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Florida Gators |
Florida State Seminoles © |
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Played November 26, 1988 at Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, Florida |
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Teams' Belt Records
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Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
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W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
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| Florida | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | ||||
| Florida State © | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | ||||
Previous Belt Meetings: None
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1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
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Florida |
7 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
17 |
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Florida State |
21 |
3 |
21 |
7 |
52 |
The 5th ranked, 9-1 Florida State Seminoles of coach Bobby Bowden hosted the 6-4 Florida Gators of coach Galen Hall in their annual match-up. The Gators were an under-performing team that had lost 4 of their last 5 games. Florida State's QB Chip Ferguson threw touchdown passes on the Seminoles’ first 3 possessions taking advantage of Gators' All-SEC S Louis Oliver out due to injury & Florida State's defense held Florida’s offense to 183 total yards in a 52-17 rout to retain The Belt. Ferguson connected with WR Lawrence Dawsey on an 18-yard touchdown pass as the Seminoles took a 7-0 lead on their opening drive. Florida's WR Tony Lomack returned the ensuing kick-off 46 yards & QB Kyle Morris completed a 27-yard pass to TE Mark McGriff setting up the 1-yard touchdown run by All-SEC RB Emmitt Smith to tie the game at 7-7. On Florida State’s next drive, Ferguson found TE Tom O’Malley on a 15-yard touchdown pass for a 14-7 advantage. Florida State's LB Kelvin Smith intercepted a Morris pass at the Florida 24-yard line & Ferguson capitalized with an 8-yard touchdown pass to RB Sammie Smith for a 21-7 lead. Each team kicked a field goal in the 2nd quarter with PK Bill Mason making a 19-yard field goal for the Seminoles & PK John David Francis converting from 23 yards just before halftime. Early in the 3rd quarter, Florida's WR Kerry Watkins fumbled on a punt return & Florida State's RB Marion Butts recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown giving the Seminoles a 31-10 lead. Florida State's RB Dayne Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 38-10 & on the next play from scrimmage, Seminoles' LB Tony Moss deflected a Morris pass to NG Odell Haggins who intercepted the ball. Haggins returned the pick 11 yards for another Seminoles’ touchdown as the lead grew to 45-10 heading into the 4th quarter. The 4th quarter saw both teams substitute liberally while each scored a touchdown. Florida State’s came on a 10-yard touchdown pass from QB Peter Tom Willis to WR Terry Anthony while Florida scored with 3:07 left in the game on a 2-yard touchdown run by RB Willie McClendon. Ferguson finished with 131 yards passing with 3 touchdowns & Smith added 109 yards rushing to his score for the Seminoles. Morris threw for just 40 yards with 2 interceptions in the loss. Florida State finished the season 11-1; ranked 3rd nationally while the Gators finished 7-5. Florida would play for The Belt again in 1999.
