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2012 Florida State Seminoles football team

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{{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]]
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
APNo. 10
Uniform
File:ACC-Uniform-FSU.png
2012 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 10 Florida State xy$   7 – 1     12 – 2  
No. 11 Clemson x   7 – 1     11 – 2  
NC State   4 – 4     7 – 6  
Wake Forest   3 – 5     5 – 7  
Maryland   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Boston College   1 – 7     2 – 10  
Coastal Division
Georgia Tech xy   5 – 3     7 – 7  
North Carolina†   5 – 3     8 – 4  
Miami (FL)‡   5 – 3     7 – 5  
Virginia Tech   4 – 4     7 – 6  
Duke   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Virginia   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Championship: Florida State 21, Georgia Tech 15
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • † North Carolina ineligible for ACC title, championship game, and bowl game due to NCAA sanctions.[1]
    ‡ Miami ineligible for ACC title, championship game, and bowl game due to self-imposed sanctions.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 Florida State Seminoles football team, variously Florida State or FSU, represented Florida State University in the sport of American football during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Seminoles were led by third-year head coach Jimbo Fisher, and played their home games at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida. They were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, playing in the Atlantic Division. 2012 marked the Seminoles' 21st season as a member of the ACC and their eighth in the ACC's Atlantic Division.

During the 2012 season, Florida State won its first ACC title since 2005, advancing to their first BCS bowl since that season as well, and won ten regular season games for the first time since the 2003 season. The Seminoles also won their first BCS game since the 2000 Sugar Bowl. The team also tied the school record for most games won in a single season set during that same season and also finished in the top ten of both major polls for the first time since the 2000 season.

Previous season

Main article: 2011 Florida State Seminoles football team

Florida State ended the 2011 season with a 9–4 record (5–3 in ACC play). They were led by head coach Jimbo Fisher in his second year of head coaching. The Seminoles lost two starters on offense (Offensive Tackle Zebrie Sanders and WR Bert Reed), three on defense (Linebacker Nigel Bradham, Safety Terrance Parks, and Cornerback Mike Harris), and one special teams player (Punter Shawn Powell). All six of Florida State's departing players are currently on NFL rosters.

Forthcoming season

After the completion of the 2011 season, the Seminoles signed a highly rated recruiting class in February 2012 and completed spring practice the following April. With seventeen returning starters from the previous season, Florida State entered their 2012 campaign ranked as the number seven team in the nation and as a favorite to win the Atlantic Division and compete for the ACC championship and possibly a national title.

Pre-season

Before the start of the season, the Seminoles were scheduled to play the West Virginia Mountaineers on September 8, but the game was canceled by the Mountaineers so they could make room for their nine-game Big 12 schedule.[2] With the late cancellation, Florida State was forced to add another Football Championship Subdivision team to its schedule. Because of this, Florida State needed an additional win to be eligible for a bowl game.[3]

On August 1, 2012, Florida State kicked senior cornerback and punt return specialist Greg Reid off the team. Coach Fisher announced Reid's dismissal for what he described as a violation of team rules. The dismissal came three weeks after Reid was charged with marijuana possession after being stopped by a Georgia state trooper near his home in Valdosta, Georgia.[4]

Former Penn State tight end Kevin Haplea also transferred to Florida State in the wake of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.[5]

Spring Game

The annual 'Garnet and Gold Game' was held on April 14 at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium and the garnet team was victorious, winning by a score of 35–20.[6][7][8] The game was televised on ESPNU[9] with former FSU player Danny Kanell as commentator.

Post-season

Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops left his position at Florida State to take the job as head coach at Kentucky. [10] D.J. Eliot left his position as defensive ends coach to assist Stoops at Kentucky as defensive coordinator. Eddie Gran, who served as runningback coach and special teams coordinator as well as associate head coach, also left the staff to serve as offensive coordinator at Cincinnati.[11]

Personnel

Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher is in his third year as the Seminoles' head coach. During his previous two years with Florida State, he has led the Seminoles to an overall record of 19 wins and 8 losses (19–8). Mark Stoops and James Coley returned to their positions as coordinators.

Coaching staff

Florida State Seminoles coaches

Head Coach

Assistant Coaches

  • Eddie Gran – Associate Head Coach, Running Backs Coach and Special teams Coordinator
  • Rick Trickett – Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Line Coach
  • Greg Hudson – Assistant Head Coach and Linebackers Coach
  • Mark Stoops – Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach
  • James Coley – Offensive Coordinator and Tight End Coach
  • Dameyune Craig – Quarterbacks Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
  • Lawrence Dawsey – Passing Game Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach
  • Dan Eliot – Defensive Ends Coach
  • Odell Haggins – Defensive Line Coach
  • Vic Viloria – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach

Returning starters

Key losses

Transfers

  • TE Kevin Haplea

Media

Florida State football is broadcast on the Florida State University Seminoles Radio Network and the games are called by Gene Deckerhoff.

Rankings

See also: 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Entering the 2012 season, Florida State was ranked No. 7 in both the AP and Coaches' Preseason Polls.[12] ESPN ranked the Seminoles number seven before the season.[13] Florida State was ranked No. 9 in the first Harris Poll.[14] In the initial BCS poll, Florida State was ranked No. 14.[15] Florida State finished the season ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches' Poll.

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
т = Tied with team above or below ( ) = First-place votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP765 т443121211981010131310
Coaches7 (1)6644 (1)4 (1)111010766512128
HarrisNot released981076661212Not released
BCSNot released141291010101312Not released

*Source: ESPN.com: 2012 NCAA Football Rankings

Statistics

Scores by quarter (all opponents)

1 2 3 4 Total
Florida State 145 165 133 107 550
All opponents 36 47 47 76 206

Scores by quarter (ACC opponents)

1 2 3 4 Total
Florida State 82 125 86 72 365
ACC opponents 30 41 36 72 179

Schedule

September 16:00 PMMurray State*No. 7

ESPN3W 69–3 70,047 September 86:00 PMSavannah State*No. 6

  • Doak Campbell Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL

ESPN3W 55–0 71,126 September 1512:00 PMWake ForestNo. 5

  • Doak Campbell Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL

ESPN/ESPN 3DW 52–0 68,833 September 228:00 PMNo. 10 ClemsonNo. 4

  • Doak Campbell Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL (Rivalry)

ABCW 49–37 83,231 September 296:00 PMat South Florida*No. 4

ESPNW 30–17 69,383 October 68:00 PMat NC StateNo. 3

ESPN2L 16–17 54,962 October 135:30 PMBoston CollegeNo. 12

  • Doak Campbell Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL

ESPN2W 51–7 81,075 October 208:00 PMat Miami (FL)No. 12

ABCW 33–20 73,328 October 273:30 PMDukedaggerNo. 11

  • Doak Campbell Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL

ESPNUW 48–7 71,467 November 87:30 PMat Virginia TechNo. 8

ESPNW 28–22 65,632 November 1712:00 PMat MarylandNo. 10

ESPNUW 41–14 35,244 November 243:30 PMNo. 6 Florida*No. 10

  • Doak Campbell Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL (Rivalry)

ABCL 26–37 83,429 December 17:45 PMvs. Georgia TechNo. 13

ESPNW 21–15 64,778 January 18:30 PMvs. No. 16 Northern Illinois*No. 13

ESPNW 31–10 72,073

Template:CFB Schedule End

Game notes

Murray State

Murray State at Florida State
1 234Total
Racers 0 300 3
• Seminoles 14 142021 69
  • Date: September 1
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 6:00 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:35
  • Game attendance: 70,047
  • Game weather: 87 °F (31 °C), Wind: SSE 6mph, 30% rain/96 heat ind., 63% humidity, Partly Cloudy
  • Referee: Tom Zimorski, ACC; Keith Roden (Umpire); Michael Kelley (Linesman); Tim Graham (Line judge); Delbert Bell (Back judge); Harris Tyson (Field judge); Angie Bartis (Side judge); Andrew Panucci (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Shawn Kennedy (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (color analyst), Michael Cain (reporter)
Scoring summary
113:31FSURashad Greene 47-yard punt return (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
15:05FSULonnie Pryor 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
26:57FSULonnie Pryor 18 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 21–0
24:36MSUBenton, Jordan 28 yd field goalFSU 21–3
200:29FSUKenny Shaw 6 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 28–3
312:57FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 9 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 35–3
39:27FSUDustin Hopkins 23 yd field goalFSU 38–3
37:53FSULonnie Pryor 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 45–3
31:37FSUDustin Hopkins 30 yd field goalFSU 48–3
410:24FSUDebrale Smiley 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 55–3
46:01FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 7 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 62–3
41:51FSUDebrale Smiley 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 69–3

Series Tied: 0 – 0

Pregame Line: Lines are not released when an FCS team plays an FBS team.

See also: 2012 Murray State Racers football team

To open the season, Florida State faced an FCS opponent, the Murray State Racers. This game was the first between the two teams. Coming into the game, Florida State held an 17–0 record against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision.

Florida State dominated the Racers throughout the game, winning 69–3. Florida State opened the scoring and scored 14 points in the first quarter, with Rashad Greene returning a 47-yard punt return from kicker Dustin Hopkins and a 1-yard touchdown run from Lonnie Pryor. Florida State added another fourteen points in the second quarter as the result of an 18-yard touchdown run from Lonnie Pryor and a 6-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Kenny Shaw. Murray State scored its first and only points near the end of the first half on a 28-yd field goal. In the third quarter, Florida State scored 20 points. James Wilder, Jr. had a 9-yd touchdown run, Dustin Hopkins kicked a 23-yd field goal, Lonnie Pryor had a 1-yd touchdown run, and Dustin Hopkins kicked another 30-yd field goal. Florida State scored another 21 points in the fourth quarter with a 7-yd touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. and two 1-yd touchdown runs from Debrale Smiley.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 188 yards and one touchdown; James Wilder, Jr. led the team in rushing with 12 carries for 106 yards and two touchdowns; Kenny Shaw led the team in receiving with 4 receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown. Xavier Rhodes recorded one interception and Karlos Williams returned a punt for a touchdown. Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted two field goals. The Seminoles totaled 606 yards of offense in the game, with 285 rushing yards and 321 passing yards while holding Murray State to 156 total yards of offense.

Savannah State

Savannah State at Florida State
1 234Total
Tigers 0 00- 0
• Seminoles 35 137- 55
  • Date: September 8
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 6:04 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 71,126
  • Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C), Wind: S 7mph, 30% rain, 87% humidity, Showers
  • Referee: Walter Davenport, ACC; David Goodwin (Umpire); Mike Pavese (Linesman); Allen Andrick (Line judge); Scott Maslin (Back judge); Chris Brown (Field judge); Jim Corpora (Side judge); Dennis Redding (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Dave Weekley (play-by-play), Ralph Friedgen (color analyst), Tiffany Greene (reporter)
Scoring summary
114:21FSURodney Smith 61-yard pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
111:51FSUChris Thompson 6 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
18:53FSUGreg Dent 8 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 21–0
17:57FSUKelvin Benjamin 9 yd pass from EJ ManuelFSU 28–0
100:49FSUDevonta Freeman 5 yd Run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 35–0
210:06FSUJames Wilder Jr. 19 yd Run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 42–0
28:02FSUJames Wilder Jr. 1 yd Run, PAT FailedFSU 48–0
311:24FSUKelvin Benjamin 19 yd Pass From Jacob Coker (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 55–0

Series Tied: 0 – 0

Pregame Line: Lines are not released when an FCS team plays an FBS team.

See also: 2012 Savannah State Tigers football team

For their second game of the season, Florida State faced another FCS team, the Savannah State Tigers. This was also be the first meeting between these teams. Prior to the game, the Seminoles were installed as 70 1/2 point favorites, reportedly making Savannah State the biggest underdogs in any college football game ever.[24][25]

Florida State held the Tigers scoreless, winning 55–0. Florida State opened the scoring and scored 35 points in the first quarter, with a 61-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rodney Smith, a 6-yard touchdown run from Chris Thompson, an 8-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Greg Dent, a 9-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Kelvin Benjamin, and a 5-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman. Florida State added another thirteen points in the second quarter as the result of an 19-yard touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. and another 1-yd touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. with a subsequent failed point-after-attempt from kicker Dustin Hopkins, ending his streak of 145 consecutive extra point attempts. Florida State scored another seven points in the third quarter as the result of a 19-yd touchdown pass from Jacob Coker to Kelvin Benjamin.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 161 yards and three touchdowns; Devonta Freeman led the team in rushing with 7 carries for 69 yards and one touchdown; Rodney Smith led the team in receiving with 3 receptions for 77 yards and one touchdown. The Seminoles totaled 413 yards of offense in the game, with 167 rushing yards and 246 passing yards while holding Savannah State to just 28 total yards of offense.

The game was delayed in the second quarter, used a running clock after halftime and later called with 8:49 left in the third due to weather.[26]

Wake Forest

Wake Forest at Florida State
("True Seminole" Game)[27]
1 234Total
Demon Deacons 0 000 0
• Seminoles 14 2477 52
  • Date: September 15
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 12:01 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:19
  • Game attendance: 68,833
  • Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C), Wind: ENE 10mph, 20% rain, 87% humidity, Scattered Clouds
  • Referee: David Epperley, ACC; Michael Webster (Umpire); Michael Kelley (Linesman); Rick Page (Line judge); James Cole (Back judge); Pat Garvey (Field judge); Mike Safrit (Side judge); Ted Jackson (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Brian Griese (color analyst), Jenn Brown (sideline)
Scoring summary
14:28FSUEJ Manuel 16 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
12:45FSURashad Greene 60 yd punt return (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
212:52FSUChris Thompson 74 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 21–0
29:42FSUChris Thompson 80 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 28–0
24:37FSUDustin Hopkins 19 yd field goalFSU 31–0
200:14FSURodney Smith 20 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 38–0
300:44FSUKenny Shaw 17 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 45–0
412:21FSUDebrale Smiley 18 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 52–0

Florida State Leads Series: 23 – 6 – 1 [32]

Pregame Line: FSU −21.5,[33] FSU −14 (Vegas odds)[34]

See also: 2012 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team

Florida State opened ACC play against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The teams last met the previous season with Wake Forest upsetting the Seminoles 35–30 in Winston-Salem.[35] Florida State has struggled against Wake Forest recently, losing four out of the last six before this game.[36]

Florida State shutout a team for the second week in a row by holding Wake Forest scoreless for the second time in three years and winning 52–0. Despite a sluggish start, Florida State scored first with a 16-yd rushing touchdown from E.J. Manuel late in the first quarter. Another touchdown in the first quarter came from Rashad Greene with a 60-yd punt return. After a fourteen-point first quarter, the Seminoles scored twenty-four more points in the second with a 74-yd touchdown run and an 80-yd touchdown run from Chris Thompson, a field goal from Dustin Hopkins, and a 20-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rodney Smith. Florida State dominated the second half of the game as well. The Seminoles added seven points in the third quarter with a 17-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Kenny Shaw. They finished off the game with seven points in the fourth quarter courtesy of an 18-yd touchdown run from Debrale Smiley.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 176 yards and two touchdowns; Chris Thompson led the team in rushing with 9 carries for 197 yards and two touchdowns; Kelvin Benjamin led the team in receiving with 4 receptions for 44 yards. Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted one field goal. The Seminoles totaled 612 yards of offense in the game, with 385 rushing yards and 227 passing yards while holding Wake Forest to 126 total yards of offense. The victory improved Florida State's all-time record against the Deacons to 24–6–1.

Clemson

Clemson at Florida State (Clemson–Florida State football rivalry)
1 234Total
Tigers 14 7106 37
• Seminoles 7 72114 49
  • Date: September 22
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 8:12 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:38
  • Game attendance: 83,221
  • Game weather: 87 °F (31 °C), Wind: NNW 5mph, 0% rain, 46% humidity, Clear Skies
  • Referee: Tom Zimorski, ACC; Jim Eckl (Umpire); Michael Kelley (Linesman); Tim Graham (Line judge); Delbert Bell (Back judge); Harris Tyson (Field judge); Angie Bartis (Side judge); Frank Kosman (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color analyst), Heather Cox (sideline)
Scoring summary
113:34CLEMDeAndre Hopkins 60 yd pass From Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 7–0
110:54FSULonnie Pryor 13 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)TIED 7–7
17:01CLEMAndre Ellington 6 yd run (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 14–7
214:35FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 5 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)TIED 14–14
210:06CLEMBrandon Ford 17 yd pass from Tajh Boyd (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 21–14
311:48CLEMAndre Ellington 52 yd pass from Sammy Watkins (Chandler Catanzaro kick)CLEM 28–14
310:09FSUChris Thompson 9 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)CLEM 28–21
37:07CLEMChandler Catanzaro 50 yd field goalCLEM 31–21
36:15FSURashad Greene 9 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)CLEM 31–28
32:37FSURodney Smith 29 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 35–31
413:25FSUJames Wilder Jr. 5 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 42–31
48:34FSUChris Thompson 27 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 49–31
42:11CLEMBrandon Ford 3 yd pass from Tajh Boyd (Two-Point Run Conversion Failed)FSU 49–37

Florida State Leads Series: 17 – 8[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −9.5,[33] FSU −14 (Vegas odds)[34]

See also: 2012 Clemson Tigers football team and Clemson-Florida State rivalry

Following its meeting with Wake Forest, Florida State hosted the Clemson Tigers in a key division game. Clemson defeated Florida State the previous season 35–30 at Death Valley en route to the Atlantic Division title and an ACC Championship.[40] The winner of this game has represented the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game for the past three years with Clemson winning the division title in 2009, Florida State winning the division title in 2010 and Clemson taking the division title the following year. ESPN's College Gameday was on the campus of Florida State University for the game.[41] The program previously visited the school for a game against Oklahoma during the 2011 season. It is their eighth time hosting and the show's twenty-fourth appearance at an FSU game.

Florida State won the game 49–37 after trailing by seven at halftime and erasing a fourteen-point deficit in the second half. Clemson struck first when, during the first drive of the game, Tajh Boyd hooked up with Deandre Hopkins for a 60-yd touchdown pass. Florida State responded with a 13-yd touchdown run from Lonnie Pryor. The game then went back and forth throughout the first half with Clemson scoring on a 6-yd touchdown run from Andre Ellington and Florida State scoring with a James Wilder, Jr. 5-yd touchdown run. Clemson took the lead again with a 17-yd touchdown pass from Tajh Boyd to Brandon Ford after capitalizing on an FSU turnover. Clemson went into halftime with the lead. Florida State had many miscues that kept them from points, including two fumbles, two missed field goals, and a questionable 4th down call that kept them from leading.

In the second half, Clemson extended their lead to fourteen when Boyd connected to Sammy Watkins on a bubble screen who then threw the ball to Andre Ellington for a 52-yd touchdown. Florida State then took control of the game, as the Seminoles went on a 35–3 run. First, they scored on a 4-yd touchdown run from Chris Thompson. The defense, who had struggled containing the Tigers in the first half, held Clemson to a field goal which made it a ten-point game. Florida State then closed in on the lead with a 9-yd pass from E.J. Manuel to Rashad Greene. They then finally took the lead at the end of the third quarter with a 29-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rodney Smith. This was followed by back-to-back touchdowns from Florida State with a 5-yd run from James Wilder, Jr. and a 27-yd run from Chris Thompson. Clemson scored one more touchdown late in the game with a 3-yd touchdown pass from Tajh Boyd to Brandon Ford on fourth down. They then attempted a two-point conversion which failed after a high snap. Florida State then ran out the clock to preserve the victory.

Quarterback E.J. Manuel had a career-best performance with 102 yards rushing, 380 yards passing along with 2 touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown. He became the first Florida State player since Charlie Ward in 1992 to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 in a game. Because of this accomplishment, Manuel was named the Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week.[42] E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 380 yards and two touchdowns; Chris Thompson led the team in rushing, with 15 carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns, and receiving, with 8 receptions for 79 yards. Dustin Hopkins unsuccessfully attempted two field goals. The Seminoles totaled 667 yards of offense in the game, with 287 rushing yards and 380 passing yards while holding Clemson's high powered offense to 426 total yards of offense. The victory improved Florida State's all-time record against the Tigers to 18–8.

South Florida

Florida State at South Florida
1 234Total
• Seminoles 7 6170 30
Bulls 3 077 17
  • Date: September 29
  • Location: Raymond James Stadium
    Tampa, FL
  • Game start: 6:00 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 69,383
  • Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C), Wind: W 6mph, 61% humidity, Mostly Cloudy
  • Referee: Ron Cherry, ACC; Tom Laverty (Umpire); Troy Gray (Linesman); Rober Zivkovic (Line judge); Barry Hendon (Back judge); Billy Beckett (Field judge); Richard Wilborn (Side judge)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Chris Spielman (color analyst), Quint Kessnich (sideline)
Scoring summary
111:18USFMaikon Bonani 32 yd field goalUSF 3–0
18:57FSURashad Greene 10 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–3
25:45FSUDustin Hopkins 6 yd field goalFSU 10–3
200:03FSUDustin Hopkins 43 yd field goalFSU 13–3
311:55USFBJ Daniels 1 yd run (Maikon Bonani kick)FSU 13–10
35:09FSUKevin Haplea 1 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 20–10
300:34FSUDustin Hopkins 23 yd field goalFSU 23–10
300:00FSUChristian Jones 12 yd fumble return (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 30–10
412:37USFBJ Daniels 3 yd run (Maikon Bonani kick)FSU 30–17

Series Tied: 1 – 1[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −8.5,[33] FSU −17 (Vegas odds)[46]

See also: 2012 South Florida Bulls football team

In the first road game of the season, the Seminoles traveled to Tampa, Florida take on in-state foes, the South Florida Bulls. This was only the second meeting between these teams. The teams previously met during the 2009 season in Tallahassee where South Florida defeated Florida State 17–7.[47]

Florida State won the game 30–17 despite a sluggish start. South Florida got on the board first with a 32-yd field goal from Maikon Bonani. Florida State took the lead with a 10-yd touchdown run from Rashad Greene. At the end of the first quarter, the Seminoles held a slim four point lead. They extended their lead in the second quarter with two field goals from Dustin Hopkins, a 6-yd field goal and a 23-yd field goal, after previously missing a field goal in the first quarter. Florida State carried a ten-point lead into the half.

At the start of the second half, USF closed the gap with a 1-yd touchdown run from B.J. Daniels. Florida State responded with a 1-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to tight end Kevin Haplea and later extended their lead again with a 23-yd field goal from Hopkins. At the end of the third quarter, the Seminoles capitalized on a South Florida turnover when Christian Jones had a 12-yd fumble return to give the 'Noles their largest lead of the game. The Bulls would score again in the fourth quarter with B.J. Daniels 3-yd touchdown run, but FSU was able to preserve the thirteen point victory.

Quarterback E.J. Manuel had another impressive performance going 19/25 with 1 touchdown, no interceptions and 251 total yards of offense. Manuel led the team in passing with 242 yards and one touchdown; Chris Thompson led the team in rushing with 17 carries for 74 yards; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 2 receptions for 71 yards. Dustin Hopkins made two out of three field goals. The Seminoles totaled 425 yards of offense in the game, with 183 rushing yards and 242 passing yards while holding South Florida to 268 total yards of offense. The victory evened Florida State's all-time record against the Bulls at 1–1.

NC State

Florida State at NC State
1 234Total
Seminoles 3 1300 16
• Wolfpack 0 0314 17
  • Date: October 6
  • Location: Carter-Finley Stadium
    Raleigh, NC
  • Game start: 8:00 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:40
  • Game attendance: 54,962
  • Game weather: 81 °F (27 °C), Wind: 0mph, Partly Cloudy
  • Referee: Jerry Magallanne, ACC; Terrence Ramsey (Umpire); John Busch (Linesman); Deon Lawrence (Line judge); Pat Ryan (Back judge); Mike Cullin (Field judge); Jim Corpora (Side judge); Roger Warren (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Mark Jones (play-by-play), Brock Huard (color analyst), Shelley Smith and Jessica Mendoza (sideline)
Scoring summary
16:34FSUDustin Hopkins 49 yd field goalFSU 3–0
213:53FSUNick O'Leary 4 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 10–0
24:07FSUDustin Hopkins 20 yd field goalFSU 13–0
200:28FSUDustin Hopkins 36 yd field goalFSU 16–0
36:50NCSTNiklas Sade 27 yd field goalFSU 16–3
413:47NCSTShadrach Thornton 24 yd pass from Mike Glennon (Niklas Sade kick)FSU 16–10
400:16NCSTBryan Underwood 2 yd pass from Mike Glennon (Niklas Sade kick)NCST 16–17

Florida State Leads Series: 22 – 10[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −7.5,[33] FSU −10 (Vegas odds)[51]

See also: 2012 NC State Wolfpack football team

Following its trip to South Florida, Florida State traveled to Raleigh for their first ACC road game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. Florida State shutout NC State 34–0 during the previous meeting in Tallahassee.[52] The two schools have split their meetings over the past ten years, with Florida State winning five and N.C. State winning five and both teams have split the last two with N.C. State winning at home in 2010 and Florida State winning at home in 2011.

Florida State lost to the NC State Wolfpack, 17–16. Florida State dominated the first half of the game, building a 16–0 lead by halftime. The Seminoles scored first with a 49-yd field goal from kicker Dustin Hopkins which put FSU up by three in the first quarter. They followed that up in the second quarter with a 4-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Nick O'Leary to give them a ten-point lead. Two more field goals, of 45 and 20 yards respectively, extended that lead to sixteen.

After controlling the first two quarters, the momentum shifted in the next two quarters as Florida State failed to score in the second half. NC State scored their first points of the game with a 27-yd field goal. This was followed up by a 24-yd touchdown pass from Mike Glennon to put the Wolfpack within six. A subsequent drive by the Seminoles ended with a sack that put them out of field goal range. NC State blocked the punt and were able to score on a fourth down touchdown to give them the lead with just sixteen seconds remaining in the game. Florida State was unable to score on their next possession and NC State upset the Seminoles and gave them their first loss of the season.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 218 yards and one touchdown; Chris Thompson led the team in rushing with 25 carries for 141 yards; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 6 receptions for 60 yards. Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted three field goals. Despite losing, the Seminoles outgained NC State with 343 yards of offense in the game, with 125 rushing yards and 218 passing yards while holding the Wolfpack to 325 total yards of offense. The loss brought Florida State's all-time record against the Wolfpack to 22–11.

Boston College

Boston College at Florida State
1 234Total
Eagles 0 700 7
• Seminoles 14 171010 51
  • Date: October 13
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 5:35 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 81,075
  • Game weather: 84 °F (29 °C), Wind: NE 7mph, Partly Cloudy
  • Referee: Pat Garvey, ACC; Jim Eckl (Umpire); John Busch (Linesman); Tommy Giles (Line judge); Tommy Pace (Back judge); Chris Junjulas (Field judge);; Eddie Bonet (Side judge); Rosie Amato (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN2): Mark Jones (play-by-play), Brock Huard (color analyst), Maria Taylor (sideline)
Scoring summary
19:13FSUKenny Shaw 77 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
14:53FSULonnie Pryor 2 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
210:14FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 7 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 21–0
27:27FSUKelvin Benjamin 6 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 28–0
21:56BCBobby Swigert 18 yd pass from Chase Rettig (Nate Freese kick)FSU 28–7
200:00FSUDustin Hopkins 51 yd field goalFSU 31–7
311:45FSULonnie Pryor 3 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 38–7
33:43FSUDustin Hopkins 26 yd field goalFSU 41–7
413:06FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 12 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 48–7
46:53FSUDustin Hopkins 38 yd field goalFSU 51–7

Florida State Leads Series: 6 – 4[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −23.5[33] FSU −24 (Vegas odds)[56]

See also: 2012 Boston College Eagles football team

After two straight road games, the Seminoles returned home to face the Boston College Eagles. Florida State won the game by a score of 38–7 in Chestnut Hill the previous season.[57] Florida State has won the last two games in this series.

Florida State rebounded from a loss and defeated Boston College, 51–7. The Noles dominated the game from start to finish. The Seminoles scored first early in the game with a 77-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Kenny Shaw. This was followed up by a 2-yd touchdown run from Lonnie Pryor to give FSU a 14–0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Scoring was opened in the second quarter with a 7-yd touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. on a pass from E.J. Manuel. They would build a four possession lead with 6-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Kelvin Benjamin. The Eagles got on the board with an 18-yd touchdown pass from Chase Rettig to Bobby Swiggert. Florida State would extend the lead with a 51-yd field goal from kicker Dustin Hopkins, giving the Seminoles a twenty-four point lead at the half.

Florida State went on to control the second half of the game as well, holding Boston College scoreless in both the third and fourth quarters. In the third quarter, Florida State scored twice with a 3-yd touchdown run from Lonnie Pryor and a 26-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins. Florida State would also score another two times in the fourth quarter with a 12-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to James Wilder, Jr. and a 38-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins.

E.J. Manuel had another career-best night with 439 passing yards becoming the first Florida State quarterback to have over 400 passing yards in one game since Chris Weinke in 2000. With this game, Dustin Hopkins became the all-time scoring leading at Florida State as well as in the Atlantic Coast Conference. E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 439 yards and four touchdowns; Devonta Freeman led the team in rushing with 8 carries for 70 yards; Kenny Shaw led the team in receiving with 2 receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown. Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted three field goals. The Seminoles totaled 649 yards of offense in the game, with 201 rushing yards and 448 passing yards while holding the Eagles to 225 total yards of offense. The victory brought Florida State's all-time record against the Eagles to 7–4.

Miami (FL)

Florida State at Miami (Florida State–Miami football rivalry)
1 234Total
• Seminoles 3 10317 33
Hurricanes 10 037 20
  • Date: October 20
  • Location: Sun Life Stadium
    Miami Gardens, FL
  • Game start: 8:14 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:42
  • Game attendance: 73,328
  • Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C), Wind: ENE 9mph, Clear
  • Referee: David Epperley, ACC; Michael Webster (Umpire); Joe Griesser (Linesman); Rick Page (Line judge); Pat Ryan (Back judge); Danny Short (Field judge); Mike Safrit (Side judge); K.C. Colebrook (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ABC): Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color analyst), Heather Cox (sideline)
Scoring summary
111:06MIAMike James 9 yd run (Jake Wieclaw kick)MIA 7–0
17:32MIAJake Wieclaw 19 yd field goalMIA 10–0
11:00FSUDustin Hopkins 33 yd field goalMIA 10–3
29:14FSUJames Wilder Jr. 17 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)TIED 10–10
200:03FSUDustin Hopkins 46 yd field goalFSU 13–10
36:07FSUDustin Hopkins 35 yd field goalFSU 16–10
300:19MIAJake Wieclaw 27 yd field goalFSU 16–13
411:53FSUDevonta Freeman 3 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 23–13
46:13FSUDustin Hopkins 48 yd field goalFSU 26–13
42:45FSUDevonta Freeman 5 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 33–13
400:47MIARashawn Scott 8 yd pass from Stephen Morris (Jake Wieclaw kick)FSU 33–20

Miami Leads Series: 31 – 25[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −10,[33] FSU −7 (Vegas odds)[61]

See also: 2012 Miami Hurricanes football team and Miami – Florida State football rivalry

Florida State hit the road once again to face off against conference rival, the Miami Hurricanes. Florida State won the previous meeting between the two by a score of 23–19 in Tallahassee.[62] The Seminoles have won three of the last four and three straight on the road against the Hurricanes.

Florida State beat Miami for a third straight time, 33–20. Miami struck first, scoring the first ten points of the game, the first seven off of a Florida State fumble and the other three on a botched punt. Florida State would then go on to score thirteen unanswered in the first half, courtesy of a 33-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins, a 17-yd run from James Wilder, Jr. to tie the game, and another 46-yd field goal as time expired. The Seminoles carried a three-point lead into halftime.

Florida State opened the second half with a 35-yd field goal to increase their lead to six. Miami responded with a 27-yd field goal of their own to cut the lead back down to three. The Seminoles then took control of the game in the fourth quarter with a 3-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman, a 48-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins, and another 5-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman. The Hurricanes would score the final points of the game with an 8-yd touchdown pass from Stephen Morris to Rashawn Scott. Florida State got the ball back and ran the clock to maintain a thirteen-point win over their rival.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 229 yards; Devonta Freeman led the team in rushing with 10 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 7 receptions for 49 yards. Tyler Hunter recorded one interception. Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted four out of five field goals. The Seminoles totaled 447 yards of offense in the game, with 218 rushing yards and 229 passing yards while holding the Hurricanes to 258 total yards of offense. The victory brought Florida State's all-time record against the Hurricanes to 26–31.

Due to questionable calls, the officiating crew for this game was reprimanded by commissioner John Swofford and the head official was suspended for one game because of a failure to properly administer the 10-second runoff rule at the end of the first half.[63]

Duke

Duke at Florida State
(Homecoming)
1 234Total
Blue Devils 0 700 7
• Seminoles 17 14143 48
  • Date: October 27
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 3:36 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:05
  • Game attendance: 71,467
  • Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C), Wind: NW 14mph; gusts 15-20, Clear
  • Referee: Gary Patterson, ACC; Rich McMahan (Umpire), John Busch (Linesman), Tommy Giles (Line judge), Doug Smith (Back judge), Chris Junjulas (Field judge), Eddie Bonet (Side judge), Frank Kosman (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Dan Hawkins (color analyst), Tom Luginbill (sideline)
Scoring summary
111:20FSURashad Greene 71 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
14:51FSUTyler Hunter 75 yd punt return (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
11:52FSUDustin Hopkins 26 yd field goalFSU 17–0
213:50FSUJames Wilder Jr. 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 24–0
211:09FSUDevonta Freeman 9 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 31–0
24:25DUKEJela Duncan 3 yd run (Ross Martin kick)FSU 31–7
314:34FSUDevonta Freeman 14 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 38–7
310:14FSUKelvin Benjamin 35 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 45–7
49:40FSUDustin Hopkins 56 yd field goalFSU 48–7

Florida State Leads Series: 17 – 0[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −28.5,[33] FSU −35 (Vegas odds)[67]

See also: 2012 Duke Blue Devils football team

After its trip to Miami, Florida State returned home for a homecoming game against the Duke Blue Devils. The Seminoles and the Blue Devils previously met last season in Durham where the Seminoles won by a score of 41–16. Duke has never defeated Florida State in football.[68] As part of homecoming festivities, the Homecoming Chief and Princess were recognized along with alumni being honored.

Florida State kept their unbeaten streak against Duke going with a 48-7 win over the Blue Devils. Florida State led the game from start to finish. The first score came from a 13-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rashad Greene to give the Seminoles the early lead. They then scored on a 75-yd punt returned for a touchdown by Tyler Hunter and then added to that lead with a 26-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins. Florida State continued their control of the game in the second quarter with a 1-yd touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. capping off a three play drive and a 9-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman. Duke got on the board with their first score of the game courtesy of a 3-yd toudown run from Jela Duncan. The Seminoles had a twenty-four point lead at the half.

Florida State dominated the second half by holding Duke scoreless. The Seminoles received the ball to open the half and took advantage by scoring a 14-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman. They would score again in the third quarter with a 35-yd touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin from E.J. Manuel. The last score of the game came from Dustin Hopkins who set a new career-long, first set in 2010, with a 56-yd field goal.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 282 yards and two touchdowns; Devonta Freeman led the team in rushing with 12 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns; Rodney Smith led the team in receiving with 3 receptions for 112 yards. On special teams, Tyler Hunter returned a punt for a touchdown and Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted two field goals, including the longest of his career. With this game, kicker Dustin Hopkins became the Atlantic Coast Conference career field goal leader and tied with Sebatian Janikowski for the second longest kick in school history only trailing a 60-yd field goal from Gary Cismesia. The Seminoles totaled 560 yards of offense in the game, with 261 rushing yards and 299 passing yards while holding the Hurricanes to 232 total yards of offense. The victory brought Florida State's all-time record against the Blue Devils to 18–0.

Virginia Tech

Florida State at Virginia Tech
1 234Total
• Seminoles 3 1078 28
Hokies 3 775 22
  • Date: November 8
  • Location: Lane Stadium
    Blacksburg, VA
  • Game start: 7:32 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 65,632
  • Game weather: 43 °F (6 °C), Wind: NW 4mph; wind chill of 37, gusts 15-20
  • Referee: Ron Cherry, ACC; Tom Leverty (Umpire); Troy Gray (Linesman); Robert Zivkovic (Line judge); Barry Hendon (Back judge); Chris Brown (Field judge); Richard Wilborn (Side judge)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Rece Davis (play-by-play), David Pollack and Jesse Palmer (color analyst), Samantha Steele (sideline)
Scoring summary
110:57FSUDustin Hopkins 52 yd field goalFSU 3–0
17:29VTCody Journell 35 yd field goalTIED 3–3
214:56FSUDustin Hopkins 45 yd field goalFSU 6–3
22:49VTCorey Fuller 4 yd pass from Logan Thomas (Cody Journell kick)VT 10–6
200:48FSURashad Greene 25 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 13–10
36:56FSUGreg Dent 10 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 20–10
32:54VTLogan Thomas 5 yd run (Cody Journell kick)FSU 20–17
46:59VTPenalty on Devonta Freeman in end zone/safetyFSU 20–19
42:19VTCody Journell 21 yd field goalVT 22–20
400:40FSURashad Greene 39 yd pass from EJ Manuel (EJ Manuel pass To Nick O'Leary for Two-Point Conversion)FSU 28–22

Florida State Leads Series: 22 – 12 – 1[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −1,[33] Virginia Tech −7 (Vegas odds)[71]

See also: 2012 Virginia Tech Hokies football team

Florida State had a bye before traveling to face the Virginia Tech Hokies in a Thursday night clash. Florida State and Virginia Tech had not met in the regular season since 2008, when the Seminoles defeated the Hokies 30-20 in Tallahassee. The teams previously met in the 2010 ACC Championship Game where Virginia Tech defeated Florida State 44–33.[72][73] Coming into this game, Florida State had won thirteen of the last fifteen against Virginia Tech.

Florida State rallied to defeat Virginia Tech by a score of 28-22. Florida State opened up the scoring first with a 52-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins to put the Noles up by three. Virginia Tech responded with a 35-yd field goal of their own to tie the game. In the second quarter, Florida State settled for another 45-yd field goal to once again give them a three-point lead. Late in the quarter, Virginia Tech took the lead for the first time with a 4-yd touchdown pass from Logan Thomas to Corey Fuller. The Seminoles scored again on a 25-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rashad Greene to take back the lead. Florida State led by three points at the half.

Florida State struck first in the second half as well courtesy of a 10-yd touchdown from Greg Dent on a pass from E.J. Manuel to give the Seminoles their largest lead of the game. The Hokies then scored a touchdown of their own with a 5-yd run from Logan Thomas to get back within three. Florida State entered the final quarter with a slim lead. The lead slimmed even more as a penalty called on Devonta Freeman in the endzone resulted in a safety which cut the lead to one. The Hokies took the lead on a 21-yd touchdown run from Cody Journell with two minutes left. Trailing by two, the Seminoles, led by their quarterback, put together an 8-play, 68 yd game-winning drive that resulted in a 39-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rashad Greene and a subsequent two-point conversion. The drive gave Florida State a six-point lead with forty seconds left in the game. The game ended with Virginia Tech driving down the field with just seconds remaining on the clock. Tyler Hunter made a key interception in the red zone to prevent Tech from scoring and secure a victory for the Seminoles.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 326 yards and three touchdowns while also recording one interception; Lonnie Pryor led the team in rushing with 5 carries for 22 yards; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 6 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns. On special teams, Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted two field goals. The Seminoles were outgained by the Hokies, totaling 311 yards of offense, with 326 passing yards but -15 rushing yards, whike the Hokies had 385 total yards of offense although they were held to just 87 rushing yards . Florida State struggled mightily on rushing attempts throughout the game with the fourth worst rushing performance in school history. The victory brought Florida State's all-time record against the Hokies to 23–12–1.

Maryland

Florida State at Maryland
1 234Total
• Seminoles 14 1377 41
Terrapins 0 077 14
  • Date: November 17
  • Location: Byrd Stadium
    College Park, MD
  • Game start: 12:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:01
  • Game attendance: 35,244
  • Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C), Wind: S 7mph, Clear
  • Referee: Tom Zimorski, ACC; Michael Webster (Umpire); Michael Kelley (Linesman); Tim Graham (Line judge); Delbert Bell (Back judge); Harris Tyson (Field judge); Angie Bartis (Side judge); Jon Stratton (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPNU): Tom Hart (play-by-play), John Congemi (color analyst)
Scoring summary
19:16FSUDevonta Freeman 5 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
19:04FSUNick O'Leary 10 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
214:51FSUDustin Hopkins 26 yd field goalFSU 17–0
211:05FSUDustin Hopkins 40 yd field goalFSU 20–0
21:32FSURashad Greene 30 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 27–0
310:27MDKevin Dorsey 33 yd pass from Shawn Petty (Brad Craddock kick)FSU 27–7
33:12FSUDevonta Freeman 2 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 34–7
45:27FSUJames Wilder Jr. 22 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 41–7
400:25MDKevin Dorsey 42 yd pass from Shawn Petty (Brad Craddock kick)FSU 41–14

Florida State Leads Series: 20 – 2[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −18.5,[33] FSU −27 (Vegas odds)[77]

See also: 2012 Maryland Terrapins football team

After its game against Virginia Tech, Florida State hit the road for the last time to play the Maryland Terrapins. Florida State won the last game played between the two by a score of 41-16 in Tallahassee.[78]

Florida State ended conference play with a 41-14 win over the Terrapins. Florida State routed Maryland during the first half of the game. On their first possession, the Seminoles drove down the field and scored with a 5-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman. Immediately after, they capitalized on a Maryland fumble to go up by two scores with a 10-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Nick O'Leary. In the second quarter, Florida State extended their lead with two field goals from Dustin Hopkins, a 26-yd field goal and a 40-yd field goal, and a 30-yd touchdown pass to Rashad Greene from E.J. Manuel to make it a four score lead. The Seminoles led by twenty-seven points at halftime while the Terps remained scoreless at the half.

Maryland scored their first points of the game early in the third quarter with a 33-yd touchdown pass from Shawn Petty to Kevin Dorsey to cut the Seminole lead to twenty. Florida State responded with a 2-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman, his second touchdown of the day. Going into the fourth quarter, Florida State held a sizeable lead. The lead was extended courtesy of James Wilder, Jr. with a 22-yd touchdown run. Maryland's only other score would come in the final seconds with another 42-yd touchdown pass from Shawn Petty to Kevin Dorsey following a State turnover.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 144 yards and two touchdowns while also recording one interception, Clint Trickett also entered the game and recorded 16 yards; Devonta Freeman led the team in rushing with 16 carries for 148 yards and two touchdowns; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 4 receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown. On special teams, Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted two field goals, making him the all-time NCAA scoring leader with 448 points. The Seminoles totaled 397 yards of offense in the game, with 237 rushing yards and 160 passing yards, while holding the Terrapins to 170 total yards of offense. The victory brought Florida State's all-time record against the Terrapins to 21–2.

Florida

Florida at Florida State (Florida–Florida State football rivalry)
1 234Total
• Gators 3 10024 37
Seminoles 0 3176 26
  • Date: November 24
  • Location: Doak Campbell Stadium
    Tallahassee, FL
  • Game start: 3:43 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:35
  • Game attendance: 83,429
  • Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), Wind: NNW 10mph; gusts 17, Sunny
  • Referee: Brad Allen, ACC; Jim Hyson (Umpire); Arthur Hardin (Linesman); Richard Misner (Line judge); Ron Boyd (Back judge); Mike Cullin (Field judge); Darrell Harriso (Side judge); Andrew Panucci (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ABC/Sun Sports): Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (color analyst), Holly Rowe (sideline)
    David Steele, Nat Moore, Casey Weldon, Brady Ackerman, Tom Block (Sun Sports crew)
Scoring summary
19:13FLACaleb Sturgis 39 yd field goalFLA 3–0
26:53FLACaleb Sturgis 45 yd field goalFLA 6–0
25:26FLAMike Gillislee 9 yd run (Caleb Sturgis kick)FLA 13–0
200:00FSUDustin Hopkins 50 yd field goalFLA 13–3
310:27FSUNick O'Leary 6 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FLA 13–10
38:30FSUEJ Manuel 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 17–13
34:24FSUDustin Hopkins 53 yd field goalFSU 20–13
413:27FLACaleb Sturgis 32 yd field goalFSU 20–16
411:01FLAMike Gillislee 37 yd run (Caleb Sturgis kick)FLA 23–20
47:00FLAQuinton Dunbar 14 Yd Pass From Jeff Driskel (Caleb Sturgis kick)FLA 30–20
42:33FLAMatt Jones 32 yd run (Caleb Sturgis kick)FLA 37–20
400:00FSUEJ Manuel 22 yd runFLA 37–26

Florida Leads Series: 33 – 21 – 2[32]

Pregame Line: FSU −7.5,[33] FSU −14 (Vegas odds)[82]

See also: 2012 Florida Gators football team and Florida – Florida State football rivalry

Florida State returned home for their annual rivalry game with the Florida Gators in the regular season finale. Last season, Florida State was victorious with a 21-7 win over their rival in Gainesville.[83] This was the second consecutive victory for the Seminoles after a win the previous season in Tallahassee that snapped a six-game losing streak to the Gators.

Florida State suffered their second loss of the season and ended the regular season with a 37-26 loss to Florida, their first loss in the series since 2009 and the first loss in the series for coach Jimbo Fisher. Florida State couldn't overcome a five turnover game, their worst ball protection performance so far. Florida scored first with a 39-yd field goal from Caleb Sturgis which was followed up with another 45-yd field goal in the second quarter. The Gators then scored on a Florida State turnover with a 9-yd touchdown run from Mike Gillislee. The Seminoles got on the board at the end of the second quarter with 50-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins. Florida held a ten-point lead at halftime, a half that included several turnovers from the Noles.

Florida State scored on their first possession of the second half with a 6-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Nick O'Leary to bring the Seminoles within three of the Gators. They would then take the lead with a 1-yd touchdown run from E.J. Manuel following a Florida fumble. The lead was extended with a 53- yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins. Florida State held a seven-point lead heading into the final quarter. Florida would pull within four with a 32-yd field goal from Caleb Sturgis. The Gators then took the lead once again with a 37- yd touchdown run from Mike Gillislee. Their lead was extended courtesy of a 14-yd pass from Jeff Driskel to Quinton Dunbar and a 32-yd touchdown run from Matt Jones. Florida State wouldn't score again until the last seconds of the game with a 22-yd touchdown run from E.J. Manuel.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 182 yards and one touchdown while also recording three interceptions, Clint Trickett also entered the game because of Manuel's injury and recorded 6 yards; E.J. Manuel also led the team in rushing with 12 carries for 54 yards and two touchdowns; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 5 receptions for 64 yards. On special teams, Dustin Hopkins successfully attempted two field goals. The Seminoles totaled 300 yards of offense in the game, with 112 rushing yards and 188 passing yards, and were outgained by the Gators who totaled 394 total yards of offense. The loss brought Florida State's all-time record against the Gators to 21-34-2 and 11-13-1 at Doak.

ACC Championship: Georgia Tech

Florida State vs Georgia Tech (ACC Championship Game)
1 234Total
• Seminoles 7 1400 21
Yellow Jackets 0 636 15
  • Date: December 1
  • Location: Bank of America Stadium
    Charlotte, NC
  • Game start: 8:02 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:11
  • Game attendance: 64,778
  • Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), Wind: SE 3mph, Partly Cloudy
  • Referee: Gary Patterson, ACC; Tom Laverty (Umpire); Matt Fitzgerald (Linesman); Colin Formulak (Line judge); Dale Shaw (Back judge); Mike Cullin (Field judge); Jim Coroira (Side judge); Greg Campbell (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color analyst), Heather Cox (sideline)
Scoring summary
110:45FSUDevonta Freeman 3 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
213:54FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 16 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–0
29:25GTChris Tanner 27 yd field goalFSU 14–3
24:56FSUJames Wilder, Jr. 1 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 21–3
21:12GTDavid Scully 47 yd field goalFSU 21–6
31:08GTChris Tanner 36 yd field goalFSU 21–9
46:27GTTevin Washington 1 yd run (Two-Point Run Conversion Failed)FSU 21–15

Florida State Leads Series: 12 – 9 – 1[32]

Pregame Line: FSU -14[87]

Main article: 2012 ACC Championship Game
See also: 2012 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

By virtue of winning the Atlantic Division, Florida State clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game and played for the conference title in Charlotte. This is the Seminoles' third appearance in the conference championship game and their fourth division title. They have won the division title twice in the last three years. Florida State has a 1-1 record in this game.

Florida State faced the Coastal Division champion, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech was named champions of the Coastal Division due to Miami self imposing a post-season ban and North Carolina being under NCAA sanctions making both teams ineligible. These two teams last met during the 2009 season. In that meeting, the Yellow Jackets won 49-44 in Tallahassee. Georgia Tech has won two straight in the series, but Florida State has won eight of the last ten.

Florida State captured the ACC title with a 21-15 win over Georgia Tech. Florida State built up an early lead and would never relinquish it. The Seminoles forced Georgia Tech to punt on the first possession of the game and then went on to score on their own first possession with a 3-yd touchdown run from Devonta Freeman. This would be followed up with a 16-yd touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. in the second quarter. Georgia Tech put their first points on the board with a 27-yd field goal from Chris Turner to cut the Seminoles lead to eleven. Florida State would go on to score again courtesy of another 1-yd touchdown run from James Wilder, Jr. Before halftime, Georgia Tech kicked a 47-yd field goal to give the Yellow Jacekets three more points. The Seminoles went into the half with a 21-6 lead.

After dominating the first two quarters, Florida State was held scoreless during the last two quarters. Georgia Tech would add more points in the third quarter with a 36-yd field goal from Chris Tanner and in the fourth quarter with a 1-yd touchdown run from Tevin Washington to pull them within six of the lead; a subsequent two-point conversion failed. Georgia Tech would get the ball back and were driving down the field in the final minutes until Karlos Williams intercepted the ball in their own territory which enabled the Seminoles to take a knee and claim a win over the Yellow Jackets.

E.J. Manuel, who became just the seventh quarterback in school history to total over 3,000 yards, led the team in passing with 134 yards while recording one interception; James Wilder, Jr. led the team in rushing with 10 carries for 69 yards and two touchdowns; Rashad Greene led the team in receiving with 9 receptions for 82 yards. Rodney Smith tied the school record of 38 straight games with a reception. On special teams, no field goals were attempted and there were no punts returned for any touchdowns. James Wilder, Jr. was named the most-valuable player. With this game, FSU rushed for over 2,500 yards and passed for over 3,000 yards on the season, becoming only the second FSU team to accomplish this. The Seminoles totaled 328 yards of offense in the game, with 194 rushing yards and 134 passing yards, while holding the Yellow Jackets and their triple option to 301 total yards of offense. This game set a record for the Noles as they scored 36 rushing touchdowns which marks a new school record, beating the previous record of 35 set in 1995. The victory brought Florida State's all-time record against the Yellow Jackets to 13–9–1 and also gave Florida State its first ACC title since the 2005 season, as well as its first BCS bid since that season as well.

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois

Florida State vs Northern Illinois (Orange Bowl)
1 234Total
• Seminoles 7 7314 31
Huskies 3 070 10
  • Date: January 1
  • Location: Sun Life Stadium
    Miami Gardens, FL
  • Game start: 8:50 p.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:40
  • Game attendance: 72,073
  • Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C), Wind: E 2mph, Mostly Cloudy
  • Referee: Matt Moore, SEC; T. Quick (Umpire); J, Crawford (Linesman); M. Shirey (Line judge); S. Patrick (Back judge); B. Parks (Field judge); C. Conley (Side judge); K. Colebrooke (Scorer)
  • TV announcers (ESPN/ESPN Radio): Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Matt Millen (color analyst), Maria Taylor (sideline)
    Radio: Bill Rosinski (play-by-play), David Norrie (color analyst), Joe Schad (reporter)
Scoring summary
15:28FSULonnie Pryor 60 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 7–0
11:41NIUMathew Sims 25 yd field goalFSU 7–3
20:11FSURashad Greene 6 yd pass from EJ Manuel (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 14–3
311:48FSUDustin Hopkins 25 yd field goalFSU 17–3
39:55NIUMartel Moore 11 yd pass from Jordan Lynch (Mathew Sims kick)FSU 17–10
414:56FSUEJ Manuel 9 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 24–10
410:33FSULonnie Pryor 37 yd run (Dustin Hopkins kick)FSU 31–10

Pregame Line: FSU -13.5[91]

Main article: 2013 Orange Bowl
See also: 2012 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

Florida State went to a bowl game for the 31st straight season, which is the current longest streak in the nation and the third longest streak in college football history.[92] By virtue of winning the ACC championship, Florida State received an automatic bid to a BCS Bowl. This marks the Seminoles first BCS bowl appearance since the 2006 Orange Bowl, a game they lost in overtime. Florida State has a 1-5 record in BCS games and a 3-5 record in the Orange Bowl.

The Seminoles faced the Northern Illinois Huskies of the MAC. The Huskies received an automatic at-large bid because they finished ranked in the top 16 and ahead of an automatic qualifying conference champion, becoming the first non-automatic qualifying team to get a BCS bid with a loss. Florida State came into this game ranked thirteenth in the country, while Northern Illinois came into this game ranked sixteenth. Florida State was designated home team, while Northern Illinois was designated visiting team.

Florida State won its first orange bowl in twelve years with a 31-10 win over the Huskies of Northern Illinois. Florida State never trailed in the game. The Seminoles scored in the first quarter with a 60-yd touchdown run from eventual MVP Lonnie Pryor to give them an early seven to zero lead. Northern Illinois responded later in the first quarter with a 25-yd field goal from Matthew Sims to cut the lead to four. Late in the second quarter, Florida State built up their lead with a 6-yd touchdown pass from E.J. Manuel to Rashad Greene. Florida State led by eleven at the half.

After halftime, Florida State made it a two possession game with a 25-yd field goal from Dustin Hopkins, making him the NCAA leader in field goals made with 88. The Huskies would pull within one possession with an 11-yd touchdown pass from Jordan Lynch to Martel Moore. Going into the final quarter, the Seminoles held a seven-point lead. Florida State would go on to score fourteen points in the fourth quarter courtesy of a 9-yd touchdown run from E.J. Manuel and a 37-yd touchdown run from Lonnie Pryor.

E.J. Manuel led the team in passing with 291 yards and a touchdown as he became just the second quarterback in college football history to 4-0 in bowl games throughout a career; Lonnie Pryor led the team in rushing with 5 carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns; Kenny Shaw led the team in receiving with 6 receptions for 61 yards. Dustin Hopkins successfully completed one out of two field goals. The Seminoles totaled 534 yards of offense in the game, with 243 rushing yards and 291 passing yards, while holding the Huskies to 259 total yards of offense. This game brought Florida State's record in BCS games to 2-5. It brought their record in the Orange Bowl to 4-5.

Awards

  • College Football Performance Award (Elite Specialist)
Dustin Hopkins

Watchlists

[93]

E.J. Manuel
E.J. Manuel
Brandon Jenkins
Lamarcus Joyner
Xavier Rhodes
Brandon Jenkins
Lamarcus Joyner
Xavier Rhodes
Bjoern Werner
Dustin Hopkins
Brandon Jenkins
Lamarcus Joyner
Xavier Rhodes
Bjoern Werner
Lamarcus Joyner
Xavier Rhodes
Brandon Jenkins
Bjoern Werner
Christian Jones
Nick Moody
Willie Haulstead
E.J. Manuel
Brandon Jenkins

In addition to pre-season watchlists, four Florida State players were added to the lists after the season began:[94]

  • Chris Thompson (Maxwell Award)

Finalists

  • Davey O'Brien Award (semifinalist)
E.J. Manuel[97]
  • Maxwell Award (semifinalist)
E.J. Manuel[98]
  • Johnny Unitas Award (semifinalist)
E.J. Manuel[99]
  • Chuck Bednarik Award (semifinalist)
Bjoern Werner[98]
  • Lou Groza Award (semifinalist)
Dustin Hopkins[100]
Mark Stoops
  • Wuerffel Trophy (finalist)
Dustin Hopkins[101]
  • Johnny Unitas Award (finalist)
E.J. Manuel[102]
  • Bronko Nagurski Trophy (finalist)
Bjoern Werner[103]
  • Lou Groza Award (finalist)
Dustin Hopkins
Cornellius Carradine
Bjoern Werner
  • Defensive Coordinator of the Year (finalist)
Mark Stoops[105]
Jimbo Fisher

Honors

Bjoern Werner, Chris Thompson, Cornellius Carradine, E.J. Manuel, Menelik Watson, Lamarcus Joyner, Dustin Hopkins, Telvin Smith, Christian Jones, Ronald Darby, and Rashad Greene have all been honored with ACC Player of the Week recognitions for their respective games.[106][107][108][109][110][111][112][113][114]

All-ACC teams

Sixteen players from Florida State were voted on for All-ACC selections.[115]

First Team Offense
Dustin Hopkins (K)

Second Team Offense
E.J. Manuel (QB)
Chris Thompson (RB)
Cameron Erving (OT)
Tre' Jackson (OG)
Bryan Stork (C)

First Team Defense
Bjoern Werner (DE)
Cornellius Carradine (DE)
Xavier Rhodes (CB)
Lamarcus Joyner (S)

Second Team Defense
Everett Dawkins (DT)
Christian Jones (LB)

Honorable Mentions
Timmy Jernigan (DT)
Anthony McCloud (DT)
Menelik Watson (OT)
Vince Williams (LB)

Coaches All-ACC

Eighteen players from Florida State were voted on for Coaches All-ACC selections.[116]

Second Team Offense
E.J. Manuel (QB)
Chris Thompson (RB)
Tre' Jackson (G)
Bryan Stork (C)

Honorable Mentions (Offense)
Rashad Greene (WR)
Nick O'Leary (TE)
Cameron Erving (T)
Menelik Watson (T)
Josue Matías (G)

First Team Defense
Cornellius Carradine (DE)
Bjoern Werner (DE)
Xavier Rhodes (CB)
Lamarcus Joyner (S)

Second Team Defense
Timmy Jernigan (DT)
Everett Dawkins (DT)
Christian Jones (LB)

Honorable Mentions (Defense)
Anthony McCloud, Sr. (DT)

First Team Special Teams
Dustin Hopkins (K)

Defensive Player of the Year
Bjoern Werner (DE)

Defensive Rookie of the Year
Ronald Darby (CB)

Coach of the Year Runner-Up
Jimbo Fisher

All-Americans

Four Florida State players have been honored with All-American selections.[117]

Conference awards

Björn Werner was chosen as the conference's defensive player of the year.
See also: Atlantic Coast Conference football honors
Ronald Darby[118]
Bjoern Werner[119]
  • Brian Piccolo Award
Chris Thompson[120]

All-star games

E.J. Manuel was named MVP of the Senior Bowl.
Game Date Site Players
64th Senior Bowl January 26, 2013 Ladd Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama E.J. Manuel, Dustin Hopkins, Everett Dawkins, Vince Williams

NFL draft

Eleven players would go on and be drafted in the 2013 NFL Draft, which was the most for any university in the 2013 draft and the most in FSU history for a given year,[121] besting the previous school record of 10 in 1995.

Three more players would go on to sign as free agents: Lonnie Pryor signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars while Rodney Smith and Anthony McCloud signed with the Minnesota Vikings.[122]

Round Pick Overall Name Position Team
1st 16 16 E.J. Manuel Quarterback Buffalo Bills
1st 24 24 Bjoern Werner Defensive End Indianapolis Colts
1st 25 25 Xavier Rhodes Cornerback Minnesota Vikings
2nd 8 40 Cornelius Carradine Defensive End San Francisco 49ers
2nd 10 42 Menelik Watson Offensive Tackle Oakland Raiders
5th 21 154 Chris Thompson Running Back Washington Redskins
5th 29 162 Brandon Jenkins Linebacker Washington Redskins
6th 9 177 Dustin Hopkins Placekicker Buffalo Bills
6th 12 180 Nick Moody Linebacker San Francisco 49ers
6th 38 206 Vince Williams Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers
7th 23 229 Everett Dawkins Defensive Tackle Minnesota Vikings

Roster

2012 Florida State Seminoles

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

  • 6 Dan Hicks – Redshirt Junior
  • 33 Kevin Haplea – Junior
  • 35 Nick O'Leary – Sophomore
  • 44 Will Tye – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 83 Christo Kourtzidis – Freshman
  

Offensive line

  • 51 Bobby Hart – Sophomore
  • 52 Bryan Stork – Redshirt Junior
  • 53 Sterling Lovelady – Sophomore
  • 54 Tre' Jackson – Sophomore
  • 56 Trey Pettis – Redshirt Freshman
  • 59 Henry Orelus – Junior
  • 60 Jacob Fahrenkrug – Senior
  • 62 Austin Barron – Sophomore
  • 65 Ruben Carter – Redshirt Freshman
  • 67 Daniel Glauser – Senior
  • 70 Josue Matías – Sophomore
  • 71 Menelik Watson – Junior
  • 72 Daniel Foose – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 75 Cameron Erving – Redshirt Sophomore
  • 76 Garrett Faircloth – Redshirt Junior

Defensive line

 

Linebacker

Defensive back

Special teams

[123]

Depth chart

Recruits

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight 40‡ Commit date
Roberto Aguayo
K 		Groveland, FL South Lake HS 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 183 lb (83 kg) N/A Jan 31, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 78
Cason Beatty
K 		Charlotte, NC Olympic HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 215 lb (98 kg) N/A Jun 19, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:2/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 75
Colin Blake
DB 		San Antonio, TX Brandeis HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 4.5 Feb 1, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 78
Marvin Bracy
WR 		Orlando, FL Boone HS 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 162 lb (73 kg) N/A Jul 14, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 81
Chris Casher
DE 		Mobile, AL Davidson HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) N/A Jan 5, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 83
Ronald Darby
DB 		Oxon Hill, MD Potomac HS 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 174 lb (79 kg) 4.3 Feb 1, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 82
Mario Edwards, Jr.
DE 		Denton, TX Ryan HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 275 lb (125 kg) 4.8 Mar 15, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 90
Markuss Eligwe
LB 		Stone Mountain, GA Stone Mountain HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) N/A Apr 27, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 80
Daniel Glauser
OL 		Rheinfelden, Switzerland New Mexico Military Institute 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 320 lb (150 kg) 5.2 Dec 4, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: JC
Eddie Goldman
DT 		Washington, DC Friendship Collegiate Academy 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 310 lb (140 kg) 5.05 Feb 1, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 85
Christo Kourtzidis
TE 		Orange, CA Lutheran HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 230 lb (100 kg) N/A Jun 18, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 78
Sean Maguire
QB 		West Orange, NJ Seton Hall Prep 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 200 lb (91 kg) N/A Jun 1, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 80
Reggie Northrup
LB 		Jacksonville, FL First Coast HS 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 4.6 Feb 1, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 79
Mario Pender
RB 		Cape Coral, FL Island Coast HS 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) N/A Oct 15, 2010 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 81
Justin Shanks
DT 		Prattville, AL Prattville HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 310 lb (140 kg) N/A Jul 27, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 80
Dalvon Stuckey
DT 		DeFuniak Springs, FL Walton Senior HS 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 303 lb (137 kg) N/A Sep 11, 2010 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 79
Menelik Watson
OL 		Manchester, England Saddleback College 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 320 lb (150 kg) N/A Jan 25, 2012 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: JC
P.J. Williams
DB 		Ocala, FL Vanguard HS 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) N/A Jul 24, 2010 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 80
Jameis Winston
QB 		Hueytown, AL Hueytown HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) N/A Aug 3, 2011 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:5/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 84
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 5   Rivals: 6  ESPN: 3
  • ‡ Refers to 40 yard dash
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2012 Florida St. Football Commitment List". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  • "2012 Florida State Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  • "2012 Player Commitments – Florida State". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  • "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  • "2012 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 1, 2012.

Position key

Back B Center C Cornerback CB Defensive back DB
Defensive end DE Defensive lineman DL Defensive tackle DT End E
Fullback FB Guard G Halfback HB Kicker K
Kickoff returner KR Offensive tackle OT Offensive lineman OL Linebacker LB
Long snapper LS Punter P Punt returner PR Quarterback QB
Running back RB Safety S Tight end TE Wide receiver WR

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