| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida State | 10 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 36 |
| No. 7 Ohio State | 7 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 27 |
Ohio State is 0-3 against Florida State and 0-2 in Ohio Stadium.
BACKGROUND
Tim Spencer started the 1981 season with a bang against Duke by taking the first play from scrimmage 81 yards for a touchdown. The Buckeyes entered this game with a 3-0 record and ranked No. 7 in the country. Ohio State opened the season with victories over Duke (34-13), Michigan State (27-13) and at Stanford (24-19). The Cardinal were led by future Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. This was the first football game between Florida State and Ohio State.
Schlichter threw for an Ohio State record 458 yards in the loss to Florida State.
OHIO STATE PLAYERS
- Art Schlichter was 31/52 for an Ohio State single-game record 458 yards and 2 touchdowns.
- Gary Williams had 13 receptions for a then school record 220 yards. David Boston (253) and Santonio Holmes (224) are the only players with more yards in a game.
FLORIDA STATE'S PLAYERS
- Rick Stockstill completed 25/41 passes for 299 and 2 touchdowns.
- Michael Whiting led the Seminoles with 90 yards rushing and averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
- Dennis McKinnon had 107 yards receiving for an average of 21.4 yards per reception.
-
Linebacker Eric Hill led the Tigers with 13 tackles and had a seven-yard sack.
KEY PLAY OF THE GAME
Ohio State was down 21-30 and had first and goal at the 2-yards line in the third quarter. Florida State was able to thwart Ohio State's three rushing attempts and an incomplete pass. The Seminoles took over on downs at the 1 and Ohio State still trailed 21-30.
THE REST OF THE STORY
The following week the Buckeyes lost to Wisconsin in Madison. That was Ohio State's first loss to the Badgers since 1959. After the back-to-back loss the Buckeyes won 7 of the next 8 games including a 14-9 over That Team in Ann Arbor. Ohio State defeated Navy 31-28 to win the 1981 Liberty Bowl.
MY THOUGHTS OF THE 1981 FLORIDA STATE GAME
I was five and did not watch the game. I'm sure I had fun playing in the backyard that day.
Bobby Bowden and Florida State were getting close to the start of their run. The win over Ohio State certainly helped get the FSU program get rolling.
| Oppontent | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Duke | W | 34-13 |
| Michigan State | W | 27-13 |
| at Stanford | W | 24-19 |
| Florida State | L | 27-36 |
| at Wisconsin | L | 21-24 |
| Illinois | W | 34-27 |
| Indiana | W | 29-10 |
| at Purdue | W | 45-33 |
| at Minnesota | L | 31-35 |
| Northwestern | W | 70-6 |
| at That Team | W | 14-9 |
| Navy* | W | 31-28 |
| Total | 9-3 | 387-253 |
| Big Ten: Co-Champs | 32-21 |
*1981 Liberty Bowl
LET'S END ON A POSITIVE NOTE:
THIS WEEK'S ARTICLES
The Rundown
The Series History
A Grave, A Road, A Shotgun...Indiana
Recruiting Recon: Indiana's Offense
Recruiting Recon: Indiana's Defense
NEXT ARTICLES
This Date In Ohio State History (Sat)
The Ohio State Effect (Sun)
