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Florida State routs Western with nine consecutive scores
Florida State scored touchdowns on its final nine possessions to rout Western Carolina 69-0 Saturday in a non-conference football game at FSU’s Doak Campbell Stadium.
A crowd of 73,024 waited through two weather delays before the offense kicked into high gear for 561 yards while holding the Catamounts (1-1) to 176.
Jeramaine Thomas led the Seminole ground game with 92 yards in 12 carries while reserve quarterback D’Vontrey Richardson totaled 70 yards in just four carries.
Several Western Carolina defenders, including Elamore Gabriel (92) and Ricky Schwarz (34) bring down a Florida State ball carrier in WCU’s 69-0 loss Saturday. – Photo by Mark Haskett
Christian Ponder completed 11 of 17 passes for 196 yards. Richardson was five of six for 57 yards.
Rod Owens had four catches for 61 yards. Bert Reed and Greg Carr both had three receptions for 77 and 67 yards, respectively.
Western’s Quan Worley netted 42 yards in 14 carries.
Andy Horn completed six of 17 passes for 53 yards. Adam Hearns was four of seven for 66 yards.
Marquel Pittman caught five passes for 89 yards.
After the game’s start was delayed by lightning for nearly an hour and a half, FSU’s Tony Carter provided some on-field fireworks with his 68-yard punt return. Zach Hobby, who was nine of 10 on extra points, made it 7-0 with 13:11 to go in the first quarter.
At that point, another weather delay stopped the game for almost another hour.
When play resumed around 8:30 p.m., both team’s defenses took over.
The next scoring opportunity came when Hobby was wide left on a 43-yard field goal try.
Western turned the ball over on downs at the FSU 44 on its next possession setting the stage for the nine straight TDs.
Owens caught Ponder passes of 21, 17 and 12 yards before Antone Smith scored from the 5 for a 14-0 lead with 6:54 to play in the half.
Two plays after a punt, a 41-yard pass from Ponder to Reed extended the margin to 21-0 at the 3:48 mark.
FSU was up 28-0 at intermission after Ponder’s 7-yard pass to Corey Surrency with 1:28 on the clock. Ponder completed an 11-yard pass to Owens and scrambled for 25 yards while Smith had an 18-yard gain in the march.
The Seminoles picked up right where they left off by scoring on a 54-yard pass from Ponder to Carr three plays after the second half kickoff building the lead to 35-0 at the 13:32 mark.
They needed only two plays after a punt to go up 42-0 with 10:51 to play in the third period on Richardson’s 52-yard run.
Horn fumbled on the first play after the kickoff with Wright recovering at the 5. Richardson’s 7-yard TD run put his team up 48-0 with 9:46 remaining in the third stanza as the PAT failed.
The Cats’ best scoring opportunity came after Hearns ran for 14 yards and passed to Pittman for 28. They came up empty when Blake Bostic was wide right on a 37-yard field goal try.
The Seminoles then drove 80 yards in seven plays. Highlights included gains of 30 yards by Carlton Jones and 12 yards by Thomas along with Richardson’s 12-yard gain and his 22-yard pass to Reed. Jamon Fortson caught Richardson’s 3-yard TD pass for a 55-0 margin with 3:29 to go in the third stanza.
Western reached the FSU 28 on its next possession before being stopped on downs.
A 72-yard drive in seven plays was capped by Thomas’ 12-yard run for a 62-0 lead with 9:17 left in the game. Richardson completed a 17-yard pass to Fortson, and Thomas had a 16-yard run in the march.
The Seminoles completed the scoring on Thomas’ 5-yard run at the 1:01 mark. The 55-yard drive took nine plays, including Drew Weatherford’s 18-yard pass to Cameron Wade.
FSU’s Toddrick Verdell was in on eight tackles.
Abram Scott led WCU with seven, all solos.
WCU FSU
12 First Downs 24
33-57 Rushes-Yds. 32-290
10-25-0 Passing 17-25-0
119 Passing Yds. 271
8-34.0 Punts-Avg. 2-46.5
3-1 Fumbles-Lost 2-0
6-37 Penalties-Yds. 8-58
WCU 0 0 0 0 0
FSU 7 21 27 14 69
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