FanPost

FSU's Top 10 Games of the Jimbo Fisher Era

Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports

This is a response to Nolewalla’s fanpost, 10 Worst FSU losses since 2006. While I appreciate Nolewalla’s effort, reliving all those horrible losses compelled me to write a feel good piece as a sort of positive yin to Nolewalla’s yang. The following are my top 10 most memorable FSU wins in the Jimbo Fisher HC era, ordered simply by my opinion of how good they made me feel at the time, what they meant for the momentum of the program, etc… Let me know your own top 10 in the comments section.

10. 1/1/13 – NIU 31-10: "The Orange Bowl." First BCS Bowl game I ever attended! Experienced New Years at Coconut Grove. Tailgated all day long. Close game at first, and then Lonnie Pryor and FSU cruised to a comfortable victory over NIU and their the trash-talking punk QB for FSU’s first BCS win in over a decade and a 12-win season.

9. 9/2/13 – Pitt 41-13: "Jameis’ first game." Came into the game cautiously optimistic, left with only two thoughts: A) "Holy crap, that kid is good. 2) The ‘Noles are in business." Arguably Jameis’ best game as a ‘ Nole (at least in terms of completion %). A friendly, Seminole-style "Welcome to the ACC" for Pitt. Their fans looked so optimistic at first, only to be subjected to shock and awe.

8. 10/18/14 – Notre Dame 31-27. "Game of the Century II." Makes the list because of the sheer magnitude of the game, the hype going into it and the epic back and forth nature of the game. #5 Notre Dame vs FSU #2 - billed as an epic match-up of two titans of college football... and it played out exactly that way. Doak Campbell sounded loud as hell on TV. Phenomenal second half by Jameis & Co. Especially memorable because I watched it as part of my best friend’s bachelor party.

7. 9/13/10 – Clemson 16-13: "The Boot" aka "Getchoo sum Clempson." FSU had just suffered consecutive frustrating close losses to NC State and UNC. Clemson had beaten us in four out of the last five years and Clemson fans were starting to believe they had surpassed us as a program (chuckles). Looks like we were headed to overtime and then we get the ball back with less than a minute to go, give Dustin Hopkins a chance at a game winner… from 55 yards… AND IT’S GOOD!!! In the immortal words of Jeff Cameron, "Suck it Clemson!"

6. 11/30/13 – UF 37-7: "FSU drains the Swamp II" Slow start, then Winston and the boys pour it on to destroy UF in their house. Think about this one from go gata’s perspective: You finish an abysmal 4-8 season by getting flogged by your archrivals (whom you believe are led by a 100% guilty rapist spawn of Satan) at home and in doing so effectively punch their ticket to the National Championship. Personally, I’ll savor this one forever.

5. 11/15/14 – Miami (FL) 30-26: "Anthony Chickillo goes O-4 vs FSU." The ‘Noles have a near-disastrous start and fall behind 23-10 at the half, getting Miami’s hopes up that maybe, just maybe they’d end the losing streak to Florida State. Instead, we do what we’d done all season long and get it together in the second half, outscoring the Canes 20-3 in the last 2 quarters. Miami native Dalvin Cook delivers the soul-crushing dagger to the Canes and FSU reaffirms that Jimbo Fisher owns The U. Here's to you, Anthony "Eye-Gouger" Chickillo. You never beat FSU and never will.

4. 9/20/14 – Clemson 23-17: "No Winston, no problem." Clemson thinks, yet again, that it’s finally "their time" to beat us, turn the tide, get over the FSU hump, etc… and then they choke. Again and again. It seemed like CU had at least 5 opportunities to put us away and just refused to capitalize on them. Eddie Goldman saved the day with a clutch fumble recovery to send the game to overtime. After yet another heroic stop on defense, Clemson fails to score in their OT possession. Karlos Williams delivered one of the biggest "Eff you" touchdowns in the history of the rivalry and FSU breaks Clemson hearts again. I was so incredibly proud of our guys for rising up without their leader and beating a better team than them with the entire nation rooting for them to lose.

3. 11/27/10 – UF 31-7: "FSU ends the streak." The fisrt time I got to see Florida State beat the Gators as a fan and as a student, during my senior year no less. We just straight up destroyed UF and exorcised a lot of demons. The 'Noles are State Champs for the first time since ’99. Christian Ponder does the gator chomp in the student section end zone. Huge game in terms of recruiting momentum for the 'Noles. "There’s a new sheriff in this state, and his name is Jimbo."

2. 10/19/13 – Clemson 51-14: "Biggest home loss in Clemson history." The best game I’ve ever seen the Seminoles play. Huge game: ESPN Game Day in Clemson, Top 5 matchup, hype galore, Clemson's soft factors that were supposed to matter, billed as "The Biggest Game in ACC history," "FSU can’t win in Death Valley," Tajh Boyd’s 5th year, "It’s finally Clemson’s time," etc… and we effin annihilate the Tigers in their house (read: Winston’s House). Phenomenal on both sides of the ball. An absolute pleasure to watch. Clemson had been picked to win the ACC in the preseason. Lamarcus Joyner memorably and rightly responded to that, saying "Good luck with that Clemson." He knew better.

1. 1/6/14 – Auburn 34-31: "Happy Birthday Jameis!" The Florida State Seminoles are National Champs! My first championship as an FSU fan. Thought we were dead to rights when we were down 21-3 with 5 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. The final drive was the single most exciting sports-related moment I’ve ever had in my life. Such a swing of emotions from beginning to end. Never been so proud or excited to be a ‘Nole.

What are your top 10 games from ’10 to present? Or of all time?

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