FSU vs. UT-Chattanooga

4SHOT Sports

Football - 2008
FSU vs. UT-Chattanooga
By Rod "Kut" Freeman
Sep 13, 2008, 11:55 EST

Florida State University “Seminoles” vs. UT-Chattanooga “Mocs”

Coach Bowden collects win 375

Ponder throws for 180-yards and 3 TD’s

Smith takes this Ponder pass in from 8 yards out.

Tallahasse,FL (Doak Campbell Stadium) - The Florida State University "Seminoles" look to go 2-0 for the 8th straight season in the last 10 years. Standing in their way would be the University of Tennessee Chattanooga "Mocs" who enters the game on a victory over Cumberland 47-6. Would the 1-1 "Mocs" upset the "Seminoles" at Doak Campbell Stadium or would it be a long ride home?

With 71,596 screaming fans in the crowd ready to cheer on the Noles, it didn’t take nothing but the kick off to get things started. Sophomore quarterback Christian Ponder would hook up with wide receiver Corey Surrency on a 44 yard touch catch over 2 defenders to give the Noles the first points of the game 7-0 with 8:33 left in the first period. The Noles wasn’t done but just getting started as they crunk up their run game behind senior running back Antone Smith. Smith would rumble 12 yards for the Seminoles second score of the game with 4:35 left in the first quarter to have the Mocs hopefuls squeezing their sits 14-0. The Mocs never lost faith as junior quarterback Tony Pastore would connect on a deep 62 yard pass to Jordan Hazard to cut the score to 14-7. After defensive coaches Mickey Andrews and Chuck Amato, chewed the correctness into the defense ears. The Seminoles didn’t allow the Mocs to see the end zone. The offense would come out and wouldn’t miss a beat, as Ponder connected with Surrency again on a 39 yard touch down pass to move the score to 21-7 with 23 seconds left in the first quarter.

Christian Ponder & D'Vontrey Richardson gives the Noles a double threat at QB.

The game was pretty much down hill from there. In the third quarter coach Jimbo Fisher would call upon the services of he super sophomore from Lee County at quarterback, D’Vontrey Richardson to lead the charge. Richardson set the school record on a 52-yard scramble last week against Western Carolina for a touch down. The run was the longest scoring run by a quarterback in Florida State history. The record lasted only one week, as Richardson would break his own record on a 55 yard touchdown run with 3:39 left in the third period to move the score to 39-7. Richardson would also complete a 36 yard pass for a touchdown to Bert Reed to seal the deal 46-7.

At the end of the day, the Noles improve to 3-0 and Coach Bobby Bowden captures his 375^th victory. The Seminoles will open ACC play next week against a tough 2-0 Wake Forest team. Florida State will at least have a weapon in both Richardson and Ponder, who has thrown 6 touchdowns with no interceptions in two games. The Mocs will welcome Jacksonville State to town to try to get back on the winning track.

Final Score: FSU 46 – UT-Chattanooga 7

Game Breakers

FSU: QB- Christian Ponder, QB- D’Vontrey Richardson, RB- Atone Smith, WR- Corey Surrency, WR- Bert Reed, DE-Everette Brown, LB- Derek Nicholson & LB- Toddrick Verdell

UT-Chatt: QB- Tony Pastore, RB- Erroll Wynn, WR- Jordan Hazard, DB- Raeshon Ball, FS- Tony Swafford, LB- Jarvis Newson, DE- Neil Brown & Tackle- Rodney Beamon