Colorado-Florida State Notes

Quickly Colorado wore all white uniforms for the first time in three seasons (almost three years to the day), last doing so Sept. 25, 2005 in a 23-3 loss down the road at the Orange Bowl to Miami, Fla. ... One of CU's four members of the College Football Hall of Fame, Dick Anderson, made the drive up north from his residence in Miami ... CU's first score in each of its last three games have been touchdown passes from Cody Hawkins to Josh Smith ... TE Riar Geer caught his first passes of the year after missing the first two games due to knee surgery and being shutout last week against West Virginia ... Opponents have two kickoff returns for touchdowns this year, the first time that has occurred against the Buffs since 1980 ... Colorado falls to 4-9 all-time in the state of Florida ... CU's opponent next week, Texas, defeated Arkansas 52-10 in Austin.

FIRST START Junior ILB Shaun Mohler made his first career start. Sophomore DE Marquez Herrod was in there in CU's base defense (but did not start; CU came out in a nickel package), stepping in for Jason Brace who suffered a concussion in practice last Sunday; Brace did not make the trip with the team.

FIRST STAT IS A PICK Freshman DT Curtis Cunningham played 21 snaps in CU's first three games, slowly being groomed to replace one of CU's two seniors next year. He had not registered a tackle or any other stats until his second quarter PBU/interception.

239 & COUNTING And the train keeps going: Colorado scored in its 239th consecutive game today, adding to the fourth longest active streak in the nation and the ninth longest of all-time. CU has now extended the streak in the first quarter 165 times (217 times by halftime). CU was last shutout nearly 20 years ago, 7-0 at Nebraska on Nov. 12, 1988.

TB RODNEY STEWART (21-1076, 0 TD) Colorado's diminutive freshman (5-6, 170) rushed for his second straight 100-yard game, and the 20th by a freshman (true or redshirt) in CU history. He is now tied with five others with two 100-yard games as a freshman, with only Lamont Warren with more in a season (3, 1991). Stewart also is spiking up the all-time yardage list for a frosh:

CU FRESHMAN SEASON RUSHING (300-plus yards)

Season Player Att. Yards Avg. TD

1991 Lamont Warren 157 830 5.3 7

1986 O.C. Oliver 136 668 4.9 6

1981 *Lee Rouson 159 656 4.1 6

1987 Eric Bieniemy 104 508 4.9 5

1951 Carroll Hardy 53 423 7.9 5

2008 Rodney Stewart 62 349 5.6 0

2007 *Demetrius Sumler 100 335 3.4 4

2000 Marcus Houston 66 332 5.0 1

1987 *Michael Simmons 69 332 4.8 4

1991 *Kent Kahl 70 301 4.3 4

2002 Brian Calhoun 67 298 4.4 0

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2008 Darrell Scott 39 148 3.8 1

QB CODY HAWKINS (36-17-1, 154, 3 TD) Hawkins moved into 11th place all-time on CU's total offense list (3,477 yards) and is inching closer to seventh in all-time passing yards; he has 3,501, exactly 300 behind current CU running back coach Darian Hagan (3,801, 1988-91). Hawkins now has 28 career touchdown passes, passing Hagan and Steve Vogel into sixth place all-time on that list. He was sacked a career high four times today, the most sacks by an opponent since the 2006 finale at Nebraska. He completed less than 50 percent of his passes for just the third time in 17 career starts.

INJURIES OT Ryan Miller (ankle).

Florida State Post Game Notes

Seminole Quick Hits

* Florida State forced two Colorado turnovers in the first half pushing its season total to six. Today's turnovers tied a season-high set last week against Wake Forest when the Seminoles forced two Demon Deacon fumbles recovering them both.

* Dekoda Watson set a career-high for tackles in a game on Saturday with 10 (7 solo, 3 assisted) against Colorado. His previous high was eight set on two prior occasions, against Boston College in 2006 and Wake Forest in 2007.

* Caz Piurowski tied his single-game career-high for catches in a game with three on Saturday. His last three catch game came against Boston College in 2006. Piurowski also finished with a career-high in receiving yards with 33. His previous high of 27 yards came all on one catch against Maryland in 2007.

* With two tackle for losses in Saturday's victory over Colorado, Everette Brown moved into a tie for eighth place all-time for career TFL's with 32.0. Brown is now tied with Jeff Womble (2000-03), Jerry Johnson (1996-99) and Paul McGowan (1984-87) on the all-time list.

* Following FSU's 39-21 victory over Colorado, Florida State improved to 9-1 in the River City under head coach Bobby Bowden and 10-1-1 all-time when playing in Jacksonville. The Seminoles have now won seven games in a row in Jacksonville.

Seminoles' River City Rushing Attack

Florida State's Antone Smith finished the first half against Colorado with a season-high 101 yards on the ground. The last Seminole to rush for over 100 yards in the first half was Leon Washington when he ran for 135 yards against West Virginia in Jacksonville in the 2005 Gator Bowl. Washington finished the game with 195 yards on the ground including a long of 69 yards.

Under head coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles have rushed for a total of 1,696 yards in 10 games played in Jacksonville, an average of 169.6 yards per game. Florida State has rushed for over 100 yards seven times in Jacksonville including four games of 200 or more yards on the ground. Here is a look at the rushing totals for the Seminoles in Jacksonville during the Bowden Era:

259 vs. Colorado in 2008

82 vs. Alabama in 2007

47 vs. Virginia Tech in 2005 ACC Championship Game

301 vs. West Virginia in 2005 Gator Bowl

104 vs. Virginia Tech in 2002 Gator Bowl

57 vs. BYU in 2000

168 vs. Duke in 1999

188 vs. Southern Mississippi in 1989

231 vs. Oklahoma state in 1985

259 vs. West Virginia in 1982

1696 total yards rushing in Jacksonville

200-Yard Rushing Games

With 259 yards on the ground in Saturday's 39-21 victory over Colorado, Florida State tallied its second 200-yard rushing game of the season (290 yards vs. Western Carolina). FSU has gained over 100 yards on the ground in all four games this year. The Seminoles are averaging 212.0 yards on the ground this year. The last time Florida State had more than one 200-yard rushing game in a season was in 2004 when the Seminoles tallied four. Below is listing of FSU's 200-yard rushing games since 2004:

2008 ? 259 vs. Colorado

2008 ? 290 vs. Western Carolina

2007 - 204 vs. Kentucky

2006 - 287 vs. Rice

2004 ? 251 vs. UAB

2004 ? 279 vs. UNC

2004 ? 258 vs. Syracuse

2005 ? 301 vs. West Virginia (2004 season ? Gator Bowl)

Gano Perfect In Jacksonville

Senior place kicker Graham Gano was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts in this afternoon's game against Colorado. Gano was good from 36 yards (second quarter), a career-high 52 yards (third quarter) and 44 yards (third quarter). Gano is 4-for-5 on field goal attempts this year. Gano's 52-yard conversion was the first successful attempt by a Seminole place kicker from 50 yards or further in 2008 and the first since Gary Cismesia nailed a 60-yard field goal on November 24, 2007 against Florida. FSU is 1-for-2 from 50 yards and beyond this year and 2-for-4 in 2007. Gano finished the game with 13 points (3 FGs, 4 PATs).

Garvin Takes One Back

Senior Michael Ray Garvin registered a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, his first career special team's touchdown. It snapped a string of 75 consecutive games before the last FSU kickoff return for a touchdown when Leon Washington returned a kickoff 97 yards against Clemson in 2002.

Antone Part III

Antone Smith added his third touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter to give Florida State a 39-21 lead. Smith scored on rushes of 2 yards twice and 60 yards. The senior tailback finished the game with a season-high 154 yards, the most rushing yards in a game since grounding out 156 yards against Kentucky in the 2007 Music City Bowl. Smith becomes the first Seminole to rush for three touchdowns in a game since 2002 when Greg Jones tallied three against Clemson scoring on runs of 20 yards, 1 yard and 21 yards.

The touchdown in the fourth quarter was Smith's 16th of his career moving him into a tie for ninth place all-time at FSU for career rushing touchdowns with William McCray (1997-2001) and William Floyd (1991-93).

FIRST HALF NOTES

Seminole Quick Hits

* Former Florida State standouts Greg Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Travis Johnson (Houston Texans) are on the sidelines for today's game against Colorado.

* Zebrie Sanders got his first career start at left tackle in Florida State's season opener against Western Carolina. After not starting the last two games, Sanders returned to the Seminole starting lineup getting the nod at right tackle against Colorado.

* Colorado's touchdown in the first quarter was the first touchdown allowed by the Seminole defense since Chattanooga scored on a 62-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. The streak covered 116 minutes 7 seconds. Florida State has allowed just two touchdowns in 2008.

* Following a 27-yard miss by Colorado's Aric Goodman in the second quarter, opponents are converting on a mere 28.6 percent of field goals attempts (2-for-7) in 2008.

* In the first half against Colorado, 23 different Seminoles were credited with at least one tackle. Dekoda Watson led all players with five at half.

* Florida State registered a second quarter safety on a Dekoda Watson's blocked punt in the end zone. It marked the second blocked punt for a safety in 2008 as Roosevelt Lawson recorded the first of the season against Chattanooga. Florida State had just two blocked punts in 2007 and has already equaled that total through the first four games in 2008.

Antone's Opening Drive

Florida State's Antone Smith had a hand in all four plays in the first Seminole offensive possession resulting in a 2-yard touchdown run by the senior tailback. The Seminoles rushed all four times with Smith taking the handoff on each play. Smith finished the drive with 27 yards eclipsing his rushing total of 24 yards against Wake Forest last week. It was his team leading fourth touchdown of the season and first since recording an 8-yard touchdown pass from Christian Ponder in the second quarter against Chattanooga.

The touchdown was Smith's 14th of his career moving him into a tie for 14th place all-time at FSU for career rushing touchdowns with Bill Moreman (1965-67).

Antone Part II

Antone Smith added his second touchdown of the game late in the second quarter to give Florida State a 14-7 advantage. Smith took off down the sidelines for a season-long 60-yard touchdown run. The run put Smith over 100 yards for the first time in 2008 and for the time since rushing for 158 yards against Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. Smith has five career 100-yard rushing games. It is Smith's first multiple rushing touchdown game since scoring two against Rice back on September 23, 2006 (TD runs of 3 yards and 25 yards). In that game, Smith also ran off a long of 60 yards. Today's 60-yard rush is tied for the second longest run from scrimmage in his career (80 yards vs. Duke in 2006).

The touchdown was Smith's 15th of his career moving him into a tie for 12th place all-time at FSU for career rushing touchdowns with Lorenzo Booker (2003-06) and Sammie Smith (1986-88).

Fourth Down - Buffaloes Blocked, Seminoles Successful

The Florida State defense has yet to allow a fourth down conversion in 2008 stopping Colorado on fourth down and three in the first quarter. Opponents are 0-for-6 on fourth down conversions against the Seminoles this year. On the opposite side, the FSU offense was successful converting on a fourth and one at the Colorado 43 courtesy of Jermaine Thomas' three-yard scamper in the first quarter.

Welcome Back

It didn't take long...a handful of Seminoles making their first appearance of the season in today's game against Colorado made their presence felt in the first quarter. Those players included:

Dekoda Watson ? 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assist)

Justin Mincey ? 1 tackle (1 solo), 1 sack ? 9 yards

Patrick Robinson ? 2 tackles (2 solo)

Neefy Moffett ? 1 tackle (1 solo), 1 TFL ? 8 yards, FR

Caz Piurowski ? 2 receptions, 18 yards, Long ? 13 yards

Robinson Grabs First Interception Of The Season

Junior safety Jamie Robinson grabbed his first career interception picking off a second quarter pass attempt by Cody Hawkins. The interception also marked the first of the season for the Seminoles. It was the first INT recorded by the Seminole defense since Tony Carter picked off Kentucky's Andre Woodson in the second quarter of the Music City Bowl. Carter returned the interception 24 yards for a touchdown. The last regular season INT for the Seminoles came via Patrick Robinson against Maryland on November 17, 2007.

Where Has All The Passing Gone...Against the Buffaloes?

In the last six quarters against Colorado, the Seminole offense has completed just 13 passes in 33 attempts. In 2007, Drew Weatherford was 8-for-18, while in 2008 Christian Ponder is 5-for-15 in the first half.

Players Mentioned

Jason Brace

Curtis Cunningham

Riar Geer

Aric Goodman

Cody Hawkins

Marquez Herrod

Ryan Miller

Shaun Mohler

Darrell Scott

Josh Smith

Rodney Stewart

Demetrius Sumler

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