NFL.com College Rankings

Florida State, Miami among contenders for 'Linebacker U' title

"10. (tie) Michigan
Draft picks the past 25 years: 13, including Larry Foote, Ian Gold, David Harris, Victor Hobson, Dhani Jones and LaMarr Woodley.
The skinny: Frankly, there haven't been as many draftees as you'd expect from a program like Michigan. But Woodley has been a top-level pass rusher. Foote and Harris hit it big, too.

10. (tie) Alabama

Draft picks the past 25 years: 15, including Dont'a Hightower, C.J. Mosley, DeMeco Ryans, Dwayne Rudd, Derrick Thomas and Courtney Upshaw.
The skinny: Let's just say it is more glitz than glamour. Hightower and Mosley are recent first-rounders who need to produce to the levels of Rudd, Ryans and especially Thomas. That's a potent trio, to be sure, but truth be told, there's not much else. Rolando McClain, a first-rounder in 2010, is coming out of retirement after being traded from the Raiders to the Cowboys on Tuesday.

9. Ohio State

Draft picks the past 25 years: 23, including Na'il Diggs, A.J. Hawk, James Laurinaitis, Ryan Shazier, Steve Tovar and Matt Wilhelm.
The skinny: The Buckeyes have had more high-profile first-round busts at linebacker -- Bobby Carpenter, Vernon Gholston, Andy Katzenmoyer and Craig Powell come to mind quickly -- than anybody. They also have some guys that have enjoyed productive NFL careers, highlighted by Hawk and Laurinaitis. There are big expectations for Shazier, a first-rounder by the Pittsburgh Steelers this year. This list does not include Mike Vrabel, who was listed as a defensive end when he was drafted but ended up as a good NFL linebacker.

8. Florida

Draft picks the past 25 years: 17, including Jon Bostic, Channing Crowder, Jermaine Cunningham, Andra Davis, Jeremy Mincey, Mike Peterson, Brandon Siler and Brandon Spikes.
The skinny: Florida has produced just one first-round linebacker in our time frame -- Huey Richardson, who was a bust. But the Gators have produced a number of guys who have had/are having productive NFL careers. The list does not include Jevon Kearse, a star 'backer at Florida who was drafted as a defensive end. And while Mincey played end at Florida and also in the NFL, he was drafted as an outside linebacker.

7. Purdue

Draft picks the past 25 years: 12, including Rosevelt Colvin, Ryan Kerrigan, Chike Okeafor, Shaun Phillips and Anthony Spencer.
The skinny: Quality over quantity here. Just two first-rounders (Kerrigan and Spencer), but a high percentage of guys who produced, especially as pass rushers.

6. UCLA

Draft picks the past 25 years: 10, including Akeem Ayers, Anthony Barr, Brandon Chillar, Donnie Edwards, Jamir Miller, Marvcus Patton, Roman Phifer and Robert Thomas
The skinny: Not many draftees, but a lot of big-time linebackers. Thomas was a first-rounder, though he didn't live up to expectations. But Chillar, Edwards and Phifer, among others, exceeded expectations. Barr, drafted in the first round this year, has a high ceiling.

5. Penn State

Draft picks the past 25 years: 23, including LaVar Arrington, NaVorro Bowman, Andre Collins, Dan Connor, Sean Lee, Paul Posluszny and Brandon Short.
The skinny: Penn State isn't the "Linebacker U" it used to be, but it still has produced some notable 'backers of late. Posluszny is a tackle machine. Bowman is a star. Lee has been a solid player for Dallas, but is injured and will miss 2014. Arrington and Collins enjoyed good careers.

4. Georgia

Draft picks the past 25 years: 17, including Boss Bailey, Kendrell Bell, Charlie Clemons, Akeem Dent, Randall Godfrey, Justin Houston, Jarvis Jones, Mo Lewis, Alec Ogletree, David Pollack, Odell Thurman and Will Witherspoon.
The skinny: There's not the sheer star power of some others, but there also are a lot of highly productive 'backers. Houston is a big-time sack guy. Witherspoon has been a solid starter for a while -- Bailey, Bell, Clemons and Godfrey were the same. Jones and Ogletree were first-rounders in 2013. An injury ruined Pollack's career after he was a first-rounder.

3. USC

Draft picks the past 25 years: 23, including Chris Claiborne, Brian Cushing, Clay Matthews, Kaluka Maiava, Rey Maualuga, Willie McGinest, Nick Perry, Keith Rivers, Junior Seau, Malcolm Smith and Lofa Tatupu.
The skinny: A lot of draftees and a lot of star power, most notably McGinest and Seau, two of the best linebackers of their generation. Cushing, Maiava, Maualuga and Matthews were selected in the same draft (2009). Claiborne and Rivers were first-rounders that never quite lived up to expectations, but still were/are solid NFL players

2. Miami

Draft picks the past 25 years: 21, including Jessie Armstead, Micheal Barrow, Jon Beason, Ray Lewis, Colin McCarthy, Rocky McIntosh, Dan Morgan, Darryl Sharpton, Darrin Smith, Jonathan Vilma, Nate Webster and D.J. Williams.
The skinny: Quantity and quality. Lewis is one of the best linebackers in NFL history. Armstead was a late-round pick who hit big. Beason, Vilma and Williams were first-rounders that have played well. The well has run a bit dry of late, though, with no true standout drafted since 2007 (Beason).

1. Florida State

Draft picks the past 25 years: 28, including Peter Boulware, Derrick Brooks, Sam Cowart, Henri Crockett, Geno Hayes, Marvin Jones, Tommy Polley, Ernie Sims, Lawrence Timmons, Bjoern Werner, Vince Williams, Reinard Wilson and Kamerion Wimbley.
The skinny: A ton of star power and also numerous mid-level talents that enjoyed productive careers. Brooks is one of the best linebackers in NFL history. Yes, a few of the first-rounders (Sims and Wilson come to mind) didn't live up to all the expectations, but FSU has produced a deep, deep group of linebackers who performed at a high level. The Seminoles get the nod over rival Miami because they have produced better linebackers of late."

What school is QB U? USC among teams that can make claim

"10. N.C. State Wolfpack
Draft picks last 25 years: Three (Philip Rivers, Russell Wilson, Mike Glennon)
The skinny: Yes, we're counting Wilson in the Wolfpack trio even though he spent his final college season at Wisconsin. While the quantity hasn't been as great as others, the quality is pretty high dating back to the Norm Chow-coached Rivers. Glennon is apparently the future in Tampa Bay and looked decent as a rookie. Head coach Dave Doeren is known mostly for dual-threat signal-callers, but that's not an automatic disqualifier here with a better-than-expected recruiting base in the region and potential for big things down the road.

9. Michigan State Spartans

Draft picks last 25 years: Five (Jim Miller, Tony Banks, Jeff Smoker, Drew Stanton, Kirk Cousins)
The skinny: While you're more likely to look to the Spartans for a defender, they've had solid success in sending quarterbacks to the NFL the past few decades. The list of recent draft picks doesn't even include a possible starter in Cleveland's Brian Hoyer. Plus, Connor Cook will be one scouts have an eye on and the program's recruiting has ticked up quite a bit with signal-callers as of late.

8. Georgia Bulldogs

Draft picks last 25 years: Six (Eric Zeier, Quincy Carter, David Greene, D.J. Shockley, Matt Stafford, Aaron Murray)
The skinny: The presence of head coach Mark Richt in Athens is a significant reason why the Bulldogs land on this list -- he's recruited several talented passers. Stafford and Murray stand out for their impressive production, while the other QBs on the Georgia list form a solid group of middle-round picks. Carter might have been average for the Cowboys, but he still ended up with more than a cup of coffee in the NFL. Hutson Mason is penciled in as the starter this season and could draw NFL looks if he pans out, and there are a number of interesting options in the pipeline behind him for Georgia.

7. Florida Gators

Draft picks last 25 years: Four (Danny Wuerffel, Jesse Palmer, Rex Grossman, Tim Tebow)
The skinny: This number might be even higher had Steve Spurrier stayed in Gainesville instead of departing for D.C., but it's not a bad list either way. All the Florida QBs drafted in the past 25 years ended up starting NFL games, and NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt is high on current starter Jeff Driskel, a former top QB coming out of high school. Plus, for all the flack Tebow takes, he was still a first-round pick and has as many playoff wins as Tony Romo.

6. California Golden Bears

Draft picks last 25 years: Five (Mike Pawlawski, Dave Barr, Pat Barnes, Kyle Boller, Aaron Rodgers)
The skinny: The reason Jeff Tedford is the offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and no longer the head coach in Berkeley is largely due to the fact that he no longer was considered the quarterback whisperer (looking back, he was more of a running backs guru, anyway). Still, the Bears saw recent success with a pair of first-rounders under Tedford, including a Super Bowl winner in Rodgers. With a great local talent base at the high school level and a wide-open, pass-happy offense under head coach Sonny Dykes, scouts should soon have more reason to stop by campus after visiting rival Stanford.

5. LSU Tigers

Draft picks last 25 years: Seven (Josh Booty, Craig Nall, Rohan Davey, Matt Mauck, JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn, Zach Mettenberger)
The skinny: The Tigers are no doubt scarred by the fact that Russell is one of the biggest draft busts at the position in recent memory, but don't overlook the fact that the program has done pretty well at the position as far as quantity. With Cam Cameron installing an offense that will look familiar to those who watch more football on Sunday, LSU isn't likely to stop sending quarterbacks to the league anytime soon.

4. Stanford Cardinal

Draft picks last 25 years: Five (Steve Stenstrom, Todd Husak, Randy Fasani, Trent Edwards, Andrew Luck)
The skinny: While Stanford hasn't produced the quantity of some of the others on this list, it has been a historically great school when it comes to quarterback quality (John Elway and Jim Plunkett, among others, back in the day). Luck certainly carries the banner for this group, but the Cardinal's offense is nearly indistinguishable from what you'll see on Sundays and they have been as good as anybody at landing talented blue chippers out of high school. Kevin Hogan is already on the radar of NFL scouts and he won't be the last from the Farm to draw their attention.

3. Florida State Seminoles

Draft picks last 25 years: Eight (Peter Tom Willis, Brad Johnson, Casey Weldon, Danny Kanell, Chris Weinke, Adrian McPherson, Christian Ponder, EJ Manuel)
The skinny: When you consider that one Heisman Trophy-winning FSU quarterback didn't get drafted into the NFL but could have played in the league (Charlie Ward), it makes the Seminoles' list even more impressive. They had a few hits and misses over the years, but head coach Jimbo Fisher seems to have turned the program into a must-stop for top talent at every position. Jameis Winston is next in line to go from Noles QB to the pros.

2. Michigan Wolverines

Draft picks last 25 years: Seven (Elvis Grbac, Todd Collins, Brian Griese, Tom Brady, Drew Henson, John Navarre, Chad Henne)
The skinny: Thanks mostly to Brady, the Wolverines might have one of the better hit rates on sending QBs to the NFL in recent years. All seven quarterbacks drafted in the past 25 years started at least one game in the NFL and four of them have thrown for more than 10,000 yards as a pro. While it's unclear if head coach Brady Hoke will keep his job much longer, it's doubtful Michigan moves away from a pro-style offense after the failed Rich Rodriguez experiment. With a big brand name and the ability to get signal-callers from any part of the country, this is one area where Michigan wins a head-to-head with its rival, Ohio State.

1. USC Trojans

Draft picks last 25 years: 11 (Rodney Peete, Pat O'Hara, Todd Marinovich, Rob Johnson, Kyle Wacholtz, Carson Palmer, Matt Cassel, Matt Leinart, John David Booty, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley)
The skinny: A lot of NFL-centric viewpoints might question the Trojans' place atop this list given the number of players that failed to live up to the hype in the pros, but it's hard to argue with the numbers and the relative success most of the USC quarterbacks have had in the NFL. All but two multi-game starters for the Trojans in the last 25 years were drafted, so becoming the BMOC at USC is a good indicator that you'll hear your name called during the draft. With a pro-style but up-tempo offense in place under Steve Sarkisian and a five-star quarterback in the 2015 recruiting class, you should continue to see a Trojans quarterback in the draft every few years. The only program that could make a case to be ranked ahead of USC is the one right behind them on this list."

What school is WR U? Miami, USC among contenders for title


"10. Texas Longhorns
Draft picks last 25 years: 11, including Eric Metcalf, Roy Williams, Limas Sweed and Jordan Shipley.
The skinny: It doesn't help the Longhorns' cause that the best player on the list is also the oldest (Metcalf), as the 1989 first-round pick of the Cleveland Browns. Williams was a first-round pick of the Lions in 2004, the only first-rounder other than Metcalf in the last 25 years. No doubt, Texas has produced an impressive group of receivers, although most are better known as Longhorns than as NFL players.

9. Clemson Tigers

Draft picks last 25 years: Nine, including Rod Gardner, DeAndre Hopkins, Martavis Bryant and Sammy Watkins.
The skinny: The Tigers boast three first-round picks of the nine listed above (Gardner, Hopkins, Watkins), and given the program's explosive offenses in recent years, Clemson is currently a serious attraction for wide receiver recruits. As the No. 4 overall pick of this year's draft, Watkins certainly leaves behind a buzz that will make Tigers receivers want to be "the next" Watkins. Good luck with that.

8. Michigan Wolverines

Draft picks last 25 years: 16, including Desmond Howard, Derrick Alexander, Amani Toomer, David Terrell, Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant, Mario Manningham and Jeremy Gallon.
The skinny: There are four former first-round picks in the group (Howard, Alexander, Terrell, Edwards), and although Howard is the one with the Heisman hardware, it was Alexander who posted the best pro career of the four. Toomer proved to be a wise second-round investment for the Giants, and Avant was a strong fourth-round value for the Eagles.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Draft picks last 25 years: 18, including Alvin Harper, Peerless Price, Donte Stallworth, Robert Meachem, Denarius Moore and Cordarrelle Patterson.
The skinny: As the "other" receiver opposite Michael Irvin in Dallas, Harper was underrated as a pro. Pickens, despite attitude problems, had a very productive career with the Bengals. And it's just a matter of time before Patterson begins electrifying NFL crowds in the Vikings' offense the way he did as a return man last year. The next star in line for the Vols: sophomore Marquez North, who has NFL written all over him.

6. LSU Tigers

Draft picks last 25 years: 18, including Eddie Kennison, Michael Clayton, Devery Henderson, Dwayne Bowe, Craig Davis, Brandon LaFell, Rueben Randle, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
The skinny: Of these 18, 12 were drafted in the third round or earlier, including first-rounders Kennison, Clayton, Bowe, Davis and Beckham. Davis never produced for the Texans, and after a promising rookie year in Tampa Bay, Clayton didn't deliver much, either. Bowe, however, has tallied more than 6,000 yards and 44 touchdowns in seven seasons with the Chiefs. Kennison lasted 13 seasons in the pros, for five different clubs, amassing 8,345 yards. Beckham and Landry will carry the LSU receiving torch into the future at the NFL level.

5. Florida Gators

Draft picks last 25 years: 23, including Reidel Anthony, Ike Hilliard, Jacquez Green, Jabar Gaffney, Travis Taylor, Percy Harvin and Riley Cooper.
The skinny: A lot of these names harken back to the Steve Spurrier era at Florida, although several didn't have the sort of pro career that would justify where they were drafted. Anthony was one of four first-round picks here, but never panned out with the Buccaneers. A year after drafting Anthony with the 16th overall pick, the Bucs took Jacquez Green in the second round, and he didn't last long, either. Hilliard, Taylor and Gaffney all produced at the pro level, and the book isn't yet closed on Harvin's promising career.

4. Florida State Seminoles

Draft picks last 25 years: 21, including Laveranues Coles, Peter Warrick, Javon Walker, Anquan Boldin and Kelvin Benjamin.
The skinny: The two that stand out most for their pro careers are Boldin and Coles. Boldin is at 11,344 yards and counting over 11 seasons, while Coles' career ended at 11 seasons in 2010. The rest of the list is dotted with players that flashed impressive skills for a short period in the NFL, but didn't sustain it for very long (Javon Walker). Three first-rounders here: Warrick, Walker, and the latest to come out -- Panthers rookie Kelvin Benjamin.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes

Draft picks last 25 years: 19, including Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn, David Boston, Michael Jenkins, Santonio Holmes, Anthony Gonzalez, Ted Ginn Jr. and Brian Hartline.
The skinny: The Buckeyes have produced seven first-round picks in 25 years at this position, including four in a four-year stretch (Jenkins to Falcons, Holmes to Steelers, Gonzalez to Colts, Ginn to Dolphins). Galloway sustained success in the pro ranks longer than any of them, piling up more than 10,000 yards and 77 touchdowns over 16 seasons. The flash career here is definitely Boston, another first-rounder who was dominant with the Cardinals in 2001 (98 catches, 1,598 yards), but never recaptured that magic.

2. USC Trojans

Draft picks last 25 years: 20, including Curtis Conway, Johnny Morton, Keyshawn Johnson, R.J. Soward, Mike Williams, Robert Woods and Marqise Lee.
The skinny: The Trojans have produced five first-round picks in the last 25 years, and two promising second-rounders in the last two drafts (Woods, Lee). Conway, Morton and Johnson all had multiple seasons of 1,000-plus yards in the NFL. The biggest busts here definitely go to Soward and Williams, both first-round picks, neither of whom lasted more than two seasons with the team that drafted them.

1. Miami Hurricanes

Draft picks last 25 years: 21, including Wesley Carroll, Randall Hill, Kevin Williams, Yatil Green, Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss, Andre Johnson, Roscoe Parrish and Sinorice Moss.
The skinny: Nobody has delivered quite like the 'Canes at this position. Going back beyond 25 years, players like Eddie Brown and Michael Irvin set the stage for the true "Wide Receiver U." Five first-round picks and four second-rounders lead this group, highlighted by two of the best the NFL has seen in recent memory: Reggie Wayne and Andre Johnson. At 35 years old, Santana Moss is still working to hold an NFL roster spot in Washington, where he's posted three of his four career 1,000-yard seasons."

What school is RB U? Miami among teams that can make claim

"10. Ohio State Buckeyes
Draft picks the last 25 years: 16, including Carlos Hyde, Beanie Wells, Maurice Clarett, Eddie George and Robert Smith.
The skinny: A historical powerhouse at the position, George is the biggest name the Buckeyes have sent to the league in the past 25 years, but he's far from their only notable rusher. Ohio State has the second-highest total of backs drafted and seven of the 16 picks turned into starters for their team for at least a season.

9. USC Trojans
Draft picks the last 25 years: 17, including Stanley Havili, Joe McKnight, Reggie Bush, LenDale White and Ricky Ervins.
The skinny: In terms of numbers, it's the Trojans and everybody else as they've had more backs drafted in the past quarter century than any other school. A number of them have had good careers. However, similar to the situation with Trojans quarterbacks, the hit percentage for starting NFL rushers isn't what it should be with 17 draft picks. If you look back even further, USC would shoot up the rankings, but lately it hasn't lived up to its historical reputation in terms of impact tailbacks.

8. LSU Tigers

Draft picks the past 25 years: 14, including Jeremy Hill, Spencer Ware, Joseph Addai and Kevin Faulk.
The skinny: The Tigers have almost always had a good ground game, but the program has really started to pump out running backs at an impressive rate since Les Miles' arrival. Hill and Alfred Blue were the combo in 2014 and could join the six LSU backs picked in last quarter century or so that ended up as primary ball carriers in the NFL. Take note of the name Leonard Fournette -- the incoming freshman is considered to be the best high school running back recruit since Adrian Peterson.

7. Tennessee Volunteers

Draft picks the last 25 years: 15, including Montario Hardesty, Travis Henry, Jamal Lewis and Charlie Garner.
The skinny: The glory years of Vols football certainly contributed to their place on the list despite things trickling off a bit after 2005. Six of the 15 draftees turned into NFL starters and that's not even counting undrafted star Arian Foster, the NFL rushing champ in 2010 and another Vol who became an All-Pro at the next level. Head coach Butch Jones has a good stable in the backfield in Knoxville already and recruiting in the area is going well, too.

6. Alabama

Draft picks the last 25 years: 13, including Eddie Lacy, Trent Richardson, Le'Ron McClain and Shaun Alexander.
The skinny: We had grown accustomed to seeing a Crimson Tide back drafted every two or three years, but thanks to Nick Saban, we're seeing one picked just about every year. Shaun Alexander is the headliner of the group but there are some quality names up and down the Tide's list. Six of the 13 drafted turned into starters and the future is bright with T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry in Tuscaloosa.

5. Auburn Tigers

Draft picks last 25 years: 13, including Tre Mason, Ben Tate, Ronnie Brown, Cadillac Williams and Rudi Johnson.
The skinny: The Tigers notably produced two top-five picks at running back in 2005 with Brown and Williams, but there are some equally big names that have come out of the Plains over the years. Six of the 13 backs drafted ended up starting for a number of years and the program has done a great job sending fullbacks (like NFL Network's Heath Evans) to the pros, too. With Gus Malzahn in charge, Tre Mason will likely be the first in a long line of backs the Auburn head coach produces in the coming years.

4. Georgia Bulldogs

Draft picks last 25 years: 13, including Knowshon Moreno, Olandis Gary, Terrell Davis and Garrison Hearst.
The skinny: The Bulldogs had an incredible run in the 1990s, led by Hearst and NFL Network's Davis. Six of their 13 picks at the position turned into primary starters and there have been four Georgia backs picked in the first round over the years. Since Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall are on the roster and there's a strong recruiting pipeline in place in the backfield, Athens is certainly a must-stop for scouts looking for tailbacks.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

Draft picks last 25 years: 15, including Evan Royster, Larry Johnson, Curtis Enis and Ki-Jana Carter.
The skinny: After a hugely productive run in the 1990s, the Nittany Lions have fallen off a bit lately, but have a strong pedigree and plenty in the pipeline. The school produced a No. 1 overall pick at the position (Carter in 1995) and saw nine lead backs emerge for at least two seasons among their 15 picks at the position. Larry Johnson led the way in terms of impact on the field among the Penn State group, and the program also saw a number of quality fullbacks make it to the NFL.

2. Florida State Seminoles

Draft picks last 25 years: 14, including Devonta Freeman, Leon Washington, Greg Jones and Warrick Dunn.
The skinny: The state of Florida has been a great pipeline for NFL backs and there's a reason the two ACC programs in the state are high on this list. Nine of the 14 picks the Seminoles have produced played in more than 90 games in the NFL and just two failed to develop into decent pro players. Dunn put up the biggest numbers out of the FSU group, by far. Given the way head coach Jimbo Fisher has been recruiting, it's probably safe to say Chris Thompson and Devonta Freeman are just the beginning of a new pipeline of Seminoles backs moving on to the NFL.

1. Miami Hurricanes

Draft picks last 25 years: 13, including Willis McGahee, Lamar Miller, Frank Gore, Clinton Portis and Edgerrin James.
The skinny: The U hasn't produced the most picks of any school, but the team's still-rich history and the number of impact backs it has produced is enough to keep the Hurricanes atop this list. Four Miami running backs have rushed for more than 8,000 yards in the NFL, and a remarkable nine of the school's 13 draft picks turned into a team's primary ball carrier at the next level. With Duke Johnson and freshman Joseph Yearby on the roster in 2014, along with a strong commitment to the ground game, expect Miami to be able to hold off others for this title in the coming years, too.
Best of the rest: Fresno State, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Wisconsin, California, Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pitt, South Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Texas A&M, Stanford."




14 for ’14: Best uniforms in college football

"6. Florida State's garnet helmets
Win a national championship, get a new brand identity, apparently. The Seminoles didn't undergo a massive change but did update their logo and unveil new Nike uniforms in April. In some cases, it's the classic look we've come to know and love from Florida State, with a few tweaks to the shoulders and other trim elements. The all-black uniform is particularly intimidating, and a garnet helmet is one of the slicker ones east of the Mississippi."

14 for '14: Top rivalries in college football

"7. Florida State-Miami
Series history: Miami leads 31-27. First game was in 1951.
Buzz: This series has lost some luster because each program has struggled at times in the past 10 years. Then again, it would be tough to top the preceding 25 years: At least one of the teams was ranked at kickoff in every season from 1981-2006, 23 times one or both of the teams was in the top 10 and 12 times both were in the top 10. The game has taken on added importance since 2004, when UM joined the ACC. The teams have met annually just since 1969.

5. Florida-Florida State

Series history: Florida leads 34-22-2. First game was in 1958.
Buzz: The Gators won 16 of the first 19 games in the series, which seemingly gets chippier and chippier every season, but the series is 12-12-1 over the past 25 meetings. The rivalry was at its best in the 1990s: In each matchup from 1990-2000 (there were 13 such contests because they met twice in bowls), both teams were ranked in the top 10, and the winner played for the national title six times. One of those occurrences came in the 1996 season, when -- in a rematch of a regular-season game that FSU won -- the Gators rolled to the national title over the Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl. While the schools haven't been as evenly matched of late -- there has been only one meeting since 2000 when both were in the top 10 -- they have combined to win three national titles in the past eight seasons. The teams have met annually since the first meeting in '58."