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Oct. 18, 2003
Box Score?|?Quotes?|?Notes | Video Highlights and Postgame Comments
By HANK KURZ Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Bobby Bowden isn’t chasing Joe Paterno anymore.
Chris Rix threw a 79-yard touchdown pass to Craphonso Thorpe and XavierBeitia kicked four field goals Saturday night as No. 7 Florida State gaveBowden his 338th career coaching victory, 19-14 over Virginia.
The victory moved the 73-year-old Bowden into a tie with Penn State’sPaterno for first place on the Division I-A coaching victories list. TheNittany Lions were off Saturday.
Bowden, in his 28th year at Florida State and 38th as a head coach, got somehelp from Virginia.
The Cavaliers (4-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) turned the ball overtwice and lost 17 yards when the ball was snapped prematurely on a key latethird-down play, the huge loss killing Virginia’s chances.
The Seminoles (6-1, 5-0) then ran out the clock, driving inside theCavaliers 10 as Virginia burned its timeouts before time ran out.
Florida State also won with defense, holding the Cavaliers to minus 5rushing yards on just nine attempts as Virginia tried to win on the arm of MattSchaub. He was 39-for-53 for 326 yards and two touchdowns, but was stillsetting his offense when the biggest snap of the night sailed by.
Until then, the Cavaliers looked poised to take it to the wire.
Alvin Pearman, starting in place of injured Wali Lundy, set a school recordwith 16 catches for 134 yards for the Cavaliers, and Heath Miller caught ninefor 77 yards. Each also pulled in a touchdown pass from Schaub, with Miller’s8-yarder midway through the third quarter making it 16-14.
But Beitia added his fourth field goal, a 39-yarder, later in the quarterand the Seminoles’ defense made all the stops it needed at the end.
The Seminoles had a chance to push their lead to eight with 8:39 to play,but Beitia’s 38-yard field goal was low and sailed wide left.
Schaub promptly hit Pearman for 14 yards and the Cavaliers were facing athird-and-3 from their 42. Schaub was still setting up the offense and wasn’teven looking when the ball suddenly was snapped past him. But the time Schaubslid and covered it, it was for a drive-killing 17-yard loss.
Rix, who was 12-for-25 for 189 yards and no turnovers, then kept the ball onthe ground as the Seminoles chewed up the clock and hung on.
The Seminoles went three-and-out on their first series, two-and-gone ontheir second. Rix hit Thorpe near midfield as cornerback Almondo Curry slipped,and the ACC sprint champion blazed untouched down the right sideline whensafety Jay Dorsey inexplicably didn’t even hit him.
Virginia drove 92 yards in just over three minutes for its first touchdownlate in the first half, Pearman taking a swing pass from Schaub 21 yards with13 seconds left to make it 13-7. The throw was Schaub’s 33rd of the half, whilethe Cavaliers ran the ball just four times.
Virginia outgained the Seminoles 222-201 in the half despite havingpossession for less than 11 minutes, but the turnovers made the difference.
Florida State turned a first-quarter interception by B.J. Ward on a tippedball at Virginia’s 42 and a fumble recovery by Leroy Smith at midfield in thesecond quarter into field goals by Beitia.