FSU has only played on this date a handful of times. So rare even, the last time was in 1978, so between both Jimbo and Bobby's tenure here there has only been a single game coached on this date a game and it was over 35 years ago.
So since there are so few games to choose from, I believe this might be the first time since doing these little history threads I won't be bringing up a game we won.
This game featured an FSU team who managed to gain only 108 yards in the game and only 5 first downs. A game in which our leading rusher ran for a grand total of 24 yards and leading WR caught a whopping two passes for 19 yards to help our grand total in passing on the day tally a total of 28 yards. In front of 44,000 in attendance, we punted 10 times in the game.
Thanks to blocking an early punt in the game, we were however able to kick a FG which would be our only points scored in the game. That same kicker would later miss a FG with 1:06 left to play in the game which could have sealed the victory for the Noles, but the 51 yard attempt didn't have the distance.
One bright spot of the game for the Noles was the defense was able to secure 2 interceptions, block a punt and force 6 fumbles, recovering half of them.
So what made such an unimpressive game the Noles didn't even win special enough to bring up today?
On this day in FSU history, not only did they not win, but they didn't lose either. It was 1961 and the first time the Noles didn't lose to their arch rivals from Gainesville after first playing them in 1958.
The gators were coming off their best season in school history in 1960 with a 9-2 record. Yes, they were in their sixth decade of playing football and a 9-2 record was finally the best they had done.
For FSU, this is what the Florida Times Union had to say of the Noles in June of 1961 prior to the start of the season:
As a relative newcomer to big time football, Florida State has a lot of problems many other schools already have whipped. But, the Seminoles are coming along fast and it wouldn't be too surprising to see them reach every one of their objectives way ahead of schedule.
I think with the success we would go on to have in the 1960's and again with Bobby Bowden, I think it is safe to say they made a pretty accurate prediction.
Although the Noles only scored on a John Harlee FG, they also held the gator scoring to a single FG as well for the only scoring of the game which resulted in a 3-3 tie.
Kicker John Harllee
Playing football as only they thought they could, Florida State's really remarkable scrappers won a 3-3 tie over University of Florida's frantic fumblers here Saturday afternoon.
And the scramblingest scrambler of them all was Roy Bickford, the quarterback chief of the Renegades and a defensive demon on this breezy, sunshiny and most wonderful day.
The Miami senior blocked a punt early, paving a field goal from the 19 by John Harllee.
He intercepted a pass that almost certainly averted a Florida touchdown, after the Gators had probed to FSU's 14.
And in the latter part of the last quarter, he intercepted another pass, ran it back to the Florida 28, a blow that virtually erased the Gators' fading hopes of victory.
Moreover, he made six tackles, as many as anyone on the field.
Roy Bickford
Roy Bickford, the defensive Back/quarterback from Miami was a three-year letterman and two-year starter...a member of the Renegades, the defensive specialists but was also capable of running the offense...against Florida in 1961, the 3-3 tie, Bickford blocked a punt that led to the field goal, intercepted two passes and had six tackles...led the Seminoles with 108 tackles in 1961.
Florida outgunned FSU in offensive yardage, 291 to 108. The Gators had a first down advantage, 15-5.
But there was no electrocardiograph around to measure heart.
With the wind going for them and 1:06 left to play, the Seminoles tried a field goal, a strickly way-out effort. Harllee kicked from the 41. It wasn't long enough, White gathered it in at the goal line, whipped to the 12 before he was tackled.
Florida was penalized to the six for clipping.
Desperately, Libertore threw. Hoover caught one at the 30. On the last play, he nailed Starling who got to midfield, where FSU and the whistle caught him.
FSU addicts tore down the goal posts at one end, precipitating a merry outbreak of fights. Policemen finally restored order by retrieving the goalposts and carting them away.
Thus ended one of the darkest afternoons in University of Florida's often dark - if recently bright - football history.
And, for FSU, it was certainly the greatest thing since the gals welcomed the boys to the campus and the school turned co-ed in 1947.
We may not have scored one in the W column of our record, but it certainly felt like a win and you can bet those gators sure felt like it was a loss, much like the 1994 Choke-at-Doak tie.
The only film of the game I could find was in a uf highlight reel from that season:
So since there are so few games to choose from, I believe this might be the first time since doing these little history threads I won't be bringing up a game we won.
This game featured an FSU team who managed to gain only 108 yards in the game and only 5 first downs. A game in which our leading rusher ran for a grand total of 24 yards and leading WR caught a whopping two passes for 19 yards to help our grand total in passing on the day tally a total of 28 yards. In front of 44,000 in attendance, we punted 10 times in the game.
Thanks to blocking an early punt in the game, we were however able to kick a FG which would be our only points scored in the game. That same kicker would later miss a FG with 1:06 left to play in the game which could have sealed the victory for the Noles, but the 51 yard attempt didn't have the distance.
One bright spot of the game for the Noles was the defense was able to secure 2 interceptions, block a punt and force 6 fumbles, recovering half of them.
So what made such an unimpressive game the Noles didn't even win special enough to bring up today?
On this day in FSU history, not only did they not win, but they didn't lose either. It was 1961 and the first time the Noles didn't lose to their arch rivals from Gainesville after first playing them in 1958.
The gators were coming off their best season in school history in 1960 with a 9-2 record. Yes, they were in their sixth decade of playing football and a 9-2 record was finally the best they had done.
For FSU, this is what the Florida Times Union had to say of the Noles in June of 1961 prior to the start of the season:
As a relative newcomer to big time football, Florida State has a lot of problems many other schools already have whipped. But, the Seminoles are coming along fast and it wouldn't be too surprising to see them reach every one of their objectives way ahead of schedule.
I think with the success we would go on to have in the 1960's and again with Bobby Bowden, I think it is safe to say they made a pretty accurate prediction.
Although the Noles only scored on a John Harlee FG, they also held the gator scoring to a single FG as well for the only scoring of the game which resulted in a 3-3 tie.
Kicker John Harllee
Playing football as only they thought they could, Florida State's really remarkable scrappers won a 3-3 tie over University of Florida's frantic fumblers here Saturday afternoon.
And the scramblingest scrambler of them all was Roy Bickford, the quarterback chief of the Renegades and a defensive demon on this breezy, sunshiny and most wonderful day.
The Miami senior blocked a punt early, paving a field goal from the 19 by John Harllee.
He intercepted a pass that almost certainly averted a Florida touchdown, after the Gators had probed to FSU's 14.
And in the latter part of the last quarter, he intercepted another pass, ran it back to the Florida 28, a blow that virtually erased the Gators' fading hopes of victory.
Moreover, he made six tackles, as many as anyone on the field.
Roy Bickford
Roy Bickford, the defensive Back/quarterback from Miami was a three-year letterman and two-year starter...a member of the Renegades, the defensive specialists but was also capable of running the offense...against Florida in 1961, the 3-3 tie, Bickford blocked a punt that led to the field goal, intercepted two passes and had six tackles...led the Seminoles with 108 tackles in 1961.
Florida outgunned FSU in offensive yardage, 291 to 108. The Gators had a first down advantage, 15-5.
But there was no electrocardiograph around to measure heart.
With the wind going for them and 1:06 left to play, the Seminoles tried a field goal, a strickly way-out effort. Harllee kicked from the 41. It wasn't long enough, White gathered it in at the goal line, whipped to the 12 before he was tackled.
Florida was penalized to the six for clipping.
Desperately, Libertore threw. Hoover caught one at the 30. On the last play, he nailed Starling who got to midfield, where FSU and the whistle caught him.
FSU addicts tore down the goal posts at one end, precipitating a merry outbreak of fights. Policemen finally restored order by retrieving the goalposts and carting them away.
Thus ended one of the darkest afternoons in University of Florida's often dark - if recently bright - football history.
And, for FSU, it was certainly the greatest thing since the gals welcomed the boys to the campus and the school turned co-ed in 1947.
We may not have scored one in the W column of our record, but it certainly felt like a win and you can bet those gators sure felt like it was a loss, much like the 1994 Choke-at-Doak tie.
The only film of the game I could find was in a uf highlight reel from that season:
