – Championship game participant
  • North Carolina vacated 8 wins, including 4 ACC wins
    Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football season. It was Florida State's 17th season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The previous season, the Seminoles compiled a 7–6 record. When the Seminoles also went 7–6 in 2006, that season was head coach Bobby Bowden's worst since going 6–5 in 1981. The Seminoles were without as many as 12 scholarship players for the first three games of the season because of suspensions carrying over from the previous season for violating team rules, although it has not been disclosed how many of those were involved with an academic cheating scandal at the school.[1][2] Junior wide receiver Preston Parker was suspended for the first two games of the season, after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges.[3]

Rankings[]

Template:NCAA Division I FBS football ranking movements

Schedule[]

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 6* 6:00 PM Western Carolina Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL SUN PPV W 69–0   73,024
September 13* 3:45 PM (FCS) Chattanooga Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ESPNU W 46–7   71,596
September 20 7:00 PM #18 Wake Forest #25 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ESPN2 L 3–12   79,235
September 27* 3:30 PM vs. Colorado Jacksonville Municipal StadiumJacksonville, FL (River City Showdown) ABC W 39–21   46,716
October 4 3:30 PM at Miami (FL) Dolphin StadiumMiami Gardens, FL (Rivalry) ABC/ESPN2 W 41–39   65,786
October 16 7:30 PM at NC State Carter–Finley StadiumRaleigh, NC ESPN W 26–17   56,643
October 25 3:30 PM Virginia Tech #23 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC W 30–20   81,876
November 1 3:30 PM at Georgia Tech #16 Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA ABC L 28–31   53,528
November 8 3:30 PM Clemson #24 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL (Rivalry) ABC W 41–27   77,013
November 15† 8:00 PM Boston College #19 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL ABC L 17–27   79,792
November 22 7:45 PM at #23 Maryland Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD ESPN W 37–3   51,620
November 29* 3:30 PM #4 Florida #24 Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL (Battle for the Governor's Cup) ABC/ESPN2 L 15–45   83,237
December 27* 4:30 PM vs. Wisconsin Citrus BowlOrlando, FL (Champs Sports Bowl) ESPN W 42–13   52,692
*Non-Conference Game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.

Recruits[]

Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40 Commit date
A.J. Alexander
ATH
Altoona, PA Altoona HS 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) 180 lb (82 kg) 4.4 Jan 28,
2008 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 78
Travis Arnold
DB
Madison, FL Madison HS 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) 184 lb (83 kg) 4.6 Jul 20,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 76
Nigel Bradham
LB
Crawfordville, FL Wakulla HS 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) 230 lb (100 kg) 4.6 Apr 15,
2007 
Scout:File:5 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:5 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 82
Nigel Carr
LB
Jacksonville, FL First Coast HS 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 220 lb (100 kg) 4.5 Apr 15,
2007 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 82
Avis Commack
WR
Jacksonville, FL First Coast HS 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 182 lb (83 kg) 4.5 May 24,
2007 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 77
Andrew Datko
OL
Fort Lauderdale, FL St. Thomas Aquinas HS 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) 285 lb (129 kg) 5.3 Oct 29,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 77
Everett Dawkins
DE
Duncan, SC Byrnes HS 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) 142 lb (64 kg) 4.7 Nov 17,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 79
Garrett Faircloth
OL
Jacksonville, FL Bolles HS 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 260 lb (120 kg) N/A Jan 24,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 76
Jarmon Fortson
ATH
Columbus, GA Carver HS 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 220 lb (100 kg) 4.6 Feb 6,
2008 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 79
Josh Gehres
WR
Tallahassee, FL Lincoln HS 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 190 lb (86 kg) 4.5 Jan 28,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 73
Anthony Hill
DT
Pensacola, FL Pensacola HS 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 300 lb (140 kg) 4.9 Feb 16,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 77
Ed Imeokparia
ATH
Blairstown, NJ Blair Academy HS 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) 188 lb (85 kg) 4.4 Feb 6,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 76
Carlton Jones
RB
Tampa, FL Middleton HS 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) 215 lb (98 kg) N/A Feb 6,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 40
Jabaris Little
TE
Tallahassee, FL Lincoln HS 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 240 lb (110 kg) 4.6 May 23,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 75
Kyle Long
OL
Charlottesville, VA St. Anne's-Belfield HS 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) 280 lb (130 kg) 5.0 May 5,
2008 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:N/A   ESPN grade: 81
E.J. Manuel
QB
Virginia Beach, VA Bayside HS 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) 215 lb (98 kg) 4.6 Jun 27,
2007 
Scout:File:5 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 82
Anthony McCloud
DT
Thomasville, GA Thomas County Central HS 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) 295 lb (134 kg) N/A Feb 6,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 40
Moses McCray
DT
Tampa, FL Hillsborough HS 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) 268 lb (122 kg) 4.9 May 2,
2007 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 78
Nick Moody
LB
Philadelphia, PA Roman Catholic HS 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) 218 lb (99 kg) 4.5 Apr 17,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 77
Terrance Parks
DB
Fairburn, GA Creekside HS 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) 200 lb (91 kg) 4.4 Jul 19,
2007 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 83
Tavares Pressley
RB
Torrance, CA El Camino College 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) 215 lb (98 kg) 4.4 Nov 27,
2007 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: N/A
Bo Reliford
TE
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Dillard HS 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 235 lb (107 kg) 4.8 May 30,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 40
Zebrie Sanders
OL
Clayton, OH Northmont HS 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) 273 lb (124 kg) 5.3 Jan 20,
2008 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 79
Rhonne Sanderson
OL
Tampa, FL Plant HS 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 280 lb (130 kg) N/A Jan 29,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 75
Debrale Smiley
RB
Thomasville, GA Thomas County Central HS 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) 235 lb (107 kg) 4.7 Feb 6,
2008 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 40
Blake Snider
OL
Heflin, AL Cleburne County HS 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 282 lb (128 kg) N/A Feb 4,
2008 
Scout:2/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   ESPN grade: 40
David Spurlock
OL
Murfreesboro, TN Riverdale HS 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 280 lb (130 kg) N/A Dec 9,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 78
Toshmon Stevens
DE
Crescent City, FL Crescent City HS 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) 200 lb (91 kg) 4.6 Jul 31,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 76
Corey Surrency
WR
Torrance, CA El Camino College 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) 210 lb (95 kg) 4.5 Oct 21,
2007 
Scout:File:5 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: N/A
Jermaine Thomas
RB
Jacksonville, FL First Coast HS 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) 190 lb (86 kg) 4.4 Apr 23,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   ESPN grade: 83
Joe Tonga
OL
Walnut, CA Mt. San Antonio College 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 304 lb (138 kg) 5.4 Aug 4,
2008 
Scout:N/A   Rivals:N/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Markus White
DE
El Dorado, KS Butler Community College 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) 245 lb (111 kg) 4.5 Dec 10,
2007 
Scout:File:4 stars.svg.png   Rivals:File:5 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: N/A
Vincent Williams
LB
Davenport, FL Ridge HS 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) 210 lb (95 kg) 4.8 Apr 18,
2007 
Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:File:4 stars.svg.png   ESPN grade: 78
Overall recruiting rankings:
‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
Note: In many cases, Scout and Rivals may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
In these cases, an average of the two was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:


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 Virginia Tech Game), the BCS Rankings are used.
  • All pregame lines are based on what the game opened at and does not include any betting influence.

Western Carolina (1–0)[]

Pregame Line: Lines are not released when an FCS team plays an FBS team.

1 2 3 4 OT
Western Carolina 0 0 0 0 0
Florida State 7 21 27 14 69




The start of the game was delayed almost an hour and a half due to lightning in the area, and then almost another hour during the 1st quarter. The first player to touch the ball for FSU, to start the 2008 season, was Tony Carter who promptly returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown and the game's first score. Sophomore Christian Ponder started his first game at quarterback. Ponder completed 11 of 17 passes for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns. At the start of the second drive in the second half (when FSU was up 35–0), sophomore D'vontrey Richardson came into the game. Richardson went 5 for 6 through the air with one touchdown and also had two rushing touchdowns, one for over 50 yards. With several players serving suspensions due to the school wide "academic scandal" (several students and athletes were caught sharing answers in an online music class), the Seminoles had 28 freshman play in the game. Two of those freshman had touchdowns in the victory over the Catamounts.[4]

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1–1)[]

Pregame Line: Lines are not released when an FCS team plays an FBS team.

1 2 3 4 OT
Tennessee-Ch 7 0 0 0 7
Florida State 21 9 9 7 46




In his second start as a collegiate athlete, Christian Ponder threw for 183 yards and three first-half touchdowns before being relieved by D'vontrey Richardson in the 3rd quarter. Richardson threw for 117 yards with one touchdown. Richardson also had a 55-yard rushing touchdown, the longest scoring run for a quarterback in the school's history. The previous record was held by Richardson himself, set in the previous week with a 52-yard touchdown run. Junior Wide Receiver, Corey Surrency, led Florida State in receiving with 87 yards and two touchdowns on just three receptions. Florida State's defense allowed their first score of the season after a 62-yard passing touchdown thrown by Chattanooga quarterback Tony Pastore. This was also the first score by Chattanooga against Florida State all-time, dating back to 1984, the only previous meeting between the two schools in which the Seminoles won in a shutout by 37 points.[5]

#18 Wake Forest (2–1)[]

Pregame Line: Florida State −4

1 2 3 4 OT
#18 Wake Forest 3 0 6 3 12
#25 Florida State 0 0 3 0 3



Defense, kicking game help No. 18 Wake Forest clip No. 24 (AP Poll) Florida State

Colorado (3–0)[]

Pregame Line: Florida State −6

1 2 3 4 OT
Colorado 7 0 0 14 21
Florida State 7 12 6 14 39



This game was played in Jacksonville, Florida with Florida State as the home team. This was Bobby Bowden's 500th Career Game.

Bowden gets Florida State past Colorado in 500th game

@ Miami (2–2)[]

Pregame Line: Miami −2.5

1 2 3 4 OT
Florida State 7 17 10 7 41
Miami 0 3 19 17 39



FSU dumps Miami behind Smith's career-best four TDs

@ N.C. State (2–4)[]

Pregame Line: Pick 'em

1 2 3 4 OT
Florida State 0 6 7 13 26
N.C. State 3 7 0 7 17



Florida State rides Ponder, Smith past N.C. State

Virginia Tech (5–2)[]

Pregame Line: Florida State −6

1 2 3 4 OT
Virginia Tech 10 3 0 7 20
#25 Florida State 0 10 14 6 30



Carr sets up two TDs in third quarter as No. 25 FSU rallies

@ Georgia Tech (6–2)[]

Pregame Line: Georgia Tech −1.5

1 2 3 4 OT
#15 Florida State 10 10 0 8 28
Georgia Tech 3 21 7 0 31



Georgia Tech snaps 0–12 skid against Florida State

Clemson (4–4)[]

Pregame Line: Florida State −7

1 2 3 4 OT
Clemson 10 7 3 7 27
#22 Florida State 10 10 7 14 41



FSU bowl eligible for 27th straight season on Bowden's birthday

Boston College (6–3)[]

Pregame Line: Florida State −7

1 2 3 4 OT
Boston College 14 0 10 3 27
#19 Florida State 0 10 0 7 17



One day prior to the game, Florida State suspended Wide Receivers Taiwan Easterling, Bert Reed, Corey Surrency, Cameron Wade and Richard Goodman for their roles in an on-campus altercation with members of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity at Florida State's student union.[6][7]

Boston College upends No. 19 Florida State day after five wideouts suspended

@ #25 Maryland (7–3)[]

Pregame Line: Maryland −1

1 2 3 4 OT
Florida State 0 21 3 13 37
#25 Maryland 0 0 3 0 3



Myron Rolle, Florida State's starting safety, was interviewed in Birmingham, Alabama at noon for the Rhodes Scholarship. At 5:00, he received the call that he was accepted. He flew in a private jet to Washington, D.C. and had a police escort take him to the game in College Park, Maryland. He arrived at the stadium around 8:30pm (with 11:55 left in the 2nd quarter). He dressed out in the locker room and walked onto the field to the roar of the Florida State visitor section with 6:23 left in the 2nd quarter. After stretching out, he made his game debut with 1:30 left in the 1st half. At the end of the game, his teammates showered him with a bucket of ice water in 26 degree weather, an act usually reserved for the head coach. He is the first Florida State player to ever have the "ice water shower".

Maryland picked apart by unranked Florida State

#4 Florida (10–1)[]

Pregame Line: Florida −16.5

1 2 3 4 OT
#4 Florida 14 14 10 7 45
#20 Florida State 3 6 6 0 15



Florida wins 8th straight while continuing dominance in intrastate rivalry

Wisconsin (7–5)[]

Pregame Line:

1 2 3 4 OT
Wisconsin 0 3 3 7 13
Florida State 0 14 14 14 42




Ponder powers Seminoles' offense, defense routs Badgers

Rankings[]

Ranking Movement
Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Wk 13 Wk 14 Wk 15 Final
AP 31 30 28 24 41 35 34 29 24 16 24 20 31 23 29 28 21
Coaches 30 31 28 25 NR 32 30 28 23 16 24 19 29 24 29 28 23
Harris Not released 30 30 29 23 18 24 20 28 23 29 28
BCS Not released 25 15 22 19 NR 20 24 NR

Statistics[]

Team[]

Team Opp
Scoring  157  40
  Points per Game  39.25  10
First Downs  24  12
  Rushing  11  3
  Passing  12  6
  Penalty  1  3
Total Offense  561  176
  Avg per Play  9.8  3.0
  Avg per Game  561  176
Fumbles-Lost  2–0  3–1
Penalties-Yards  8–58  6–37
  Avg per Game  58  37
Team Opp
Punts-Yards  2–93  8–272
  Avg per Punt  46.5  34
Time of Possession/Game  27:44  32:16
3rd Down Conversions  3  3
4th Down Conversions  0  0
Touchdowns Scored  10  0
Field Goals-Attempts-Long  0–1–0  0–1–0
PAT-Attempts  9–10  0–0
Attendance  73024  0
  Games/Avg per Game  1/73024  0/0

Scores by quarter[]

1 2 3 4 OT
Florida State 62 95 83 83 323
Opponents 43 41 35 55 174



Offense[]

Rushing[]

Name GP-GS Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G
Joe Smith                  
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
TEAM                  
Total                  
Opponents                  

Passing[]

Name GP-GS Effic Att-Cmp-Int Pct Yds TD Lng Avg/G
Joe Smith                
                 
TEAM                
                 
Total                
Opponents                

Receiving[]

Name GP-GS No. Yds Avg TD Long Avg/G
Joe Smith                  
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
Total                  
Opponents                  

Defense[]

Name GP Tackles Sacks Pass Defense Interceptions Fumbles Blkd
Kick
Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds BrUp QBH No.-Yds Avg TD Long Rcv-Yds FF
Total

Special teams[]

Name Punting Kickoffs
No. Yds Avg Long TB FC I20 Blkd No. Yds Avg TB OB
Total
Name Punt Returns Kick Returns
No. Yds Avg TD Long No. Yds Avg TD Long
Total

Projected 2008 Depth Chart[]

Offensive
  • QB – Christian Ponder so
  • TB – Antone Smith sr
  • FB – Seddrick Holloway jr
  • WR – Preston Parker jr
  • WR – Greg Carr sr
  • TE – Jonathan Hannah jr
  • LT – Rodney Hudson so
  • LG – Evan Bellamy so
  • C – Ryan McMahon so
  • RG – Will Furlong fr
  • RT – Antwane Greenlee fr
Defense
  • DE – Neefy Moffett sr
  • DE – Everette Brown jr
  • DT – Budd Thacker jr
  • DT – Paul Griffin sr
  • LB – Derek Nicholson sr
  • LB – Kendall Smith so
  • LB – Toddrick Verdell jr
  • CB – Tony Carter sr
  • CB – Michael Ray Garvin sr
  • S – Myron Rolle jr
  • S – Darius McClure sr
Special Teams
  • K – Zack Hubby so
  • P – Shawn Powell fr
  • K,P – Graham Gano was expected to start at both positions, but had a knee injury during two a days. He is expected back by the Colorado game.

References[]

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