1985 Gator Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1985 Gator Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida State University Seminoles
and the , and was played on Monday, December 30, 1985, at Gator Bowl Stadium
in Jacksonville, Florida
. It was the forty-first edition of the bowl game.
quarterback
Chip Ferguson threw for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Tony Smith added 201 yards rushing as Florida State rolled over Oklahoma State, 34-23, in the 41st Annual Gator Bowl
.
FSU, which entered the game minus its top three receivers, fooled Oklahoma State by throwing on 15 of its first 20 plays. Derek Schmidt field goals of 23 and 39 yards, and a 39-yard touchdown
catch by Herb Gainer sandwiched in between, gave FSU a 13-0 halftime lead.
Oklahoma State got on the scoreboard
immediately following the intermission
when a 63-yard drive ended in a 33-yard field goal by Brad Dennis.
Ferguson, who was named the game’s MVP, went back to the air, taking the Seminoles 73 yards on the next series before handing off to senior
fullback
Cletis Jones for a three-yard touchdown run. An interception by Deion Sanders
gave the ball back to FSU, and Ferguson used just five plays before hitting Gainer with a 19-yard touchdown pass. That made the score 27-3, Florida State.
Oklahoma State didn’t give up with Cowboy quarterback Ronnie William passing 29 yards to All-America tailback Thurman Thomas
for an OSU TD. Following a Ferguson fumble, Williams
handed off to Thomas, who threw back to the quarterback for a 12-yard touchdown
that closed the score to 27-17.
Early in the fourth quarter, Ferguson scored from one yard out to give the Seminoles a 17-point cushion. The Cowboys added a late touchdown on a 31-yard pass from Williams to Hart Lee Dykes.
Sophomore
wide receiver
Randy White, who had never caught a pass at FSU, grabbed four first half passes for 87 yards while Gainer, who had caught just five during the regular season, hauled in seven for 148 yards and two TDs. Smith’s 201 rushing yards came on 24 carries.
The Seminole defense held the heralded Thomas in check the entire game, limiting him to 97 yards on 26 attempts. Florida State finished the season with a 9-3 record.
1985 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 1985 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University in the 1985 college football season. The Seminoles offense scored 402 points while the defense allowed 258 points...
and the , and was played on Monday, December 30, 1985, at Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl Stadium
Gator Bowl was an American football stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally built in 1927, it was radically reconstructed in 1994 in preparation for the Jacksonville Jaguars inaugural season and became Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, now EverBank Field. It is most notable for hosting the Gator...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was the forty-first edition of the bowl game.
Game Summary
FreshmanFreshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Chip Ferguson threw for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Tony Smith added 201 yards rushing as Florida State rolled over Oklahoma State, 34-23, in the 41st Annual Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl
The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally...
.
FSU, which entered the game minus its top three receivers, fooled Oklahoma State by throwing on 15 of its first 20 plays. Derek Schmidt field goals of 23 and 39 yards, and a 39-yard touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
catch by Herb Gainer sandwiched in between, gave FSU a 13-0 halftime lead.
Oklahoma State got on the scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
immediately following the intermission
Intermission
An intermission or interval is a recess between parts of a performance or production, such as for a theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening....
when a 63-yard drive ended in a 33-yard field goal by Brad Dennis.
Ferguson, who was named the game’s MVP, went back to the air, taking the Seminoles 73 yards on the next series before handing off to senior
Senior (education)
Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Cletis Jones for a three-yard touchdown run. An interception by Deion Sanders
Deion Sanders
Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...
gave the ball back to FSU, and Ferguson used just five plays before hitting Gainer with a 19-yard touchdown pass. That made the score 27-3, Florida State.
Oklahoma State didn’t give up with Cowboy quarterback Ronnie William passing 29 yards to All-America tailback Thurman Thomas
Thurman Lee Thomas
Thurman Lee Thomas is a former American football running back who spent most of his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills...
for an OSU TD. Following a Ferguson fumble, Williams
handed off to Thomas, who threw back to the quarterback for a 12-yard touchdown
that closed the score to 27-17.
Early in the fourth quarter, Ferguson scored from one yard out to give the Seminoles a 17-point cushion. The Cowboys added a late touchdown on a 31-yard pass from Williams to Hart Lee Dykes.
Sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Randy White, who had never caught a pass at FSU, grabbed four first half passes for 87 yards while Gainer, who had caught just five during the regular season, hauled in seven for 148 yards and two TDs. Smith’s 201 rushing yards came on 24 carries.
The Seminole defense held the heralded Thomas in check the entire game, limiting him to 97 yards on 26 attempts. Florida State finished the season with a 9-3 record.