FSU lost to an FCS team. Here’s how Florida, USF and others responded to similar defeats
In honor of Florida State’s defeat to Jacksonville State, a look at how some other Division I-A teams responded after losing to Football Championship Subdivision teams:
Baylor
Lost to Liberty 48-45 in Matt Rhule’s first game (2017)
What happened next: Rhule finished 1-11 that year but led the Bears to an 11-3 record and Sugar Bowl appearance two years later before leaving for the Panthers.
Florida
Lost 26-20 to Georgia Southern in 2013
What happened next: UF lost by 30 to FSU the next week to close a rock-bottom 4-8 season. Will Muschamp never recovered and was fired midway through the next season
Iowa
Ranked No. 13 before losing to North Dakota State 23-21 in 2016
What happened next: Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes won their next game (vs. Rutgers) and finished 8-5 with a loss to UF in the Outback Bowl
Washington State
Lost to Portland State and Eastern Washington in back-to-back openers (2015-16)
What happened next: Mike Leach’s Cougars split their Week 2 games and finished both regular seasons with eight wins
UCF
Lost 16-15 to Furman in 2015
What happened next: George O’Leary resigned a month later during the Knights’ winless season
USF
Lost 53-21 to McNeese State in Willie Taggart’s debut (2013)
What happened next: The Bulls lost three more in a row during a 2-10 season. The program recovered slowly and won 10 games in Taggart’s final year
Virginia Tech
Ranked No. 13 before losing 21-16 to James Madison in 2010
What happened next: The Hokies won their next 11, including a 44-33 win over FSU in the ACC title game
Michigan
Lost 34-32 to Appalachian State in 2007
What happened next: The Wolverines lost to Oregon the next week but finished 9-4 with a win over No. 9 UF in the Capital One Bowl.
Coach Prime vs. Coach Bowden
Jackson State could pull off the latest FCS upset (at Louisiana Monroe). The Tigers are off to a 2-0 start under former FSU great Deion Sanders, who’s coaching against Terry Bowden, the son of another Seminoles legend, the late Bobby Bowden.
• • •
Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.
