College football: NC State 20-FSU 15

'Noles far from ready for title game

The team is in no mood to celebrate backing into the ACC championship game.

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published November 6, 2005

	[Times photo: Willie J. Allen Jr.]
	Cornerback J.R. Bryant kneels and gazes downfield moments after Florida State's second loss of the season.

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida State Seminoles clinched a spot in next month's inaugural ACC title game Saturday, but no one was looking to douse the coach with water or cavort at midfield.

They hardly felt like champions.

No matter what the standings may indicate.

The Seminoles struggled to move the ball, failed to capitalize on golden opportunities, couldn't stop freshman tailback Andre Brown and lost 20-15 to North Carolina State in their home finale.

Yes, they won the Atlantic Division title and a trip to Jacksonville on Dec. 3, but they knew that before they kicked off thanks to North Carolina beating Boston College.

"It's an ugly way to get in," senior safety Pat Watkins said.

"Right now, it's not very exciting," redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Weatherford added. "We're just going to try to correct our mistakes and get back to playing good ball."

The No. 9 Seminoles (7-2, 5-2) finish the regular season at Clemson and at Florida and will have to deal with an even more injury-riddled lineup, inconsistent offensive line play, more questions about their inability to run and the need for Weatherford to rebound.

The former Land O'Lakes star completed just 19 of 38 passes for 181 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, one on second and goal from the 12 with about two minutes left and another in the final seconds to seal the loss. Both came after he replaced Xavier Lee, who was 1-for-7 for 3 yards in two fourth-quarter series.

"We were not sharp," coach Bobby Bowden said. "All during the year, we've been able to put something together that would pull the game out. We simply could not get anything going to hang our hat on."

The Wolfpack (4-4, 2-4) set the tone on the game's second play.

Brown, who had 248 yards rushing last week against Southern Mississippi, picked up where he left off. He burst through the line and by the Seminoles for a 65-yard touchdown 17 seconds in.

The Seminoles took a 10-7 lead on Gary Cismesia's 25-yard field goal and a 33-yard touchdown pass to receiver Chris Davis, but even before the cheers from most of the 83,912 fans at Doak Campbell Stadium could die down, Brown broke free again. His 49-yard run set up John Deraney's 48-yard field goal to tie the score at the half.

Deraney added a 22-yard field goal midway through the third, then redshirt sophomore quarterback Marcus Stone, in his second start in place of former Clearwater Central Catholic star Jay Davis, hit tight end Anthony Hill for a 4-yard touchdown in the final seconds of the quarter. That came after Cornerback A.J. Davis intercepted a Weatherford pass and returned it 43 yards.

"Our coaches said if we play zone coverage well, we'll get a lot of big plays, and that's what happened tonight," said N.C. State senior linebacker Oliver Hoyte, a former Chamberlain High star.

It didn't help that FSU could muster just 43 yards on 23 carries. (Senior Leon Washington was out with an ankle sprain.) Nor did it help that FSU's line couldn't protect Weatherford, even against a three-man rush. Nor did it help that senior receiver Willie Reid left the game in the first half with a concussion.

Still, the Seminoles got back into the game thanks to their special teams.

Former Tarpon Springs star safety Anthony Houllis blocked a Deraney punt that gave FSU the ball at the Wolfpack 31 with 6:09 left in the game. Lee badly misfired on three straight incompletions, and FSU settled for Cismesia's 48-yard field goal.

"If he'd been close, I would have left him in there because he was fresher," Bowden said of Lee.

But he went back to Weatherford after former Lakewood High star linebacker Marcello Church blocked a punt moments later that Lawrence Timmons returned to the 5.

"I just saw an opening and I went for it," Church said. "I thought it was going to do something for us."

On first down, a guard stepped on Weatherford's foot as he pulled back to pass, and he fell for a 7-yard loss. On the next play, he tried to hit freshman receiver Rod Owens, but Davis stepped in front for his second interception.

"I threw a horrible ball," Weatherford said. "I didn't make the right read and threw a pick."

The Wolfpack eventually took a safety and kicked away. After Chris Davis dropped a ball, Weatherford was sacked, then threw his third interception.

"I feel like we backed in instead of knock your way in," Bowden said. "We talked about that today, before the game started, (we said), "If Boston College loses, we go to the playoff.' Nobody's eyes brightened up about that. We wanted to win our way into it, and we didn't do it."

[Last modified November 6, 2005, 01:59:22]