
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, November 3, 1995                   TAG: 9511030102
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAN UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                 LENGTH: Medium

SEMINOLES HIT MIDSEASON BUMP

WITH A LOSS TO UVA, Florida State continues its midseason setback streak.

This was really nothing new for Florida State. These kinds of things happen to the Seminoles all the time.

Virginia has its notorious late-season slumps. The Seminoles have their midseason bump.

Miami in 1994, Notre Dame in '93, the Hurricanes again in '92 and '90 - you get the picture. A single midseason loss seems like the only thing that ever keeps the Seminoles from a perfect record.

"This is no different than the last eight years," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said of his now 7-1 team. "We've managed to lose in the midseason, but we've always been able to bounce back."

The Seminoles had a spring in their step in '93, when pollsters overlooked a 31-24 loss in South Bend and awarded them their first and only national championship.

Bowden, however, isn't expecting a repeat of that after the Cavaliers' 33-28 shocker here. His national title aspirations are pretty well dashed. "I would think this probably knocked us out," he said. "Never say never, but it makes the odds really against us."

One bowl representative at the game attempted to make Bowden feel differently. "It's not over, Bobby," the man said. "It's never over. And by the way, that was a great call on the last play of the game."

Those words came from none other than Tom Fridena, who represents the Fiesta Bowl, the host of the national championship game.

The Fiesta still could match undefeated teams, but only if No.1 Nebraska and No.3 Florida remain unbeaten. That sigh you heard at 11:40 Thursday night came from John Cooper, coach of undefeated No.4 Ohio State.

The Seminoles are now sulking. A big-play offense looked small for one quarter, and a fourth-quarter rally went for naught.

"This is Florida State," said quarterback Danny Kanell. "We don't expect to lose. This was a shock."

They felt it in Tempe. They loved it Columbus.

Keywords:
FOOTBALL

by CNB