Erratic kicking an Orange Bowl worry for Florida State

MIAMI (AP) _ Mention Florida State and field goals to Bobby Bowden and the unflappable coach of college football's flashiest offense turns into a nervous wreck. <br><br>``Iffy, we're iffy,''

Tuesday, January 2nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ Mention Florida State and field goals to Bobby Bowden and the unflappable coach of college football's flashiest offense turns into a nervous wreck.

``Iffy, we're iffy,'' Bowden said. ``It's been our Achilles' tendon, our biggest liability. It's gotten better, but we are not as confident as we would like to be.''

That's OK with No. 1 Oklahoma.

As the Sooners (12-0) prepare to play No. 3 Florida State (11-1) for a national title on Wednesday night in the Orange Bowl, history says Oklahoma's best chance to win may be to force the Seminoles into a game-deciding, final-second field goal.

Florida State reigns as college football's most dominant team over the past 14 years, but Wide Right I and Wide Right II cost them two national titles in the early 1990s, and Wide Right III resulted in the Seminoles' only loss this season.

``I'm very aware of the wide rights, and I'm also aware of our successes, too,'' said freshman Brett Cimorelli, one of three kickers used this season by Florida State and the one who will handle most field goal attempts against the Sooners. ``I am ready to help us win if it comes to that.''

Most times, it doesn't. Led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Chris Weinke, Florida State's average margin of victory is 32.1 points. The Seminoles have scored 27 rushing touchdowns and 36 passing TDs, averaging 42.4 points and 549 yards per game.

But with titles on the line, Florida State is far from a lock.

After wide rights against Miami in 1991 and 1992 ended title shots for the Seminoles, they won their first crown the next season with an 18-16 win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl on Scott Bentley's 22-yard field goal with 21 seconds left. The Huskers nearly stole the title back but Byron Bennett's 44-yard field goal attempt on the final play went wide left.

Until this season, Florida State's kicking game wasn't a concern. But without two-time All-American Sebastian Janikowski, there have been ups, downs and wide rights as Bowden shuffled Cimorelli and walk-ons Matt Munyon and Chance Gwaltney in and out of games. Even now, none have been consistent enough to earn full-time kicking chores.

Against the Sooners, Cimorelli will handle short- to medium-range field goals; Munyon will handle long field goals and kickoffs.

``There's been a lot of pressure to come in and replace a guy like Janikowski,'' Munyon said. ``If it comes to it, I'd love the opportunity to kick a long field goal to win it. It would make up for everything.''

During the season, Florida State missed eight extra-point attempts and 10 of 24 field goal tries. The biggest miss came in the 27-24 loss to Miami on Oct. 7, when Munyon's 49-yard attempt sailed wide right as time expired. Early in the game, the Seminoles twice tried to convert on fourth down deep in Miami territory rather than send a kicker in for a short field goal try.

On Sunday, Munyon was back at the Orange Bowl stadium, site of the miss that would have forced overtime against the Hurricanes. His teammates even kidded him about it.

``Hey, Matt, right there is where you missed the field goal,'' Gwaltney said.

``It brought back a lot of memories,'' Munyon said. ``If we weren't in the national championship game it would bother me a lot more. But I can deal with it.''

All season, the Seminoles were plagued with kicking woes, beginning with the first extra-point attempt in the first game against BYU. Weinke threw a TD pass to Javon Walker, and Munyon came on and flubbed the PAT. Bowden winced on the sideline.

Cimorelli, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder from Zephyrhills, Fla., who also pitches in the Anaheim Angels' farm system, was set to open the season but a groin injury kept him out. Munyon was the team's main field goal kicker through the first six games; Gwaltney took over after the Miami game; and Cimorelli claimed the job in a 58-14 win over North Carolina State.

In that game, Gwaltney missed a field goal, Munyon missed an extra point, and Cimorelli came on and hit seven extra points and a 38-yard field goal. A week later, he was 4-of-4 on field goals and 6-of-6 on extra points against Clemson.

Cimorelli's confidence has been building, he's perfectly healthy and he's gained the support of the coaching staff. So much so that he's already envisioned his game- winning kick against the Sooners.

``Somewhere between 30 and 40 yards, with everyone a little excited,'' Cimorelli said. ``It wouldn't be for a tie. Maybe we're down by two points. I come in, make the kick and we win.''