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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A serious Florida State team proved to be
too much for upstart North Carolina State.
|  | | N.C. State quarterback Philip Rivers was forced to tackle Florida State's David Warren after Warren's 34-yard interception return. |
"When you get a group like this as quiet as it was all week
that shows we're going to do something special," linebacker Brian
Allen said after the No. 6 Seminoles' 58-14 victory over the No. 21
Wolfpack on Saturday night.
The Seminoles (8-1, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) spent most of
the first half polishing their ground game against a Wolfpack team
led by former Florida State assistant Chuck Amato. FSU scored four
touchdowns in a span of 14 minutes in the second quarter after
being upset 24-7 by N.C. State two years ago.
"I think a lot of the game was frustration from the last time
we were up here," coach Bobby Bowden said. "We came in here with
the No. 2 football team and we got killed."
After that game, Bowden said he was too stubborn and didn't run
the ball enough. That changed this time as Bowden bent the ear of
offensive coordinator Mark Richt all week.
"I reminded him of the plan," said a laughing Bowden.
Florida State's emphasis on the ground attack was displayed in
the play selection by Bowden; the Seminoles ran 14 more running
plays than passing plays in the opening 30 minutes.
Travis Minor had 92 of his season-high 129 yards in the first
half and scored on two 2-yard runs as the Seminoles won their 68th
ACC game in 70 tries with a season-high 324 yards rushing on 54
carries.
"We just wore them down with the running game. Our guys never
quit. We played with enthusiasm all night and it showed," said
Chris Weinke, who threw for 185 yards, breaking his streak of
200-yard regular-season passing games at 19 straight.
"We were running the ball so successfully that we just picked
our places to throw the football. It just goes to show we're not a
one-dimensional team. When you're running it so successfully, why
change?"
With losses Saturday by No. 1 Nebraska and No. 5 Clemson, the
Seminoles are once again in the national title picture and two
victories away from a ninth straight ACC crown.
Bowden, who won his 312th game, posed for photographers near
midfield 45 minutes before the game started. Amato gave his former
boss a red sweater as the two cracked jokes.
But there was little joking once the game started and the
Seminoles began to dominate yet another ACC opponent.
"We had Chuck terribly outmanned," Bowden said. "He's been
winning with mirrors a lot this year, a little trick here and a
little trick here. He hung in there for a quarter, then we began to
get some things done.
"I wouldn't apologize for anything that happened out there
tonight," Bowden added.
The Wolfpack (5-2, 2-2) intercepted Chris Weinke six times in a
24-7 win here in 1998, but its defense could do little to stop the
Seminoles' ground attack, and N.C. State trailed 27-0 at halftime.
"The sun will come up tomorrow," Amato said. "We got a real
spanking tonight. They pulled our pants down in front of 52,000
people."
N.C. State's freshman sensation Philip Rivers was intercepted
three times in the first half, with Tay Cody returning one
interception 52 yards for a touchdown 48 seconds before halftime.
"They're a good team that played well and we're a good team
that played bad," Rivers said.
Florida State, which has outscored opponents 99-14 in the first
quarter this season, was held scoreless in the first 15 minutes but
cranked up its offense in the second quarter.
Weinke's 69th career TD pass and NCAA-leading 23rd this season
came on the first play of the second quarter. Anquan Boldin made a
nifty spin move at the 10 to avoid two defenders for a 24-yard
score.
Five minutes later, Minor scored the first of his two short TD
runs, carrying seven straight times in a 44-yard drive.
After another short punt gave Florida State good field position,
Weinke completed a pair of passes and Minor scored again from short
range.
A holding penalty by the Seminoles on a punt kept alive an N.C.
State drive that eventually died when Cody stepped in front of
tight end Willie Wright and raced untouched into the end zone.
The interception return was the first given up by Rivers, who
went over the 2,000-yard mark. But N.C. State's 119 yards of
offense in the first half was a season low.
Amato tricked his former boss twice in the first two minutes of
the second half to get the crowd of 52,384 back into the game.
A fake punt produced an 81-yard scoring pass from Austin Herbert
to Adrian Wilson to trim the FSU lead to 20. On the ensuing
kickoff, the Wolfpack recovered an onside kick.
But N.C. State turned the ball over on downs at the Florida
State 37, and the Seminoles tacked on 31 more points to put the
game out of reach.
"I said before the beginning of the season that's the best team
in the country," Amato said. "If there's a better team in the
country I don't want to play them."
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Florida State Clubhouse
North Carolina St Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Florida State fakes a reverse as Jeff Chaney rumbles in for a 16-yard touchdown.
avi: 713 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
A fake punt produces an 81-yard scoring pass from Austin Herbert to Adrian Wilson.
avi: 1120 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Chris Weinke connects with Anquan Boldin for a 24-yard score.
avi: 1210 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tay Cody returns an interception 52 yards for a Seminole touchdown.
avi: 1180 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Terrence Holt blocks a Florida State kick attempt early in the game.
avi: 829 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 QB Chris Weinke talks to ESPN's Adrian Karsten about Florida State's running game and more.
wav: 302 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Bobby Bowden talks with ESPN's Adrian Karsten after Florida State's big win.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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