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Florida State began its football story in 1902 and has played 865 total games since. In the program’s 100-plus years of existence, the Seminoles have played in multiple conferences and spent decades as an independent, meaning those hundreds of contests are spread across a wide array of opponents. It begs the question: who has Florida State football played the most in its history?
Who Has Florida State Football Played the Most?
Includes all games through the 2022-23 season.
T-8: Louisville – 23 Games (17-6-0, .739 win percentage)
There are three teams tied for eighth on Florida State football’s all-time matchups list. Louisville is the only one of the trio the Seminoles currently share a conference with.
The first game between these two occurred in 1952 in Tallahassee to the tune of a 41-14 rout via the visiting Cardinals. Louisville did not beat Florida State again for a long time.
The Seminoles got the better of Louisville in 12-straight tries between 1953 and 2000, with most of those contests coming between 1979 and 1991. It wasn’t until 2002 that the Cardinals outdid FSU on the football field again.
Since Louisville’s introduction to the ACC in 2014, these teams have played annually as members of the Atlantic Division. The Seminoles haven’t dominated the Cardinals in modern times like they used to, only leading this series 5-4 since it became an intra-conference competition. FSU currently holds the last laugh, overcoming the Cardinals, 35-31, in Louisville on Sept. 16. With the ACC deleting divisions beginning with the 2023 football season, FSU and Louisville are not scheduled to play next season. They’re set to see each other next in 2025.
T-8: Maryland – 23 Games (21-2-0, .913 win percentage)
The word “domination” was made for times like these.
Florida State owned Maryland when the Terps were in the ACC and this matchup was annual from 1992 through 2013. The Seminoles even owned the first two meetings in this series in 1966 and 1968, too. FSU defeated Maryland in 14 straight contests from when these teams initially played through 2003. In 2004, the Terps escaped College Park with their first-ever win over the ‘Noles, then did it again in 2006. Those are the only two times the Terrapins ever beat Florida State.
The Seminoles are riding a six-game positive run over Maryland (seven if you include a vacated victory from 2007) and really packed a punch to send the Terps off to the Big Ten in their final showdown, smashing the Terrapins, 63-0, in Tallahassee in 2013.
There are no current plans for these teams to renew their relationship, and I wouldn’t expect that to change any time soon.
T-8: Southern Miss – 23 Games (14-8-1, .609 win percentage)
You might not have expected to see this third team on this list, but here are those Golden Eagles.
Back when FSU was independent, it used to meet Southern Miss with some frequency. These teams played 10 times between 1952 and 1964, then 10 more times between 1976 and 1989, too.
The Golden Eagles have lost more times than they’ve won against the ‘Noles, but the series hasn’t been overly lopsided, though it’s been a while since Southern Miss has had the overall better of Florida State. USM claimed six of the first eight contests in this series, but the Golden Eagles have only beat the Seminoles twice since 1963 in 15 attempts. The one from 1989 is pretty well-known, though.
Most recently, FSU cruised by Southern Miss, 42-13, in the 2017 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. These two will play again on Sept. 9, 2023, in Tallahassee, which will catapult this to a standalone eighth position on this list until FSU takes its trip to Louisville in 2025.
7: Georgia Tech – 27 Games (15-11-1, .556 win percentage)
The balance of power in this one is wild.
Florida State owns the overall record over Georgia Tech, 15-11-1, but each team has had its era in the sun over the other. From the first contest in 1952 to the eighth game between these two in 1975, FSU failed to register a win – a 14-14 tie in 1963 was the best it could do. From 1992 through 2003, these teams competed every season, and in each one of those 12 showdowns, the ‘Noles came out victorious. In the time since, GT has had a bit of an edge over FSU, but only just by one game.
The Seminoles and Yellow Jackets haven’t played annually since the early-2000s, and two of their seven meetings since have been in the ACC Championship Game, both of which went the way of the ‘Noles. Florida State triumphed in the most recent rematch, 41-16, in Tallahassee on Oct. 29. These teams will play next in 2024 in Atlanta.
6: Clemson – 35 Games (20-15-0, .571 win percentage)
This is a series that didn’t have much history until Florida State joined the ACC, but it’s had plenty of heat since.
The first game between these programs came in 1970 – a 38-13 FSU victory in Tallahassee. These teams met four more times between the Seminoles entered the ACC in 1992 and have competed annually as foes in the Atlantic Division ever since, excluding 2020 because of the pandemic.
The ‘Noles claimed the initial 11 games between these teams as conference opponents between 1992 and 2002, the longest winning streak for either team in this rivalry. The 2000s and first half of the 2010s saw things level out between Clemson and FSU, but it’s been all Tigers dating back to 2015. Clemson is still riding a seven-game victory run that began that year, its best era of this relationship thus far. The Tigers outlasted the Seminoles most recently, 34-28, in Tallahassee on Oct. 15. FSU will have its shot at revenge and an end to the streak in 2023 at Clemson.
Florida State and Clemson have been the two titans of the ACC’s Atlantic Division, representing the division in the league’s title game in 14 of its 18 iterations. There have been some big games between these two, and from 1999 through 2007, this series was colloquially referred to as the “Bowden Bowl” as it pitted head coaches father Bobby Bowden and son Tommy Bowden against one another. This has traditionally been one to watch in the ACC over the last couple of decades.
5: Virginia Tech – 37 Games (23-13-1, .622 win percentage)
Well before Florida State and Virginia Tech shared a conference, they had a relationship.
From 1955 through 1980, these programs only skipped one year, otherwise turning this affair into a constant for 25 years. Both independents, FSU and VT chose each other as schedule fillers, and, counterintuitively, most of their contests were played when they weren’t sharing a conference. Back when this series was almost annual, Florida State held a slight advantage, 14-10-1, with both sides having small streaks against the other but nothing too major.
From 1988 through 1991, these programs played four times, with Florida State triumphing every outing. Games between them have been less frequent since, though there have been some big-time showdowns. None were bigger than the 2000 meeting in the BCS National Championship Game for the 1999 season, which ‘Noles fans will happily remember as their team claimed the national title, 46-29, in New Orleans. The game came in a middle of a 12-game winning streak for FSU over Virginia Tech, which stretched from 1976 through 2005.
That streak finally snapped in 2007, and the Hokies have gone 3-2 against the Seminoles since ending that winless run. Not many games have occurred between these two for some time, though. After the 2012 contest, FSU and VT didn’t share a field again until 2018, which was the last time they played each other. Virginia Tech got that one, 24-3, in Tallahassee. The series will renew in 2023, though, when the Hokies again travel to Doak Campbell, and again in 2025 in Blacksburg.
4: Wake Forest – 40 Games (30-9-1, .750 win percentage)
Florida State and Wake Forest had a handful of games back in the day, initially getting together in 1956 to the tune of a 14-14 tie in Tallahassee, the first of 10 contests they’d play against one another between then and 1973. FSU and Wake wouldn’t play again until the Seminoles joined the ACC in 1992. Since then, this showdown has occurred annually, bar 2020 because of the pandemic.
The ‘Noles have pretty comfortably handled this series throughout most of it, winning six in a row from 1960 through 1970 and claiming the first 14 meetings between these two as ACC foes from 1992 through 2005, the longest streak for either team in this one. The Demon Deacons snapped that in 2006, though, with a 30-0 rout of FSU to return the favor for many lopsided contests the other way in the previous decade-plus. That sparked a three-year run for Wake, which makes its best-ever time against the ‘Noles.
That other best time is right now. Wake Forest is currently riding a three-game triumphant streak over Florida State, dating back to 2019. Most recently, the Demon Deacons came out on top, 31-21, in Tallahassee on Oct. 1. These teams will play again in 2023, this time in Winston-Salem, but will not meet in 2024, ending what was previously an annual series outside of virus-infected seasons.
Prior to 2006, Florida State owned this series, 21-2-1. But Wake Forest has made it more of a competition since, earning seven wins dating back to 2007 to bring the overall series record to a more respectable 30-9-1.
3: North Carolina State – 42 Games (26-16-0, .619 win percentage)
NC State has been a notorious thorn in the Seminoles’ side a handful of times in modern times and has fared better against FSU than many who find themselves on this list, but Florida State does still own the all-time series, which dates back to 1952, 26-16-0.
The Wolfpack won that 1952 meeting in Raleigh, 13-7, the first of six-straight meetings between these two. Another six games were played between NC State and Florida State between 1963 and 1969, then the series returned when the Seminoles entered the ACC. FSU controlled the series, 8-4, through the early days.
The ‘Noles continued their winning ways for the first six years of their inclusion in the ACC, extending the positive run over NC State, which spanned from 1968 through 1997, to eight to amass the longest winning run in this series. FSU has not found such success in this matchup since.
Since 1998, this series is knotted up completely at 12-12 when you exclude FSU’s vacated 2007 victory, illustrating just how much of a nuisance the Wolfpack have been for Florida State. Most of the contests have been close, too, with 11 of those games being decided by one possession.
NC State has made it a habit to upset the Seminoles, especially in Carter-Finley Stadium. In 1998, the Wolfpack shocked the No. 2 ‘Noles, 24-7, as Chris Weinke threw six interceptions. That was one of eight times NC State upset FSU between 1998 and 2017. Despite the distance between these programs (it’s a nine-hour drive from Tallahassee to Raleigh) and a sizable difference in historical success, this has become one of the more notable contests in any given ACC season.
The Wolfpack are currently riding a three-game winning streak over the Seminoles, most recently holding off FSU, 19-17, in Raleigh on Oct. 9. The annual series between these two will not continue in 2023, though, as the ACC ditches its divisions. NC State will return to Tallahassee in 2024.
2: Florida – 66 Games (27-37-2, .409 win percentage)
Now is when things begin to get spicy.
The Seminoles and Gators have played annually every season since 1958, excluding 2020, for a total of 66 meetings. Originally, Florida did not want to play Florida State, viewing FSU as inequal and wanting to remain steadfast as the state’s flagship university. Florida’s government pressured the Gators for years until finally, UF agreed to play FSU, but only if the contests were held in Gainesville. The first six games of this rivalry were all played on Florida’s home turf.
The Gators dominated the Seminoles for the first couple of decades of this series before Bobby Bowden arrived in Tallahassee. Between 1958 and 1976, UF controlled the series, 16-2-1. Florida State responded with a four-game win streak from 1977 through 1980, and the precedent of both schools trading mini-streaks against one another was born.
After FSU’s four in a row, Florida answered with six of its own in the mid-80s. Then Florida State responded to the tune of seven wins in nine tries. From 2004 through 2009, it was all Gators, and then from 2010 through 2017, the Seminoles won all but one contest in this rivalry. Florida had a three-game winning streak from 2018 through 2021 until FSU just ended it, 45-38, in Tallahassee on Nov. 26.
There have been some incredibly memorable games throughout the years in this rivalry. After a shocking tie, 3-3, in the 1961 game, Florida State fans pulled down the goalposts in Gainesville, and Florida head coach Ray Graves compared the result to a “death in the family.” The Choke at Doak is one of the most famous college football games ever played. In the 1996 season, these teams played twice, first at the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country, and then again in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship, which the Gators won in convincing style. And who could forget Steve Spurrier’s “Free Shoes University” quip?
You want to watch two teams, universities, and fan bases that absolutely hate one another and also regularly interact in close quarters? Tune in to this one during the final week of the college football regular season every November.
1: Miami (FL) – 67 Games (32-35-0, .492 win percentage)
There is no love lost between the Hurricanes and Seminoles, as evidenced by the heated exchanges that span across their 67 meetings, with everlasting engagement from 1969 through to the present.
These two played for the first time in 1951, with Miami triumphing at home, 35-13. The Canes proceeded to comfortably take the next four contests against Florida State through 1957. The ‘Noles finally found footing in 1958, then launched a winning streak of their own in 1963, rattling off seven victories in a row over Miami through 1972, its longest-ever positive run in the series.
As each program rose to national prominence at roughly the same time in the 1980s, which elevated the rivalry into something much more important, intense, and visceral. The teams have played some unforgettable games against one another as independents, non-conference opponents, and in-conference foes, and very few series in the sport are as prolific at having nicknamed games littered throughout their histories.
Miami needed a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat Florida State in 1983, 17-16, and secure that season’s national championship. It did something similar again four years later when 60 future NFL players competed on the same field in the 1987 iteration of the rivalry – FSU took a 19-3 lead by the end of the third quarter in this battle of two undefeated teams vying for the national title. But the Seminoles coughed up their advantage, and the Hurricanes dramatically survived, 26-25, to catapult themselves to the national crown. Florida State had its revenge in 1989, conquering the eventual-champions Hurricanes, 24-10, in Tallahassee, but the game’s most memorable moment didn’t come between the whistles; police roughed up and detained Miami’s mascot Sebastian the Ibis while onlooking fans booed and threw ice at the officers. FSU-Miami is never a calm affair.
This rivalry has had several contests nicknamed after a wide kick, the first in 1991 when Gerry Thomas missed a field goal wide right as No. 2 Miami outlasted No. 1 Florida State, 17-16, which helped the Hurricanes win a share of that season’s national championship. Wide Right II came in 1992 with FSU kicker Dan Mowrey incurred the same fate for the team’s only blemish of the campaign. Eight years later, Wide Right III left the Seminoles in despair as a game-tying field goal attempt failed in the same direction, and the tradition of haunting missed field goals has become part of the zeitgeist.
For the better part of the last 20 years, neither program has been at the pinnacle of the sport, and thus the rivalry has not had the national relevance it did in decades before. But that hasn’t affected the ridiculousness, ferocity, or equality of the meetings. Some of the closest games ever played between these two have happened recently – this rivalry has been decided by a single score 16 times since 2002.
Though the games have been close, normally one side has had the better of the other for a few years before the power has shifted. Miami experienced its greatest-ever period in the rivalry from 2000 through 2004, amassing six victories in a row over Florida State, which included the 2004 Orange Bowl to do a double over its rival in the 2003-04 season. The Seminoles responded by rattling off 10 triumphs in 12 tries between 2005 and 2016, with seven-straight successes to close out that run. Miami claimed four in a row from 2017 through 2020 until FSU got the upper hand back in 2021, then extended it in explosive fashion, 45-3, in 2022 in Miami Gardens.
Florida State-Miami has delivered some of the most iconic moments in college football history and is solidly among the most important rivalries the sport has to offer. There have been too many legendary battles between these two to list them all. Just know that if the Seminoles and Hurricanes are scheduled to share a field, I’d advise you to be available to catch what goes down./
CFB FAQs
How are college football bowl games determined?
Only bowl-eligible teams are selected for College Football Bowls. At the NCAA Division I FBS level, the standard by which teams become available for selection in bowl games varies. For example, in 2018-19 season, the team had to have at least as many wins as overall losses. Wins against non-Division I teams do not count toward the number of wins.
How do you play college football pick'em pools?
Simply pick winners from the games each week selected by the Pool Commissioner, either straight up or against the spread. Whichever member has the most points at the end of the season wins
What is a football pool?
"Football Pool" is a broad term for a group of people competitively guessing the outcome of one or more football games. There are many types of formats, each assigning winners differently. They can be played informally between friends or through a more formalized system. They are often considered a great alternative to fantasy football given the ease of playing, although there are fantasy football pools as well.
How to run a football pool?
How you decide to run a football pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.
How to play squares football pools?
Football squares are played by creating a grid, in which Team 1 takes the column and Team 2 the rows. In some cases, participants may claim as many squares as they like. In others, commissioners limit them to one. At the quarter times and end of the game, the winner is decided at the point the scores final digit intersect.
How do you setup a college football bowl pool?
To set up a college football bowl pool, you'll need to first choose if you will include all the games or specific ones. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As commissioner, you'll implement rules to ensure everything runs smoothly during the bowl games. Many use pool sites like RunYourPool to make the process easier.
What is a college football squares pool?
In a college football squares pool, a commissioner starts with a 10x10 grid of 100 squares (though commissioners decide to use smaller 5x5 pools). Members pick one or more squares in that grid. Winners are determined based on the score of each team after each quarter and at the end of the game.
How many squares in a football pool?
In a traditional football squares pool, a grid is sectioned off into 100 squares with 10 columns and 10 rows. This accounts for a direct relationship between each possible digit from 0 to 9 on both the X and Y axis. For smaller square grids like 5x5, multiple numbers can be assigned to each column and row.
How to read a football squares pool sheet?
In Squares formats, football pool sheets include a grid, where one team is the column and one is the row. Winners are determined at the end of each quarter when the last number in the team’s score (on each side) is matched to the numbers on the grid, and the intersecting square wins.
How do you setup a college football bowl pool?
To set up a college football bowl pool, you'll need to first choose if you will include all the games or specific ones. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As commissioner, you'll implement rules to ensure everything runs smoothly during the bowl games. Many use pool sites like RunYourPool to make the process easier.
How do you win college football confidence bowl pool?
The winner of a college bowl confidence pool is the member with the most points after all games have ended. Members rank each game based on how confident they are in their pick (44 points = most confident, 1 point = least confident). For each game picked correctly, members receive the number of points they assigned.
What is a college football bowl confidence pool?
Players try to pick the winner of every bowl game, assigning a point value to each game. Picks are made "straight up," not using a point spread system. Members rank each game based on how confident they are (44 points = most confident, 1 point = least confident). A winner is determined by totalling the point values assigned to correctly picked games.
How do you setup a college football bowl pool?
To set up a college football bowl pool, you'll need to first choose if you will include all the games or specific ones. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As commissioner, you'll implement rules to ensure everything runs smoothly during the bowl games. Many use pool sites like RunYourPool to make the process easier.
How do you win college football bowl pick'em pool?
As you might expect, the player who selects the most bowl winners will win their pick'em pool. You can win your college football bowl pick'em pool by choosing winners wisely, based on past performance, player starting status and other "intangibles."
What is a college football bowl pick'em pool?
In a College Bowl Pick'em pool members attempt to pick the winner of every College Bowl game (or a subset of games determined by the Pool Commissioner). Picks are made using the point spread system or "straight up", as assigned by the Pool Commissioner.
