2010 Gator Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Gator Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida State University Seminoles
from the ACC
, and the West Virginia University Mountaineers
representing the Big East
, and was played on Friday, January 1, 2010, at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida
. It was the sixty fifth edition of the bowl game.
The game was the last one to be coached by legendary Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden
prior to his retirement. Bowden had publicly stated that he would like to coach the game in the state of Florida
— which created what amounts to a Florida State home game. Prior to coaching at FSU, Bowden was the head coach at West Virginia. Therefore, many felt that the bowl game would serve as a fitting end to his career. Forty-two of Bowden's 389 career wins came at West Virginia between 1970-1975. He was West Virginia's offensive coordinator for four seasons before becoming the head coach. Gator Bowl officials confirmed to The News & Observer
of Raleigh, North Carolina
that if they had the chance, they would select the Seminoles.
The main obstacle that surrounded the proposition was that Florida State finished 4-4 in ACC play. Under normal conditions, had Georgia Tech
lost the ACC Championship Game
to Clemson
and been passed over for the Chick-fil-A Bowl
then it would have been difficult for the Gator Bowl not to choose Georgia Tech because of the ACC's rule that states, "a team cannot be passed for consideration by an ACC bowl partner for a team more than one loss behind in the conference standings." In this case, the Gator Bowl would have theoretically not been able to pass over Georgia Tech, Clemson and Virginia Tech
in favor of Florida State. However, Gator Bowl officials stated that under the same contract the bowl only has to invite the ACC title game loser once in four years, which it did with Georgia Tech in 2007.
Both Florida State and West Virginia had played in the Gator Bowl six times prior to this game. The two teams met in the Gator Bowl on two prior occasions, first in 1982 with FSU winning 31-12 and then again in 2005
with the Seminoles winning 30-18. The 1982 game was the start of Florida State's current 28 year streak of playing in bowl games.
Jermaine Thomas ran for two touchdowns, Florida State scored 20 straight points to take control and the Seminoles knocked off No. 18 West Virginia 33-21 in the final game of Bobby Bowden's storied 44-year career as a head coach. Bowden finished with a 389-129-4 record, and most importantly to him, a 33rd consecutive winning season.
West Virginia took the opening kickoff and scored without much resistance, a 72-yard, eight-play drive capped by a 32-yard touchdown
rush by starting quarterback
Jarrett Brown, who was injured in the second quarter. The Mountaineers went up 14-3 on their second possession, after Noel Devine broke off a 70-yard run to get inside the Florida State 5, then wound up scoring from 1 yard out. After Jamie Robinson intercepted Brown early in the second quarter, Florida State got back into it on Thomas' first touchdown of the day, a 12-yard rush. Dustin Hopkins
, who missed a 37-yard try earlier in the period, connected on a 42-yard field goal with 8 seconds left in the half, getting the Seminoles within 14-13 at the break.
After the second-half kickoff was taken 69 yards to the West Virginia 9, FSU kicked another field goal. Then a Jarmon Fortson ridiculous, leaping, one-handed, 29-yard catch, Thomas scored from 19 yards out later in the third to give Florida State a 23-14 lead into entering the last 15 minutes of Bowden's career. Ryan Clarke plunged in from 5 yards away for West Virginia on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the Seminoles answered with a methodical drive to restore the nine-point lead, quarterback E.J. Manuel's 2-yard touchdown burst putting Florida State up 30-21.
West Virginia's school-record four-game bowl winning streak came to an end with the loss. Florida State won five of its final seven games of the season after a three-game losing streak. In his 33rd and presumably final bowl game
, Bobby Bowden won again, bringing his career bowl record to 22-10-1. His .682 bowl winning percentage is the best in NCAA history among coaches to coach in at least 20 bowl games.
2009 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2009 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2009 college football season. The Seminoles were led by 34th year head coach Bobby Bowden...
from the ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
, and the West Virginia University Mountaineers
2009 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2009 West Virginia Mountaineer football team represented West Virginia University in the college football season of 2009. The Mountaineers were led by head coach Bill Stewart and played their home games at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia...
representing the Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
, and was played on Friday, January 1, 2010, at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium 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 sixty fifth edition of the bowl game.
The game was the last one to be coached by legendary Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
prior to his retirement. Bowden had publicly stated that he would like to coach the game in the state of 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...
— which created what amounts to a Florida State home game. Prior to coaching at FSU, Bowden was the head coach at West Virginia. Therefore, many felt that the bowl game would serve as a fitting end to his career. Forty-two of Bowden's 389 career wins came at West Virginia between 1970-1975. He was West Virginia's offensive coordinator for four seasons before becoming the head coach. Gator Bowl officials confirmed to The News & Observer
The News & Observer
The News & Observer is the regional daily newspaper of the Research Triangle area of the U.S. State of North Carolina. The N&O, as it is popularly called, is based in Raleigh and also covers Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. The paper also has substantial readership in most of the state east of...
of Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
that if they had the chance, they would select the Seminoles.
The main obstacle that surrounded the proposition was that Florida State finished 4-4 in ACC play. Under normal conditions, had Georgia Tech
2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson...
lost the ACC Championship Game
2009 ACC Championship Game
The 2009 ACC Championship Game was a college football game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Clemson Tigers. The game, sponsored by Dr. Pepper, was the final regular-season contest of the 2009 college football season for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson,...
to Clemson
2009 Clemson Tigers football team
The 2009 Clemson Tigers football team represented Clemson University in the 2009 college football season. The Tigers were led by head coach Dabo Swinney, who was in his first full season as head coach. The Tigers played their home games in Memorial Stadium...
and been passed over for the Chick-fil-A Bowl
2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl
The 2009 Chick-fil-A Bowl was a postseason college football bowl game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Tennessee Volunteers on December 31, 2009, in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. Virginia Tech defeated Tennessee 40–12. The game was part of the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
then it would have been difficult for the Gator Bowl not to choose Georgia Tech because of the ACC's rule that states, "a team cannot be passed for consideration by an ACC bowl partner for a team more than one loss behind in the conference standings." In this case, the Gator Bowl would have theoretically not been able to pass over Georgia Tech, Clemson and Virginia Tech
2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team
The 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies football team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Frank Beamer...
in favor of Florida State. However, Gator Bowl officials stated that under the same contract the bowl only has to invite the ACC title game loser once in four years, which it did with Georgia Tech in 2007.
Both Florida State and West Virginia had played in the Gator Bowl six times prior to this game. The two teams met in the Gator Bowl on two prior occasions, first in 1982 with FSU winning 31-12 and then again in 2005
2005 Gator Bowl
The 2005 Gator Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida State Seminoles and the West Virginia Mountaineers on January 1, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. It was the final game of the 2004 NCAA Division I FBS football season for each team and resulted in...
with the Seminoles winning 30-18. The 1982 game was the start of Florida State's current 28 year streak of playing in bowl games.
Pregame events
| Activity | Sponsor | When |
|---|---|---|
| Golf tournaments | Gator Bowl Association | September/December |
| Red Wagon Parade | Gator Bowl Association | September |
| Little Gator Bowl Pop Warner Championships | Gator Bowl Association | November |
| Players Welcome at Dave and Busters | CSX Transportation CSX Transportation CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles... |
Gator Bowl week Day 1 |
| Adventure Landing Player's Outing | Gator Bowl Association | Gator Bowl week Day 2/3 |
| Fellowship of Christian Athletes Breakfast | First Baptist Church | Gator Bowl week Day 4 |
| Day at the Jacksonville Zoo | Outback Steakhouse Outback Steakhouse Outback Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain based in Tampa, Florida with over 1200 locations in 22 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It was founded in February 1988 in Tampa by Bob Basham, Chris T... |
Gator Bowl week Day 5 |
| Coaches Luncheon/Hall of Fame Induction | Gate Petroleum Gate Petroleum Gate Petroleum is a privately held diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the 11th largest in Florida in 2010. In FY 2008, the company ranked #338 on the Forbes list of America's Largest Private Companies... |
Gator Bowl week Day 6 |
| 5K Run | VyStar Credit Union VyStar Credit Union VyStar Credit Union is a state-chartered credit union headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida and regulated under the authority of the National Credit Union Administration . VyStar is Northeast Florida's largest credit union... |
Gator Bowl week day 6 |
| Gator Bowl Parade | Winn Dixie | Gator Bowl week day 6 |
| Pep Rally | Jacksonville Landing Jacksonville Landing The Jacksonville Landing is a shopping and dining complex in Jacksonville, Florida. It was built by the Rouse Company and opened in 1987. It has been compared to New York City's South Street Seaport, Boston's Faneuil Hall or Miami's Bayside, all developed by Rouse.-History:The Jacksonville Landing... |
Gator Bowl week day 6 |
| St. Johns River St. Johns River The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;... Midnight Fireworks |
City of Jacksonville | Gator Bowl week day 6 |
| Touchdown party at Fairgrounds | Florida Times-Union | Gator Bowl week day 7 |
| Stadium Tailgate party | Budweiser Budweiser Budweiser is a German adjective describing something or someone from the city of České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia, Czech Republic.Beer brewing in České Budějovice dates back to the 13th century... |
Gator Bowl week day 7 |
| Gator Bowl Football Game | Konica Minolta Konica Minolta is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture... |
Gator Bowl week day 7 |
Game summary
Seminoles tailbackTailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
Jermaine Thomas ran for two touchdowns, Florida State scored 20 straight points to take control and the Seminoles knocked off No. 18 West Virginia 33-21 in the final game of Bobby Bowden's storied 44-year career as a head coach. Bowden finished with a 389-129-4 record, and most importantly to him, a 33rd consecutive winning season.
West Virginia took the opening kickoff and scored without much resistance, a 72-yard, eight-play drive capped by a 32-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:...
rush by starting 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...
Jarrett Brown, who was injured in the second quarter. The Mountaineers went up 14-3 on their second possession, after Noel Devine broke off a 70-yard run to get inside the Florida State 5, then wound up scoring from 1 yard out. After Jamie Robinson intercepted Brown early in the second quarter, Florida State got back into it on Thomas' first touchdown of the day, a 12-yard rush. Dustin Hopkins
Dustin Hopkins
Dustin Hopkins is an American football kicker who plays for the Florida State Seminoles. He was born in Austin, Texas but raised in Houston, Texas, where he attended Clear Lake High School. He was recruited by Florida State when then Seminoles special teams coordinator Jody Allen watched high...
, who missed a 37-yard try earlier in the period, connected on a 42-yard field goal with 8 seconds left in the half, getting the Seminoles within 14-13 at the break.
After the second-half kickoff was taken 69 yards to the West Virginia 9, FSU kicked another field goal. Then a Jarmon Fortson ridiculous, leaping, one-handed, 29-yard catch, Thomas scored from 19 yards out later in the third to give Florida State a 23-14 lead into entering the last 15 minutes of Bowden's career. Ryan Clarke plunged in from 5 yards away for West Virginia on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the Seminoles answered with a methodical drive to restore the nine-point lead, quarterback E.J. Manuel's 2-yard touchdown burst putting Florida State up 30-21.
West Virginia's school-record four-game bowl winning streak came to an end with the loss. Florida State won five of its final seven games of the season after a three-game losing streak. In his 33rd and presumably final bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
, Bobby Bowden won again, bringing his career bowl record to 22-10-1. His .682 bowl winning percentage is the best in NCAA history among coaches to coach in at least 20 bowl games.
Scoring summary
| Scoring Play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
| WVU — Jarrett Brown 31 yard rush (Tyler Bitancurt kick), 11:45 | WVU 7-0 | ||
| FSU — Dustin Hopkins 26 Yd FG, 7:06 | WVU 7-3 | ||
| WVU — Noel Devine 1 yard rush (Tyler Bitancurt kick), 5:13 | WVU 14-3 | ||
| 2nd Quarter | |||
| FSU — Jermaine Thomas 12 Yd Run (Dustin Hopkins Kick), 10:57 | WVU 14-10 | ||
| FSU — Dustin Hopkins 42 Yd FG, 00:08 | WVU 14-13 | ||
| 3rd Quarter | |||
| FSU — Dustin Hopkins 22 Yd FG, 12:15 | FSU 16-14 | ||
| FSU — Jermaine Thomas 19 Yd Run (Dustin Hopkins Kick), 3:50 | FSU 23-14 | ||
| 4th Quarter | |||
| WVU — Ryan Clarke 5 Yd Run (Tyler Bitancurt Kick), 14:56 | FSU 23-21 | ||
| FSU — E.J. Manuel 2 Yd Run (Dustin Hopkins Kick), 8:54 | FSU 30-21 | ||
| FSU — Dustin Hopkins 37 Yd FG, 2:02 | FSU 33-21 | ||