As Expected, Seminoles Reign

Thu., Jan. 6, 2000

After losing to Tennessee in last year’s national title game, Florida State players vowed to “get back and win one.”

That’s exactly what the Seminoles did. In beating Virginia Tech 46-29 in the Sugar Bowl Tuesday night, Florida State was the unanimous No. 1 choice in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll.

Florida State had all 70 first-place votes and 1,750 points from the AP panel, while the Hokies (11-1) finished No. 2 - the school’s best finish.

Virginia Tech received 1,647 points to edge No. 3 Nebraska (12-1), which had 1,634 points after its 31-21 win over Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl.

In the final USA Today-ESPN coaches’ poll, Florida State was first, Nebraska second and Virginia Tech third.

Florida State’s win in the Sugar Bowl got a 17.5 rating and 28 share, Nielsen Media Research said, up 2 percent from the telecast of last year’s college football championship game.

The rating is the percentage of television households in the United States tuned to a program and each points represents 1,008,000 homes.

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As Expected, Seminoles Reign

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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