Seminoles seek redemption vs. Southern Miss
SHREVEPORT, La. — Florida State’s tumultuous season, which began with national-title aspirations followed by a steep decline and surprising coaching change, is mercifully near the end.
The Seminoles have been bruised by a mix of close loses and injury problems. They mounted a late push for bowl eligibility and coped with the departure of former coach Jimbo Fisher.
Along the way, the Seminoles have matured and shown signs of gratitude and relief for their 2017 season, which will end Wednesday against Southern Mississippi (8-4) at the Independence Bowl.
Florida State will play in its 36th consecutive bowl game — a streak the Seminoles say should stand after refuting a Reddit report last week that questioned their bowl eligibility.
The Seminoles hope to clinch the program’s 41st consecutive winning season with a victory that could also restore their pride.
“A win is a win, but, going through this season, we showed our character and determination to finish the season strong,” sophomore defensive end Brian Burns said during a joint news conference Tuesday.
“We had a lot of injuries and things we had to deal with, but we worked to become bowl eligible and now, we’re here.
“There’s no option besides coming out with a win. We have to dig down deep and get a win.”
Florida State began the season ranked No. 3 nationally, ready to make a leap toward the team’s first ACC title since 2014 behind a talented team that had gone 103 the previous season.
But an opening-week loss to then No. 1-ranked Alabama, marred by a seasonending injury to star quarterback Deondre Francois, made for one of the worst starts the Seminoles could have suffered.
It set the tone for a difficult year.
The Seminoles suffered demoralizing last-minute losses against Miami and Louisville and reached a boiling point after a blowout loss on the road against Boston College, but improved to finish 4-1 in the final five games before the bowl.
Fisher, an eighth-year head coach who replaced legend Bobby Bowden and led the Seminoles to the 2013 national championship, bolted for Texas A&M for a 10-year, $75 million deal while openly admonishing FSU and its administration’s commitment to the football program in the process.
It took five days for the Seminoles to land new coach Willie Taggart, the former USF and Oregon coach who immediately re-energized the program.
In the interim, longtime defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins has kept the team united and geared toward finishing their season at the 17th different bowl game in program history on a positive note.
“Coach Haggins has been like a father figure to us,” said sophomore cornerback Levonta Taylor, who was recruited to play at FSU from Virginia by Haggins.
“He’s been a father figure to everyone on this team, just building the program back up. It’s been a rough season, but since he stepped in, everybody is head over heels and ready to go out there and fight for him.”
Taggart and members of his new coaching staff, who have evaluated the Seminoles during their bowl game practices, are expected to watch the players in action during the bowl game.