For the first time this century, the Florida State Seminoles found a way to defeat arch-rival Miami. The game, played at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, ended in a 10-7 score with Miami missing a field goal in the game's final moments.
In the last 15 years, FSU has seen four of its field goal kickers miss kicks that would have given it a win over the Hurricanes. This year, the tables were turned.
Jon Peattie lined up to kick a 28-yard field goal with just over two minutes left that would have tied the game at 10-10. Peattie never got a chance to make the kick, however. The snap was low and the holder never got the ball down. FSU pounced on the ball and ended the threat. Miami never got the ball back.
'We have been through it many times,' FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. 'This is first time they've been through it. I know how it feels.'
'The snaps weren't good all night,' admitted Miami kicker Brian Monroe said. 'It kind of trickled on the ground to me and when I looked up a Seminole was on top of me.'
'The operation (on special teams) wasn't good and obviously the operation on the last one was a tragedy,' said Miami coach Larry Coker.
Florida State came into the game ranked ninth in the nation while the Hurricanes were ranked 14th. While the game was hardly an upset, Coach Bobby Bowden was relieved to get the monkey off his team's back.
'We finally stole one from them like they stole one from us,' said Bowden, who improved to 12-19 against Miami with FSU. 'It made up for a lot of them but not all of them.'
It wasn't what football purists would call a pretty victory. The Seminoles managed only 170 total yards of offense in the game and FSU quarterback Drew Weatherford was only seven for 24 on the night.
But the Florida State defense was the difference in the game. It held firm when it needed to, limiting Miami to just seven points and stopping them at the two yard line just before the Hurricanes attempted the tying field goal.
Monday night's game was another close one in the annals of Florida's great college football tradition. This time, it was FSU who emerged on top, breaking a six-game losing streak against Miami and propelling them forward in the bid for the mythical national championship.
