1981 Florida State Seminoles football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1981 Florida State Seminoles football Florida State Seminoles old logo.svg 150 Independent 6–5 Bobby Bowden 6th George Henshaw 3rd Pro-style Jack Stanton 6th 4–3 James Harris James Gilbert Rohn Stark Michael Whiting Rick Stockstill Doak Campbell Stadium The 1981 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles compiled a record of 6–5. Florida State played home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. Schedule 1981 AP Eastern September 5 7:00 p.m. w 19 Louisville Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL 17–0 50,735 https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-freshmen-pase-fsu-over-louisv/158212685/ News-Press Freshmen pase FSU over Louisville 17–0 September 6, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com September 12 7:00 p.m. w 18 Memphis State Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL 10–5 51,454 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bradenton-herald-whiting-seminoles/158209412/ The Bradenton Herald Whiting, Seminoles edge Memphis St. September 13, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com September 19 2:30 p.m. l y 19 Nebraska 17 Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE 14–34 76,289 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal-craig-propels-cor/158215288/ The Sioux City Journal Craig propels Cornhuskers, 34–14 September 20, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com October 3 1:30 p.m. w y Ohio State 7 Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH 36–27 87,158 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal-passing-marks-f/158215364/ The Akron Beacon Journal Passing marks fall; so do Buckeyes October 4, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com October 10 2:30 p.m. w y 20 Notre Dame rivalry Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN 19–13 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-fsu-slays-irish-1913/158212298/ St. Petersburg Times FSU slays Irish 19–13 October 11, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com October 17 1:30 p.m. l y 11 Pittsburgh 3 Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA 14–42 52,112 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-argus-seminoles-octoberfest-en/158215455/ The Times Argus Seminoles Octoberfest ends as Pitt hammers FSU, 42–14 October 18, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com October 24 8:30 p.m. w y 20 LSU Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA 38–14 74,816 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pensacola-news-journal-miltons-allen-se/134478950/ The Pensacola News-Journal Milton's Allen sets rushing mark in FSU rout October 25, 1981 November 1, 2023 Newspapers.com October 31 7:00 p.m. w y 17 Western Carolina Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL 56–31 52,721 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107797436/allens-record-sets-fsu-blast/ St. Petersburg Times Allen's record sets FSU blast November 1, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com November 7 12:00 p.m. l 14 Miami (FL) 13 Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL rivalry ABC 19–27 52,685 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tallahassee-democrat-canes-kick-seminol/158215573/ Tallahassee Democrat 'Canes kick Seminoles 27–19 November 8, 1981 October 31, 2024 Newspapers.com November 14 3:30 p.m. l 20 Southern Miss 14 Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL ABC 14–58 51,819 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74378126/eagles-humiliate-seminoles-5814 Tampa Bay Times Eagles humiliate Seminoles 58–14 November 15, 1981 March 25, 2021 Newspapers.com November 28 1:30 p.m. l y Florida Florida Field Gainesville, FL rivalry 3–35 64,437 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-state-peace-led-gators-cruise-past-s/134526272/ The State Peace-led Gators cruise past Seminoles November 29, 1981 November 2, 2023 Newspapers.com 1981 Florida State Seminoles Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football October 31, 2024 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/florida-state/1981-schedule.html Personnel 1981 Florida State Seminoles f Billy Allen RB 26 Fr Greg Allen RB Tom Brannon OL Ken Burnett RB 84 Sr Sam Childers TE Redus Coggin OL Darish Davis RB 68 Sr Jeff Field OG y 97 Fr Tim Flasher OL Herbert Harp OL 4 Fr Jessie Hester WR y 22 Jr Hardis Johnson WR 82 So Long Johnson WR y Tony Johnson WR 41 Fr Cedric Jones RB Kelly Lowery QB Tom McCormick OL 6 Jr Dennis McKinnon WR y Bob Merson OL 81 Jr Zeke Mowatt TE y 2 Fr Steve Nicklaus WR 77 So Chris Nickrenz OL y Ricky Render OL 11 Sr Rick Stockstill QB y y Weegie Thompson WR y 73 Sr Barry Voltapetti OT y Tom Wheeler TE 27 Sr Michael Whiting FB y Blair Williams QB Phil Williams WR Ricky Williams RB Tracy Ashley DB Allen Campbell DL 76 So Alphonso Carreker DT y 68 Fr Lenny Chavers DL 24 Jr Harvey Clayton DB y Jarvis Coursey DL 98 So Brad Fojtik DE yes 79 Sr Garry Futch DT 51 Sr James Gilbert NG 65 Fr Darryl Gray DE 9 Jr Warren Hanna DB 97 So Herbert Harp DT y 33 Sr James Harris DB 30 So Larry Harris DB 40 Sr Gary Henry DB Ron Hester LB 86 So John McLean DE 60 Sr Scott McLean DE Eric Riley DB Mike Rodrique DL Ken Roe LB Henry Taylor LB Tommy Young LB 7 Fr Mike Rendina K 3 Sr Rohn Stark P y *Bobby Bowden George Henshaw (OC) Jack Stanton (DC) Season summary Florida State finished with a 6–5 record and were not invited to a Bowl game. The Seminoles' offense scored 240 points while the defense allowed 286 points. The Seminoles played a murderers row schedule on the road, as in consecutive weeks, they played at #17 Nebraska, at #7 Ohio State, at Notre Dame, at #3 Pittsburgh and at LSU. Greg Allen led the team in rushing with 888 yards. Rick Stockstill led the team in passing with 1356 yards and 11 touchdown passes. Michael Whiting led the team in receptions with 29. Phil Williams led the team in receiving yards with 413. Harvey Clayton led the team with 5 pass interceptions. Jarvis Coursey {DE}, Tim McCormick {C}, Rohn Stark {P} and Barry Voltapetti {OT} were selected to the First team All-South Independent team. Rohn Stark was selected as a First team All-American. Greg Allen {RB}, Garry Futch {G}, McCormick and Voltapetti were named as Honorable Mention All-Americans by the Associated Press. Stark {Baltimore Colts}, Ron Hester {LB}, {Miami} and Mike Whiting {RB} {Dallas} were selected in the 1982 NFL draft. Louisville Florida State eked out a 17–0 victory over Louisville, but it wasn't easy. Frustrated throughout by a Louisville defense led by tackle Richard Tharpe, the Seminoles staggered and stumbled most of the way. Four times Tharpe got through and sacked quarterback Rick Stockstill. It was 10-0 after the first quarter, as Mike Rendina kicked a 24-yard field goal and Stockstill hit Jessie Hester with an 11-yard scoring pass. With seven minutes left, Billy Allen broke away on a pitchout for a 50-yard scoring run to ice it. Allen ran the ball eight times for 89 yards. Louisville threatened numerous times only to be denied by the Seminole defense. FSU held the Cardinals to 133 yards of total offense. Memphis State Florida State's offense managed to get a touchdown and a field goal on the board. Memphis State stayed in it to the end before falling 10–5. Late in the 1st quarter the Seminoles moved on a 77-yard drive for the only touchdown that came on Mike Whiting's 3 yard run in the first moments of the 2nd quarter. That erased a 2–0 deficit, which came when Rick Stockstill was trapped in the end zone by Cedric Wright on FSU's second series of the evening. Early in the 4th quarter Mike Rendina kicked a 46-yard field goal to make it 10–2. A few minutes later Gregg Hauss put through a 27 yarder for 3 points and the final score. Larry Harris intercepted a pass with 4 seconds remaining, did the Seminoles have this one wrapped up. At Nebraska Nebraska held a close 10–7 lead at halftime, but the momentum quickly turned in favor of the Cornhuskers when WB Irving Fryar scored on an 82-yard punt return, followed up six game clock seconds later when DE Tony Felici's off-the-bench opportunity allowed him to recover a Florida State fumble on the kickoff and return it 13 yards for another touchdown. Nebraska sealed the deal on a 94-yard touchdown run by IB Roger Craig. Ohio State The Seminoles knocked #7 Ohio State from the unbeaten ranks 36–27. Rick Stockstill completed 25 of 41 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. Stockstill directed two third quarter drives to touchdowns that were the difference. The first covered 88 yards in 11 plays, the second 99 in nine. The Seminoles increased their 23-21 halftime lead as a result of these drives. No bigger play was Ron Hester's blocked punt that he returned 35 yards for a touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Stockstill's TD passes were to Tony Johnson (13 yards) and Sam Childers (7 yards). Kelly Lowery and Ricky Williams had touchdown runs for the Seminoles. At Notre Dame Florida State Seminoles, in their first ever visit to Notre Dame Stadium, left with a 19–13 victory. Mike Rendina kicked two field goals and Michael Whiting scored both the Seminoles touchdowns, a 17-yard pass from Rick Stockstill and a 5-yard pass from Stockstill. Ricky Williams ran for 135 yards. Stockstill passed for only 100 yards but his two TD passes were the difference in the game. At Pittsburgh 3 ranked Pittsburgh dominated every phase of the game and routed Florida State 42-14 before a crowd of 55,112 at Pitt Stadium. Pitt's Dan Marino, threw for 215 yards and touchdowns of 22, 65, and 18 yards. Michael Whiting ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Sam Childers caught a 5-yard TD pass from Blair Williams. Pittsburgh rolled up 503 yards of total offense. At LSU Florida State crushed Louisiana State 38-14 before over 74,000 homecoming fans at Tiger Stadium. Offense, defense and special teams all contributed in the rout. Harvey Clayton had an interception and a 48-yard punt return. James Harris had 3 sacks, Warren Hanna blocked a punt and Billy Allen returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Greg Allen and Cedric Jones ran for touchdowns. Allen rushed for 202 yards, a new school record. Rick Stockstill passed for two touchdowns, one to Dennis McKinnon (22 yards) and one to Phil Williams (12 yards). Western Carolina A homecoming crowd of over 52,000 at Doak Campbell Stadium was treated to an offensive show by both squads. It featured 623 yards of total offense by the Seminoles and 437 yards by Western Carolina. Greg Allen's 322 yards of rushing on 32 carries was the single-game best in college football this season, and shattered his own FSU record of 202 yards that be set a week ago at LSU. Allen had a 5-yard touchdown run and a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Michael Whiting ran for two touchdowns and Mike Rendina kicked two field goals. Dennis McKinnon, Tony Johnson and Cedric Jones had touchdowns for the Seminoles. Miami (FL) The Seminole kicking game was missing as they had two field goal attempts and an extra point blocked. The Noles and the Canes were tied 13-13 heading into the 4th quarter. Smokey Roan scored from 6 yards out for a 20-13 Hurricane lead. The Seminoles still had 10:47 left to come back, but two plays later Rick Stockstill's slant pass was tipped and intercepted by Ronnie Tippett. Jim Kelly threw to Speedy Neal and broke two tackles on the way to the end zone for a 27–13 lead with 8:54 left. The Seminoles closed to 27–19 on a Stockstill 7 yard TD pass to Sam Childers. 1981 Miami Hurricanes football team Florida State–Miami football rivalry Florida State Seminoles 2; text-align:center collapsed Miami (FL) Hurricanes at Florida State Seminoles November 7 Miami (FL) 3 7 3 14 Florida St 6 7 0 6 Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida 52,685 Recap/Box First quarter FSU – Tony Johnson 12-yard pass from Rick Stockstill (kick blocked), 10:38. Florida St 6–0. Drive: MIA – Dan Miller 32-yard field goal, 4:42. Florida St 6–3. Drive: Second quarter MIA – 1-yard run (Dan Miller kick), 12:46. Miami (FL) 10–6. Drive: FSU – Greg Allen 2-yard run (Mike Rendina kick), 5:43. Florida St 13–10. Drive: Third quarter MIA – Dan Miller 57-yard field goal, 7:38. Tie 13–13. Drive: Fourth quarter MIA – Smokey Roan 6-yard run (Dan Miller kick), 10:47. Miami (FL) 20–13. Drive: MIA – Speedy Neal 23-yard pass from Jim Kelly (Dan Miller kick), 8:54. Miami (FL) 27–13. Drive: FSU – Sam Childers 7-yard pass from Rick Stockstill (pass failed), 6:46. Miami (FL) 27–19. Drive: Top passers MIA – Jim Kelly – 22/41, 273 yards, TD FSU – Rick Stockstill – 17/36, 173 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers MIA FSU – Greg Allen – 23 rushes, 109 yards, TD Top receivers MIA FSU – Tony Johnson – 4 receptions, 53 yards, TD The loss snapped Florida State's 19-game home winning streak. Southern Miss Florida State crashed and burned before 51,819 spectators at Doak Campbell Stadium. Southern Miss did whatever they pleased in a 58–14 rout and moved to 9-0-1 on the season. The Seminoles trailed 51-0 before they finally got on the scoreboard with a Dennis McKinnon 50 yard TD reception from Blair Williams. Tom Wheeler caught a 6-yard TD pass from Williams to close out the scoring for the game. At Florida Florida took a 13–3 lead into halftime and then poured it on in the 2nd half on the way to a 35–3 victory over the Seminoles. Wayne Peace threw four touchdown passes, including two to Mike Mularkey. Brian Clark added two field goals for the Gators. The Gators dominated the game from the opening drive to the final gun and won for the first time over Florida State since 1976. References Florida State Category:Florida State Seminoles football seasons Florida State Seminoles football