Year-by-Year: 1993

'Noles Capture First OB Win

Florida State   27
Nebraska        14

Florida State won its first Orange Bowl game, 27-14, with a 13-point second quarter that proved too much for Nebraska.

The Huskers, meanwhile, missed a pair of field goals and fumbled the ball away on its own two-yard line in the quarter.

The Seminoles out gained Nebraska in this rain-soaked contest, 436 to 290, and the defensive unit held the highly-heralded Huskers "We Back" attack to 89 yards. Calvin Jones and Derek Brown had both rushed for more than 1,000 yards during the regular season.

Florida State jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to a 75-yard drive engineered by quarterback Charlie Ward that culminated with a 25-yard scoring toss to freshman wide receiver Tamarick Vanover.

On the game's next play, Florida State defensive end Dan Footman recovered a wild Tommie Frazier pitchout at the Nebraska two. The ACC champs led 17-0 three plays later on a Ward-to-Kez McCorvey 4-yard pass.

The Huskers wasted an ensuing 48-yard kickoff return by Barron Miles when Bryon Bennett missed again from 39 yards. Florida State, however, cashed in on a Mowrey 24-yard field goal after a 70-yard drive to make it 20-0. A 41-yard Frazier-to-Corey Dixon touchdown pass cut it to 20-7 just before halftime.

Florida State continued its ground attack in the third quarter, going 85 yards in 16 plays for a 27-7 lead on Sean Jackson's 11-yard touchdown run. Early in the fourth, Frazier hit tight end Gerald Armstrong for a 1-yard touchdown to go up 27-14.

GAME STATISTICS

                                   FSU                 Nebraska

First Downs                     23                      13

Rushing Attempts             48                      34

Rushing Yards                 221                     144

Passes Attempted            31                      22

Passes Completed            16                      10

Had Intercepted               1                        2

Passing Yards                 215                     146

Total Offense                 436                     290

Punting/Avg.                6/35.8                  4/44.8

Fumbles/Lost                  3/0                     5/1

Penalties/Yards               6/71                   6/50    

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Florida State     7          13         0          7          14

Nebraska          0           7          7          0          27

SCORING SUMMARY

FSU: Vanover 25 pass from Ward (Mowrey kick); FSU: McCorvey 4 pass from Ward (Mowrey kick); FSU: Mowrey 24 FG; NEB: Dixon 41 pass from Frazier (Bennett kick); FSU: S. Jackson 11 run (Mowrey kick); NEB: Armstrong 1 pass from Frazier (Bennett kick) ... MVPs: Charlie Ward (FSU) and Corey Dixon (Nebraska)

Florida State Head Coach Bobby Bowden

Nebraska Head Coach Tom Osborne

Note: Florida State finished second in the AP Poll while Nebraska dropped to 14. It was the fourth No. 2 finish for the Seminoles since 1987. The halftime show was cancelled for the first time in history due to flooding prior to the game.