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By BRIAN LANDMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 19, 2001
TALLAHASSEE -- With the Georgia Tech game moved to Dec. 1, the Seminoles will have an extra week to prepare. They play Florida on Nov. 17 while the Yellow Jackets meet Georgia on Nov. 24.
Advantage, FSU?
"You can look at it two ways," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "No. 1, you get an extra week of practice. No. 2, if you don't have anybody hurt, sometimes it's better to go ahead and keep your rhythm. You could lose some rhythm being off that week."
Barring injury or other problems, redshirt freshman quarterback Chris Rix will have made 10 starts beforehand, not just two. And he already would have faced Miami, Clemson and Florida.
Advantage, FSU?
"I didn't want to mention that," Bowden said.
MUM ON SECURITY: In wake of last week's attacks, North Carolina officials met Monday to discuss security procedures at Kenan Stadium for Saturday's UNC-FSU football game.
"We have a number of security procedures that have been in place for a number of years," said UNC chief of police Derek Poarch, referring to a ban on coolers. (Backpacks are permitted if they havebeen checked.)
"I will tell you that we're putting in place a number of additional security precautions of which the specifics I don't feel comfortable talking about."
POWELL UPDATE: Senior defensive end Eric Powell, shot in the back in an apparent robbery attempt Sunday in Orlando, was upgraded to stable condition Tuesday. He is out of the Orlando Regional Medical Center's intensive care unit and in a private room, hospital spokesman Joe Brown said.
BREAKTHROUGH WIN: The women's soccer team might look back on Monday's 3-2 come-from-behind win at powerhouse Clemson as a turning point.
Besides ending a two-game losing streak to Final Four-caliber Portland and Santa Clara, FSU, ranked No. 17 in Soccer America, won its conference opener for the first time in the program's seven-year history. It also marked its second ACC road win. Clemson, the team that eliminated FSU in the NCAA Tournament last year, was ranked No. 7.
"Being 2-3 and losing three straight, all to quality teams, would have been tough," coach Patrick Baker said. "This was huge. It gives you such a confidence boost."
FSU (3-2) hosts Kansas on Friday and North Carolina State on Sunday. The latter game will be televised on Sunshine at 1 p.m.
REMEMBER ME? Tight end Nick Franklin, the former Osceola High standout who finished his college career last season, is back at FSU, taking the final two courses he needs to earn his degree in sports management with a minor in business.
Franklin was in Jacksonville's camp during the summer and plans to join the Tampa Bay Storm for the upcoming Arena League season. He also said he has an invitation to try out for the Bucs next season.
PRESEASON HONOR: Tennis players Allida Gallovits and Xavier Luscan have been named to the NCAA Division I preseason singles top 100. Gallovits, a senior, is No. 35. Luscan, a senior and the team MVP, is No. 81.
- Brian Landman covers Florida State athletics. He can be reached by e-mail at landman@sptimes.com or at (813) 226-3347.