FSU Evades Georges, USC

Florida State was every bit as inhospitable as the weather.

Refusing to let

"We're gaining on our potential," Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. "Now we're a team of potential that has won three games and blown one."

The victory was the Seminoles' 19th straight at home and extended their unbeaten streak in Doak Campbell Stadium to 36 games (35-0-1), dating back to a one-point loss to Miami seven years ago.

"Coach Bowden was very pleased to have us here," Paul Hackett, USC's first-year coach, said. "He says nobody will come down here to play them, and I can see why."

Chris Wenke, taking advatage of breaks between showers, threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns to pace a 404-yard attack.

Jeff Chaney

Jeff Chaney scores for FSU in the second quarter and finishes with 89 yards rushing. (AP)

Sebastian Janikowski kicked three field goals and Florida State forced five turnovers and held USC to three completions for 23 yards passing - 172 below the Trojans' season average.

"Defensively they overwhelmed us, and that basically is the story of the game," Hackett said.

"I'm not all that shocked," the USC coach added. "What they have told us is: `This is the level you have to play at to be a powerhouse.'"

The victory before a crowd of 79,815 that at through the sometimes driving rain kept alive Florida State's hopes of climbing back into national championship contention.

It was also an important game for Weinke, who had six passes intercepted in a 17-point loss to North Carolina State two weeks ago. He was much more effective this time, completing 13 of 31 passes with no interceptions.

"Weinke did a good job, but he is still missing some wide-open receivers, and I just can't understand why he's doing that," Bowden said. "His number one problem is throwing the ball too soon. He's not waiting for the play to develop."

Chaney, a third-team tailback playing more because starter Travis Minor sprained his left ankle, led a productive ground attack with 89 yards on 19 carries.

Warrick did a little of everything for the Seminoles, finishing with six receptions for 112 yards, 19 yards rushing and one pass completion for 14 yards.

USC (3-1) scored on Adam Abrams' career-long 49-yard field goal and Chad Morton's 7-yard, third-quarter TD run, set up by Frank Strong's 73-yard burst on the previous play.

The touchdown trimmed USC's deficit to 20-10, but that was as close as the Trojans would get.

Florida State officials monitored the progress of the hurricane Thursday and Friday before deciding to play as scheduled. Some television cameras were moved inside the press box in anticipation of gusting wind, but it was picture-perfect afternoon until rain began falling early in the second quarter.

But the weather, which didn't stop Wienke from leading a TD drive that snapped a 3-3 tie, couldn't be blamed for a sloppy first half. Despite Florida State's 257-71 edge in yardage, the teams struggled offensively and hurt themselves with defensive penalties early.

Janikowski's 36-yard field goal gave the Seminoles a 13-3 lead just before the half. But the kicker also missed a 37-yarder, and Florida State wasted another scoring opportunity when USC linebacker Chris Claiborne stopped Minor for no gain on fourth-and-1 from the Trojans 4.

Strong found a hole off left tackle and raced from his 20 to the Florida State 7 to set up USC's only touchdown. Abrams' field goal, meanwhile, came on a drive prolonged by a late-hit penalty against the Seminoles' Billy Rhodes.

Carson Palmer replaced ineffective Mike Van Raaphorst as USC's quarterback in the second half, but didn't have much more success moving the ball.

Van Raaphorst was 1-of-9 for 5 yards and one interception, while Palmer was 2-of-10 for 18 yards. Big-play Trojans receiver R. Jay Soward had one catch for 5 yards and a 20-yard run that led to Abrams' field goal.

"Our containment of Soward was a shock," Bowden said. "If you saw him in the films the last two weeks, you wouldn't predict it."

© 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved