The 2013 Florida State Seminoles football team, variously Florida State or FSU, represented Florida State University in the sport of American football during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. Florida State competed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Seminoles were led by fourth-year head coach Jimbo Fisher and played their home games at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. They were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and played in the Atlantic Division. It was the Seminoles' 22nd season as a member of the ACC and its ninth in the ACC Atlantic Division.
Led by eventual Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, Florida State finished the season with a school-record fourteen wins and completed the school's third undefeated season. The Seminoles captured their seventeenth conference title and third national championship, earning the Grantland Rice Award, the MacArthur Trophy, the Associated Press Trophy and the AFCA National Championship Trophy.
In addition to the Heisman, Jameis Winston won the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, and the Manning Award as well as being a finalist for the Maxwell Award and honored as the AP Player of the Year. Roberto Aguayo won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's best placekicker, Bryan Stork won the Rimington Trophy awarded to the nation's top center. Ten players were named All-Americans, with three earning consensus honors. For their accomplishments, Lamarcus Joyner was a finalist for both the Jim Thorpe Award and the Nagurski Trophy, and Coach Fisher was named the AFCA Coach of the Year and was a semifinalist for Maxwell Coach of the Year.
Twenty-six Seminoles from the national title team have gone on to play professional football with twenty-five players going on to play in the NFL, including four first-round picks, and one player in the CFL. Nine players have been named consensus All-Americans. Since the National Championship, numerous players have gone on to win a Super Bowl, including Bryan Stork, Tre' Jackson, Ronald Darby, Timmy Jernigan and Cameron Erving. The team set a then FBS record for points in a season with 723, previously held by the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners, led the country in scoring defense allowing only 12.1 points per game and set an FBS record winning by an average margin of 39.5 points per game, the highest ever in modern college football. The 2013 Florida State Seminoles are considered by many experts to be one of the greatest college football teams of all time, and with many arguing they were the most dominant BCS era champion. The team was the final BCS National Champion before the implementation of the College Football Playoffs in 2014.
Before the season Eleven players from the 2012 team were taken in the 2013 NFL draft.
Preseason After the season, FSU lost six coaches from their coaching staff. Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops left his position at Florida State to take the job as head coach at Kentucky. D.J. Eliot left his position as defensive ends coach to assist Stoops at Kentucky as defensive coordinator. Eddie Gran, who served as running back coach and special teams coordinator as well as associate head coach, also left the staff to serve as offensive coordinator at Cincinnati. Offensive coordinator James Coley left Florida State to take the same position at Miami. Greg Hudson, an assistant head coach left his position to become the defensive coordinator at Purdue. Quarterbacks coach Dameyune Craig left Florida State to return to Auburn, his alma mater.
Former Alabama assistant coach, Jeremy Pruitt, joined the Florida State staff as the new defensive coordinator, replacing Mark Stoops. Former Tennessee assistant coach Sal Sunseri was hired as defensive ends coach. Former Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster was hired as tight ends coach. Former South Carolina assistant coach Jay Graham was hired as running backs coach. Former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Charles Kelly was hired as linebackers coach and special teams. Randy Sanders was hired as quarterbacks coach.
Prior to the start of the season, wide receiver Greg Dent was suspended indefinitely following an arrest and subsequent charge of sexual battery. Just days later, Tight end transfer Kevin Haplea suffered a torn ACL during workouts, ruled to be out for the season. During the offseason, tight end Nick O'Leary (grandson of Jack Nicklaus) was involved in a motorcycle accident but recovered before the start of the season. Just before fall practice, tight end Christo Kourtzidis chose to transfer. At the start of fall practice, freshman tight end Jeremy Kerr suffered a knee cartilage tear leaving him sidelined for an undetermined amount of time. In August, wide receiver Willie Haulstead was released from the team after being named academically ineligible. Running back Mario Pender was also declared ineligible due to academics. Jarred Haggins, a wide receiver, suffered a knee stress fracture in practice causing him to miss the season.
In the ACC Media Poll, Florida State was voted to finish second in the Atlantic Division. FSU led the league with six preseason All-ACC selections in Tre' Jackson, Bryan Stork, and James Wilder, Jr. on offense along with Timmy Jernigan, Christian Jones, and Lamarcus Joyner on defense.
Spring Game The annual 'Garnet and Gold Game' was held on April 13 at Doak S. Campbell Stadium and the gold team was victorious, winning by a score of 40–24.
Personnel This was head coach Jimbo Fisher's fourth year as the Seminole's head coach. During his previous three years with Florida State, he led the Seminoles to an overall record of 31 wins and 10 losses (31–10).
Jeremy Pruitt, a former assistant coach at Alabama, assumed the duties of defensive coordinator. Head coach Jimbo Fisher took over as offensive coordinator.
Coaching staff Florida State Seminoles coachesHead coach Jimbo Fisher Assistant coaches Rick Trickett– Assistant head coach and offensive line coach Jeremy Pruitt – Defensive coordinator and Secondary coach Jimbo Fisher – Offensive coordinator Randy Sanders – Quarterbacks coach Jay Graham – Running backs coach Tim Brewster – Tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Lawrence Dawsey – Wide receivers coach Sal Sunseri – Defensive ends coach Odell Haggins – Defensive line coach Charles Kelly – Linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Vic Viloria – Head strength and conditioning coach
Support Staff
Addison Lynch Kurt Kennedy Jeremiah Wilson Brian Williams Jamie Mujeni Bert Biffani George Helow David Spurlock Blake Snider Chris Revell Matt McCutchan Roy Upchurch Mike Warren Mario Edwards Sr. Ernest Bradley – "Recruiting Intern" Paul Sheffield – "Recruiting Intern"
Returning starters For the 2013 season, Florida State had eight returning starters on offense, three on defense, and one on special teams.
Offense Player Class Position Karlos Williams Junior Running Back Devonta Freeman Junior Running Back Rashad Greene Junior Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin Junior Wide receiver Kenny Shaw Senior Wide receiver Christian Green Senior Wide receiver Nick O'Leary Junior Tight end Cameron Erving Junior Offensive tackle Bryan Stork Senior Center Josue Matias Junior Guard Bobby Hart Senior Offensive tackle Tre Jackson Junior Guard
Defense Player Class Position Telvin Smith Senior Linebacker P. J. Williams Junior Cornerback Mario Edwards Junior Defensive end
Special teams Player Class Position Lamarcus Joyner Junior Kick returner Cason Beatty Sophomore Punter
Media Florida State football was broadcast on the Florida State University Seminoles Radio Network and the games were called by Gene Deckerhoff.
Rankings
*Source: ESPN.com: 2013 NCAA Football Rankings
Other preseason rankings for Florida State include:
#15 – Athlon Sports #13 – Lindy's #3 – Phil Steele #16 – Dennis Dodd #13 – Barnhart (CBS Sports) #9 – Feldman (CBS Sports) #13 – Fowler (CBS Sports) #13 – Palm (CBS Sports) #7 – Fornelli (CBS Sports) #3 – Hinnen (CBS Sports)
#11 – Patterson (CBS Sports) #10 – Tim Hyland #18 – Sporting News #12 – Sports Illustrated #14 – ESPN #17 – FOX Sports #14 – National Champs #12 – Lost Letterman #2 – College Football News #25 – College Football Universe
#11 – ESPN Magazine #14 – Steve Helwagen #6 – CFB Matrix #10 – CapHeresy #8 – Pick Six #11 – Computer Ratings #14 – Arena Fanatic #5 – Mclllece Sports #12 – Clay Travis/Outkick the Coverage #11 – Bleacher Report #11 – FWAA
Statistics The Seminoles ended the season as the highest-scoring team in college football history, surpassing the 2008 Oklahoma Sooners. They have since only been surpassed by the 2019 LSU Tigers (with 726 points), who also went undefeated and won a national championship. However, LSU's total was based on 15 games played while FSU's total was based on 14 games played. Florida State maintains the record for margin of victory over a season with an average of 39.5 points.
Scores by quarter (all opponents)
Scores by quarter (ACC opponents)
Schedule
Source: Denotes the largest crowd in Doak Campbell Stadium history
Game summaries
Pittsburgh
Sources:
Pittsburgh Leads Series: 5 – 3
On February 23, 2013, officials from both Florida State and Pittsburgh, as well as the commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference announced that the Seminoles and the Panthers would open the season at Heinz Field on Labor Day in what would be Pittsburgh's first game as a member of the ACC.
In the game that would serve as the debut of Jameis Winston as quarterback, the Seminoles had to overcome an early deficit to defeat the Panthers, 41–13. After Pitt scored on their first possession to take a touchdown lead, Florida State quickly responded on their first drive with a touchdown pass from Winston to Nick O'Leary to tie the game. Winston and O'Leary would connect twice more for touchdowns in a game where the offense rolled.
The first quarter would end with a tie game. Driving down the field, Florida State took their first lead of the game with another touchdown pass to Nick O'Leary. Pittsburgh was able to close the gap to four points after a twenty-eight-yard field goal. The Seminoles would extend their lead with a rushing touchdown from Jameis Winston and a pass to Rashad Greene following an interception to give Florida State an eighteen-point lead at halftime. The third quarter was mostly uneventful with a pair of field goals from Florida State and a single field goal from Pittsburgh. The Seminoles held a three score lead going into the fourth quarter. Winston would add another touchdown in the final quarter.
Following Pitt's touchdown on the first drive, Florida State kept them out of the end zone for the remainder of the game and held the Panthers to just two field goals. After a slow start for the defense, Pitt was held to only 297 yards of offense and one touchdown.
For his four touchdown and 356 all-purpose yardage rookie performance, Winston was recognized as the Davey O'Brien Quarterback of the Week while tight end Nick O'Leary was named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week. The victory improved Florida State's all-time record against the Panthers to 4–5.
The game drew 4.5 million viewers and a 2.9 rating for ESPN, a three-year high for the network's Labor Day game. It was the third-most viewed game of college football's opening week.TV Ratings: FSU/Pitt Solid on Labor Day (Also: SNB on ESPN, Nationwide Series)
Nevada
Sources:
Series Tied: 0 – 0
In their home opener, Florida State faced the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Mountain West Conference. After a slow start and another early deficit, the Seminoles would go on to defeat the Wolf Pack in dominating fashion, 62–7, after scoring 59 unanswered points.