Florida State Football: Top 5 moments from the 2018 season

2. Touchdown Terry

Florida State needed to beat a ranked Boston College team to keep their bowl hopes alive—and they almost didn’t do it.

It was an ugly game that came down to the last minutes, with the Noles defense shutting down Boston College’s vaunted rushing attack, led by monster tailback AJ Dillon. Dillon, who was injured in the Eagles’ previous game against the Clemson Tigers, did not play well, finishing the day with 116 yards.

Florida State took the lead in the second half, following a Cam Akers touchdown run. But the Eagles returned with back-to-back scores, zapping the Noles’ momentum.

With 2:45 remaining, all hope seemed lost, as Florida State fielded its anemic offense. A miracle needed to happen—and it did, as quarterback Deondre Francois (who had an otherwise abysmal afternoon) found standout receiver Tamorrion Terry on a 74-yard touchdown bomb to give the Seminoles a 22-21 victory.

It was a big victory for the Noles, as it kept the bowl streak alive for another week. But maybe even more importantly, the Noles were able to exact revenge on the Eagles after suffering a 35-3 loss in Chestnut Hill in 2017—a shocking beatdown that foreshadowed the end of the Jimbo Fisher era in Tallahassee.

1. Singing and dancing

The Noles win over Boston College was their only against a ranked team in 2018, which means head coach Willie Taggart got a chance to show his dance moves in the locker room—an unfamiliar, and depending on your view, a refreshing sight for the Seminoles.

Prior to Taggart, Florida State has had only two real head coaches—Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Bowden—both of whom it is painful to imagine dancing.

One of Taggart’s main challenges as Florida State’s head coach will be changing the culture around the football program—and having players learn the fight song during the preseason was one his first steps in that direction.

The fight song is one of Florida State football’s many rich traditions, and while the Noles didn’t have many opportunities to sing it during the 2018 season, they did get a chance to perform it following their win against Boston College.

With Taggart entering his second year as Florida State’s head coach, a new offensive coordinator in Kendal Briles, and hopefully a healthier and more developed offensive line, the Noles hope to enjoy more opportunities for singing and dancing in the 2019 season.