FB: Florida State Postgame Notes

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FLORIDA STATE VS. VIRGINIA
GAME NOTES
OCTOBER 2, 2010

FIRST HALF

TODAY’S GAME CAPTAINS
The team captains for today’s game are senior defensive end Markus White, sophomore cornerback Greg Reid and senior guard Rodney Hudson.

TACKLING THE TACKLES
Redshirt freshman Henry Orelus made his first career start at the right tackle position – its was the third career start of his career. He started at the left tackle position against both Brigham Young and Wake Forest. Junior Zebrie Sanders started his fifth game of the season and his first at left tackle. Sanders started his first career game against Western Carolina on Sept. 6, 2008 at the left tackle position.

THOMAS TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE
Junior tailback Jermaine Thomas scored his third rushing touchdown of the season on a career-long 70-yard run in the first quarter to put Florida State up 10-0. The rush eclipsed a 62 yard run (not for a touchdown) against Georgia Tech on Nov. 1, 2008.

THOMAS TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE – TAKE II
Junior tailback Jermaine Thomas scored his second rushing touchdown of the game on a 10-yard play to put Florida State up 24-0 in the second quarter. It marks the fourth time in his career he has scored two rushing touchdowns in a game. The touchdown was his 16th career rushing touchdown – which moves him into a tie for 12th in school history for career rushing touchdowns with William Floyd (1991-93) and William McCray (1997-2001).

THOMAS OVER 100 FOR THE GAME
Junior tailback Jermaine Thomas gained 112 yards in the first half to mark the first time this season that he has rushed for 100 yards and the sixth time in his career that he has rushed for 100 or more yards in a single game.

RELIFORD WITH MULTIPLE CATCHES
Junior tight end Beau Reliford recorded two catches in the first quarter of today’s game – the second time in his career he has had multiple receptions in a game during his career. He also had two catches in the Seminoles’ victory over North Carolina on Oct. 22, 2009 and against Georgia Tech on Oct. 10, 2009.

HAULSTEAD HAULS IN ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN
Sophomore wide receiver Willie Haulstead caught a 15-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of today’s game against Virginia. It marks his third touchdown reception in the last two games (he had two last weekend against Wake Forest) and moves him into the 2010 team lead for touchdown receptions with a single-season career-high three for the season.

SACKING THE QUARTERBACK
Florida State’s defense recorded three sacks in the first half of today’s game (one each by Xavier Rhodes, Markus White and Demonte McAllister) to bring its season total to 22 through the first 41/2 games of the season – only four fewer than the Seminoles’ defense recorded in 13 games during the entire 2009 season.

SECOND HALF

THE SCORELESS STREAK
Florida State’s defense held Virginia scoreless for the first two quarters of today’s game. Added onto the second half shutout of Brigham Young (Sept. 18) and the complete shutout of Wake Forest (Sept. 25) – the Seminoles held their last three opponents without a point for eight quarters. It was the longest such defensive streak since the Seminoles’ defense held three consecutive opponents scoreless (Louisiana State, Louisville and East Carolina) in nine consecutive quarters. The Seminoles’ held their three opponents (BYU, Wake Forest and Virginia) scoreless for 124:01.

REID EARNS THIRD CAREER INTERCEPTION
Sophomore cornerback Greg Reid earned the third interception of his career in the third quarter of today’s game against Virginia. He also earned interceptions against Miami and Brigham Young during the 2009 season.

REID EARNS FOURTH CAREER INTERCEPTION
Sophomore Greg Reid earned his fourth career interception and the fourth of his career – he is the first player since current safety Ochuko Jenije had two interceptions against USF on Sept. 26, 2009.

THOMPSON FINDS THE ENDZONE
Sophomore running back Chris Thompson scored his third rushing touchdown of the season on a 14-yard run in the third quarter to put Florida State up 34-7. He had two as a freshman in 2009.

OVER 30 POINTS IN THREE CONSECUTIVE GAMES
Florida State has scored more than 30 points in each of its last three games (34 vs. Brigham Young, 31 vs. Wake and 34 vs. Virginia). It marks the first time since the 2004 season that Florida State has scored more than 30 points in three consecutive games (34 vs. UAB, 41 vs. Clemson and 38 vs. North Carolina).

SEMINOLES GO OVER 200 YARDS RUSHING FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE GAME
Led by junior tailback Jermaine Thomas, the Seminoles rushed for 256 yards to mark the third consecutive game they have rushed for more than 200 yards (278 vs. Brigham Young, 201 vs. Wake Forest and 256 vs. Virginia). It marked the first time since the 2000 season (against NC State, Clemson and Wake Forest) that the Seminoles’ offense has rushed for 200 more or yards in three consecutive games.

PONDER MOVES INTO TOP 10 FOR TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Senior quarterback Christian Ponder’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Willie Haulstead in the first quarter gave him 37 career touchdown passes and moved him into a tie for 10th place with Drew Weatherford (2004-07) for career touchdown passes at Florida State.

SEMINOLES POST CONVINCING BACK-TO-BACK ACC WINS
Florida State has now won their first two ACC games of the 2010 season by a margin of 51 points (31-0 vs. Wake Forest and 34-14 at Virginia). The last time the Seminoles won back-to-back conference games by a margin of 51 points or more was in October of 2004 when Florida State defeated North Carolina 38-16 and Virginia 36-3.