LOSING CASTS SHADOW
The famed Sunshine State series — often a gateway to the national title — suffers its first matchup of sub-.500 teams since 1959.
TALLAHASSEE — Florida State and Florida usually have a lot more on the line than bragging rights.
Saturday’s meeting is a rarity for the Sunshine State series.
It’s only the second time since the series began in 1958 that both schools have losing records coming into the game. The only other time it happened was 1959, when the Seminoles were 3-5 and the Gators were 3-4-1. Florida went on to win 18-8.
Both teams are 4-6 after each won last Saturday — Florida State defeated Delaware State 77-6, and Florida stopped a four-game slide with a 36-7 victory over UAB.
The last time the Seminoles had a losing record when they faced the Gators this late in the season was 1973, when they were 0-10. This is the third time since 1979 that Florida has been under .500 heading into the FSU game.
This also marks only the fifth time since 1978 that neither team is ranked.
“Both teams are extremely used to success. Always have been, always will be, and will be in the future,” FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said. “That’s why it’s one of the great rivalries because there’s true meaning in the outcome of the game.”
Florida interim coach Randy Shannon said the game still has significance because of former high school teammates going up against each other.
“They take a lot of pride in what they do at Florida State, just like we do at Florida,” he said. “A lot of these guys on this football team have former teammates at Florida State. So when they go home, who gets the bragging rights? It’s not just one day, it’s the whole entire year.”
The game has more immediate significance for the Seminoles, who are trying to keep a couple streaks alive.
■ They have won four straight against the Gators, matching their longest winning streak against Florida (1977-80, 1987-90).
■ Florida State needs a win Saturday and Dec. 2 against Louisiana Monroe to become bowl eligible for the 36th consecutive season. It is trying to avoid its first losing campaign since Bobby Bowden’s first year in 1976.
“We know that our bowl hopes and the streaks are riding on it. This week is important for our season and for us to come out on top,” center Alec Eberle said.
Fisher, who has won six of seven matchups against Florida, said the game still has significance on how a season is judged. He said he learned that first-hand in 2012.
“I remember we were 12-2 and lost to Florida that year and won an Orange Bowl and everyone was mad,” he said. “We won the ACC. And people weren’t happy.”
While Gators fans are focusing on who might be the team’s next coach, Shannon said the message to players this week has been to focus on what they can control.
Shannon said if a new coach is named this week, it won’t be a distraction.
“The only job I worry about is the job I got now,” he said. “That’s the interim head coach. I don’t worry about anything else. If I worry about anything else, I wouldn’t do my job now. I really don’t worry about those types of things, to be honest with you.”
Search continues: It seems like Florida is developing a backup plan if Chip Kelly doesn’t work out and decides to go elsewhere.
Yahoo Sports reported the Gators are thinking about other candidates and could move on from Kelly if a deal isn’t done soon.
Kelly reportedly met with Florida officials Sunday, but the Gators left New Hampshire without a deal. The discussion came on the same day that UCLA fired Jim Mora, which could be a more alluring job for the former Oregon coach because it’s back on the West Coast and in the Pac-12 where he’s in more familiar territory.
This also could be a tactic to make Kelly choose whether he wants to sign a contract with the Gators. As more SEC jobs are likely to open, Florida probably wants to move on to its next choice if he isn’t interested in the job.
— SEC COUNTRY