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FSU Football Team Named One of Most Hated All Time

Florida State’s run during the 2014 season was a rollercoaster.
Dec 6, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) reacts after the game. The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 37-35 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Dec 6, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) reacts after the game. The Florida State Seminoles defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 37-35 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Florida State Seminoles have fielded a melting pot of memorable players and national championship teams over the years, including Heisman Trophy winners, All-Americans, and NFL Draft picks, along with undefeated seasons and top-5 finishes.

Former FSU quarterback Jameis Winston stepped on campus as the No. 1 dual-threat prospect in the 2012 recruiting class and took the country by storm with both memorable and questionable antics during his three seasons in Tallahassee. He went on to lead the Seminoles on a 2013 National Championship run that left many FSU fans wanting more and many around the country loathing what was in store in 2014.

That sentiment carried directly into 2014, when Florida State’s improbable wins and unbeaten streak only fueled the narrative that the Seminoles were as frustrating to watch as they were difficult to beat.

CBS Sports Names 2014 Florida State Among College Football’s Most Hated Teams

Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston
Nov 22, 2014; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston (5) looks to throw the ball to wide receiver Rashad Greene (80) during the game against the Boston College Eagles at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-Imagn Images | Melina Vastola-Imagn Images

CBS Sports' Brad Crawford recently released a list of the top 10 most-hated college football teams, and the 2014 Seminoles landed near the top of the chart at No. 3, only trailing the 2005 USC Trojans and the 1986 Miami Hurricanes squads.

"First came the Heisman Trophy and an unbeaten run to a national championship as a redshirt freshman. Then, "free" crab legs from Publix during spring practice the following season. Jameis Winston was strikingly flamboyant as Florida State's face of the program and was the primary factor in all the hate for the preseason top-ranked Seminoles in 2014," Crawford wrote.

"Those anticipating Florida State to be upset weekly didn't find pleasure until an unexpected College Football Playoff implosion inside the Rose Bowl against Oregon that snapped the Seminoles' nation-leading 29-game winning streak."

The 2014 Seminoles Were Polarizing And Dangerous

Florida State Seminoles tight end Nick O'Leary
Oct 11, 2014; Syracuse, NY, USA; Florida State Seminoles tight end Nick O'Leary (35) runs with the ball after after a catch against the Syracuse Orange during the fourth quarter at the Carrier Dome. Florida State defeated Syracuse 38-20. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

The Seminoles seemed unstoppable until the first round of the 2015 College Football Playoff. Florida State’s 29-0 hated run was fueled by a series of dramatic escapes, including a comeback from 21-0 down to beat Louisville 42-31, another rally from a 16-0 deficit to take down Miami 30-26, and a 23-17 overtime win over Clemson.

With players like Winston, Rashad Greene, and Nick O'Leary leading the offense, paired with a defense loaded with future NFL talent such as Jalen Ramsey, Eddie Goldman, Mario Edwards Jr., Ronald Darby, P. J. Williams, and DeMarcus Walker, Florida State was built like a Sunday roster, even if it only looked the part in the second half of most games that year

Loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, FSU was built for success and the hate that came with it, but found that success in some of the most unorthodox and unforgettable ways imaginable.


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Tommy Mire
TOMMY MIRE

Tommy Mire joined NoleGameday in 2023 as a writer and editor. He initially worked as lead voice at SBNation's Tomahawk Nation and contributes to football, NFL and recruiting coverage. Connect with Tommy on Twitter at @TommyM3III

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