UVa and No. 2 Florida State Set to Collide Saturday Night in Tallahassee

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Nov. 3, 2014

Virginia and Florida State Meet for the First time since historic 2011 Rendezvous
• Virginia and Florida State are meeting for the third time in five seasons as the Cavaliers make the journey to Tallahassee on Saturday (Nov. 8) for a nationally televised match-up with the Seminoles.
• The reigning BCS National Champion Florida State Seminoles adorn the UVa schedule for the first time since the 2011 season when the Cavaliers defeated the Seminoles 14-13 in Tallahassee.
• Virginia’s win over then-No. 23 Florida State proved to be historic for the Cavaliers as UVa became the first program in college football history to record road victories at Florida State and Miami in the same season. Those two programs have brought eight combined National Championships to the Sunshine State. UVa also defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 28-21, at Sun Life Stadium earlier during the 2011 season on ESPN’s Thursday Night Football.

Virginia To Play First Road Night Game Since 2011 Trip to Doak Campbell Stadium
• Virginia is playing a road night game for the first time since its last trip to Doak Campbell Stadium (Nov. 19) in 2011.
• UVa is 55-40-1 all-time in night games and 7-4 under head coach Mike London.
• UVa is 3-1 all-time in road night games under head coach Mike London.

Virginia vs. Florida State
• Virginia and Florida State are meeting for the 18th time in the programs’ history, with FSU holding a 14-3 advantage in the series including an 8-1 mark in Tallahassee.
• Virginia and Florida State are playing for the Jefferson-Eppes Trophy.
• UVa’s first two wins in the series came over top-five ranked FSU teams – a 33-28 win over then-No. 2 FSU in 1995 and a 26-21 victory over then-No. 4 FSU in 2005. Those wins represent the two highest-ranked foes UVa has ever defeated.

Its Been Great Seeing You
• Because of the ACC’s unbalanced schedule, after Saturday Virginia and Florida State will not play again until 2019.
• UVa has not hosted Florida State since 2010 and the Seminoles will not come to Scott Stadium until the 2019 meeting.
• In 2013 the ACC announced a 12-year schedule for its rotating division crossover opponents through the 2024 season. Between 2013 and 2024 UVa and Florida State are only scheduled to meet this season and 2019.
• Virginia and Florida State played every season from 1993-2006, but have only played twice since (2010 & 2011).
• In 2024 when the already announced ACC rotating crossover conference schedule is complete, UVa and Florida State will have met just four times in 19 seasons between 2006-2024.

1995 FSU-UVa Game Featured 62 Future NFL Players
• The Cavaliers handed FSU its first-ever loss in the ACC and snapped FSU’s 29-game conference winning streak when UVa’s Anthony Poindexter and Adrian Burnim were both in on the goal-line tackle of Warrick Dunn as time expired in the 1995 win over then-No. 2 Florida State.
• In all, a total of 62 players on the FSU and UVa rosters (30 from UVa) went on to play in the NFL, including 45 players who participated in the game (22 from UVa). No other ACC game has had more future NFL participants.

Last Meeting: 2011 (UVA 14, @FSU 13)
• It was an exciting finish in Tallahassee as UVa ran away with a narrow 14-13 triumph over then-No. 23 Florida State. It was UVa’s first-ever win at Doak Campbell Stadium.
• Kevin Parks gave Virginia the one-point lead by running 10 yards for a touchdown with 1:16 left.
• In the final 38 seconds, a costly facemask penalty gave Florida State a crucial first down and a replay ruling gave the Seminoles a few extra seconds to attempt a potential game-winning kick.
• Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins missed a 42-yard field-goal attempt with three seconds left.
• Hopkins originally set up for a 47-yard attempt, but was moved up five yards for what officials ruled was a “disconcerting signal,” from a Cavaliers defender.
• Trailing 13-7 with 1:53 left, Michael Rocco led UVa 75 yards in 37 seconds for the game-winning score by Parks.
• Rocco was 22-of-31 for 238 yards and one touchdown. Parks rushed nine times for 28 yards and the game-winning score.
• Current Cavalier Darius Jennings made three catches for 13 yards in the game as a true freshman.
• Other current Cavaliers that played in the game: Anthony Harris, who made two tackles on special teams. DreQuan Hoskey made an appearance late for an injured Dom Joseph. Hoskey made a key pass break up on a deep throw on FSU’s final drive. Brandon Phelps also made one tackle on special teams.

UVa Connections with Florida State
• FSU’s defensive coordinator Charles Kelly spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons on the same coaching staff with current UVa defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta at Georgia Tech. Tenuta was the defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech and Kelly was the special teams coordinator.
• FSU’s co-offensive coordinator Randy Sanders spent the 2006 season on the same Kentucky staff as current UVa safeties coach Mike Archer.