A Look Back on FSU Football’s History in Texas
For the first time in more than a decade, Florida State football will spend its Saturday in the Lone Star State. The Seminoles will look to even their ACC record as they visit SMU.
The prime-time matchup will be the first-ever between the schools. For FSU, it will be its 19th game all-time in the state of Texas.
Unfortunately, things have traditionally not gone well for the Seminoles. All-time, FSU is just 6-11-1 in Texas.
The most common Texas destination for FSU has been Houston. In seven trips to take on the Cougars, the Seminoles are just 1-5-1.
In two road contests each against TCU and Texas Tech, FSU is 1-1. Florida State beat Texas A&M 19-18 in a 1967 contest in which linebacker Dale McCullers set a program record with 29 tackles. FSU lost in its lone trip to Baylor in 1973.
In 1976, FSU won its only matchup at North Texas (then North Texas State) in a 21-20 thriller in the snow. After Jeff Leggett found the end zone to cut the lead to one, Larry Key hit Kurt Unglaub on a trick play for the winning 2-point conversion. It was the first of just two head coaching matchups between Hall of Famers Bobby Bowden, then in his first season at FSU, and Hayden Fry, a former SMU head coach.
The remainder of FSU’s trips to Texas were neutral-site showdowns. The most recent trip to Texas took place in Arlington as FSU tied a program record with its 17th straight win with a 37-31 victory over Oklahoma State to open the 2014 season. Reigning Heisman Trophy Jameis Winston passed for 370 yards and a touchdown while adding a memorable touchdown run. Rashad Greene finished with 11 catches for 203 yards and a touchdown.
FSU has played four bowl games in Texas. The lone victory was a 10-2 win over Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl to close the 1991 season.
In the Sun Bowl in El Paso, FSU is 0-3 all-time with the last defeat being a 20-14 loss to Jayden Daniels and Arizona State — the final game before Mike Norvell took over as head coach. The Seminoles lost to UTEP (then Texas Western) in the Sun Bowl to close 1954 and Wyoming to conclude the 1966 season. The Sun Bowl is the bowl in which FSU has the most appearances without a win.
Currently almost a touchdown underdog, FSU will be in the city of Dallas for the first time since its lone Cotton Bowl appearance — although Arlington qualifies as a suburb. Despite a dismal record in Texas all-time, the Seminoles haven’t lost a regular season there since 1975. That’s a streak they’ll try to keep intact.
