Here’s how UNC coach Mack Brown hopes to make personal history against Florida State
North Carolina is a heavy-favorite as coach Mack Brown looks for his first win against Florida State, his alma mater, on Saturday. As the Tar Heels’ coach, Brown has lost all seven meetings, including six that came against legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden.
“They went 14 years where they were in the top four in the country,” Brown said. “So everybody’s talking about my record against them, check everybody else’s too. Nobody was beating them.”
The way Brown sees it, he had two chances to beat those 90s FSU teams — in 1994 and 1997 — and the remaining games, “we had no chance.”
That’s why last season’s loss to the Seminoles was so painful. The Heels had the better team, on paper, but still did not deliver. Carolina will be out to change Brown’s history Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in Kenan Stadium.
Here’s a look back at Brown’s seven matchups against Florida State:
No. 8 FSU 36, UNC 13 (Oct. 10, 1992 Tallahassee)
The Seminoles entered the game after losing to Miami in “Wide Right II,” a missed field goal as time expired that would have tied the game. FSU jumped out to a 13-0 lead. Carolina responded with a touchdown drive, but 13-7 was the closest it ever got.
Halftime score: FSU 22-10.
Key play: Corey Sawyer’s 74-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter gave the Noles a two-touchdown lead.
Key stat: FSU turned the ball over four times, three times in its own territory, but UNC managed just three points as a result.
Quotable: “Even their second-team QB can come in and get it done,” said UNC linebacker Tommy Thigpen of Bowden benching Charlie Ward for Danny Kanell. “They make big plays, and they have the great speed.”
No. 1 FSU 33, No. 13 UNC 7 (Sept. 18, 1993 Chapel Hill)
The Heels stayed close for a half, giving the then-record crowd of 54,100 in Kenan Stadium hope of an upset, but the Seminoles clamped down in the second half. Linebacker Derrick Brooks returned an interception 49 yards for a score and the Noles’ defense held the Heels running back tandem of Curtis and Leon Johnson to a combined 52 yards on the ground.
Halftime score: FSU 10-7.
Key play: Starting quarterback Jason Stanicek was knocked out of the game with an injured shoulder in the third quarter.
Key stat: Carolina led 7-0, which stopped an eight-game span that the Seminoles did not trail in a game. It would be the only time Brown’s UNC teams have ever had a lead on Florida State in their seven meetings.
Quotable: “FSU is so dominant with their defense,” Brown said. “...FSU is the best football team I’ve ever coached against. They have so many offensive weapons, and their defense takes so much away from you.”
1994: No. 3 FSU 31, No. 13 UNC 18 (Sept. 24, 1994 Tallahassee)
Carolina was a 22-point underdog and played like it while trailing 31-7. But the Heels mounted a furious comeback attempt. They had all the momentum, but ultimately did not get the one big break that would have made it a one-score game.
Halftime score: FSU 17-7.
Key play: Officials ruled a pass that UNC receiver Octavus Barnes never appeared to control a fumble that the Noles recovered. It stopped a scoring opportunity for the Heels after an Oscar Sturgis’ fumble recovery game them the ball at the FSU 6.
Key stat: FSU outgained UNC 273-97 in the first half.
Quotable: “The ball hit my chest and fell straight to the ground,” Barnes said. ``I never had it under control. But the ref ruled it a fumble, and I have to live with the call he made. It just took the wind out of our sails.”
1995 No. 6 FSU 28, UNC 12 (Nov. 11, 1995 Chapel Hill)
Florida State had just suffered its first loss ever in ACC play, as its streak of 36 consecutive wins came to an end at Virginia the week prior. Carolina entered the game with a 4-4 record and as 19-point underdogs, no one gave much of a shot at actually winning. A steady rain led the Noles to play conservatively, feeding the ball to running back Warrick Dunn.
Halftime score: FSU 21-6
Key play: FSU’s Mario Edwards blocked a punt, scooped it and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown on the first series of the game.
Key stat: Dunn rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns -- including a 43-yard score on the Noles’ first play from scrimmage.
Notable: Florida State’s equipment truck caught on fire on the way back and burned nearly all of its road equipment and uniforms.
1996 No. 2 FSU 13, No. 11 UNC 0 (Sept. 28, 1996 Tallahassee)
Carolina had the nation’s No. 2 ranked defense and cornerback Dre Bly had four interceptions in its first three games. And just like in 1995, a steady rain helped make the game messy. Unfortunately for the Heels, they were the sloppy ones getting two punts blocked as well as a field goal.
Halftime score: FSU 10-0.
Key play: Bly intercepted a pass, but was hit by Florida State receiver Andre Cooper and fumbled the ball. FSU recovered at the UNC 11 and scored the game’s lone touchdown on the ensuing play.
Key stat: FSU sacked UNC quarterback Chris Keldorf eight times.
Quotable: “When the defensive players are better than the offensive players and the playing conditions aren’t good, that’s what you’ll get,” Brown said. “I’m surprised the offenses did as well as they did.”
1997 No. 3 FSU 20, No. 5 UNC 3 (Nov. 8, 1997 Chapel Hill)
It was billed as the biggest game in ACC history at the time with both teams ranked in the top five in the nation. Both teams entered with 8-0 records. The winner maintained a shot at reaching the Orange Bowl, which was designated by the Bowl Alliance as the national title game that year.
Halftime score: FSU 17-0.
Key play: UNC quarterback Oscar Davenport was sacked seven times by the Seminoles and had to leave the game with an ankle injury.
Key stat: FSU held UNC to just 73 total yards offense, the program’s lowest output since 1950. The Noles’ also stuffed Carolina’s run game, to minus-28 yards.
Quotable: ‘‘What we’ve got in this league is the best football team in the country for the last 10 years,’‘ said North Carolina Coach Mack Brown. ‘‘Give the credit to Florida State for the outcome of this game. If they play like that the rest of the way, they’ll win the national championship.’‘
2020 FSU 31, No. 5 UNC 28 (Oct. 17, 2020 Tallahassee)
Brown would say Carolina was only ranked so high because the Big Ten and Pac-12 were still not playing due to COVID-19. He didn’t believe the Tar Heels were as good as advertised, but he also felt they didn’t play with the urgency they needed early in the game. FSU set an early tone with a blocked punt on the Heels’ first possession.
Halftime score: FSU 31-7.
Key play: Seminoles defensive end Joshua Kaindoh picked off a Sam Howell pass right before halftime and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown and a 24-7 lead. FSU added another score before halftime and was shut out in the second half, but the Tar Heels’ rally came up short.
Key stat: FSU drove the ball 75 yards in five plays in just 45 seconds on its final possession in the first half to effectively score the game-winning points just before halftime.
Quotable: Brown said this week when asked about the impact of last year’s loss, “I’ve told our guys quit worrying about rankings, what people are saying about you, you got to enjoy the journey. You got to play. Be confident, and give us your best. Compete and that’s all I want.”