With Weinke, Florida State was bound to return to title game

MIAMI (AP) _ Once Chris Weinke had his first national championship, he figured he might as well stay at Florida State and win another one. <br><br>``Two in a row?'' Weinke asked before the season.

Friday, December 29th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) _ Once Chris Weinke had his first national championship, he figured he might as well stay at Florida State and win another one.

``Two in a row?'' Weinke asked before the season. ``Now that doesn't happen too often, does it? I'd like to do that.''

Eleven wins, one loss and a Heisman Trophy later, the Seminoles' 28-year-old quarterback is a win away from leading Florida State to consecutive national titles, a feat accomplished by six other schools with the latest being Nebraska in 1994-95.

On Thursday, Weinke and teammates practiced at St. Thomas University six days before No. 3 Florida State plays No. 1 Oklahoma (12-0) for a national title in the Orange Bowl.

``The goal was always to get back to the title game,'' Weinke said. ``And here we are.''

As usual.

For the third year in a row, and for the fourth time in the last five seasons, coach Bobby Bowden has the Seminoles poised to win at least a share of the title. Beating the Sooners will give the Seminoles a third national title in the coaches' poll, but there could be split champions if Miami beats Florida in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2 and is voted national champions in The Associated Press media poll.

Voting preferences aside, Florida State is in position for another title primarily because of Weinke's decision to return for his senior year. Less than a week after capping a perfect season with four touchdown passes in a 46-29 win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, Weinke said he would rather return to Tallahassee than sit on the bench as an NFL rookie.

``I immediately thought, `We got a chance,''' Bowden said. '``We're throwing our hat back in the ring.'''

So despite the loss of four All-Americans, including wide receiver Peter Warrick and kicker Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State was well-armed for a 14th straight season of finishing with 10 or more wins and a top-four finish in the AP poll.

Weinke, 6-foot-5 and slimmed down to 229 pounds, didn't disappoint. And neither did Warrick's replacement, Marvin Minnis, at least until last week when the All-American was declared academically ineligible for the Orange Bowl.

Weinke passed for a school-record 4,167 yards, with 33 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, for an offense that averaged 549 yards and 42.4 points per game. Minnis caught 63 passes for 1,340 yards and 11 TDs, and a defense led by All-American end Jamal Reynolds was second in points allowed at 10.25 per game and sixth in total defense at 277 yards per game.

Only the kicking game was shaky, with Brett Cimorelli, Matt Munyon and Chance Gwaltney combining to hit on 14 of 24 field-goal attempts.

However, the season started as expected, with a 29-3 win over BYU. Weinke wasn't particularly sharp, but the defense forced four turnovers and held the Cougars to minus-2 yards rushing.

Then came a close-call, 26-21 win at Georgia Tech. Weinke had his best game to date with 443 yards and two TDs, but the 22-point underdog Yellow Jackets were in Seminoles' territory when their final drive ended.

Three games in the next 13 days resulted in three easy wins _ 63-14 against North Carolina, 31-0 against Louisville and 59-7 against Maryland, the game in which Weinke sprained his left foot.

Entering the Oct. 7 game against Miami, Florida State moved into the No. 1 ranking ahead of Nebraska, but an ailing Weinke was unable to pull out the win despite passing for 496 yards and three TDs. Ken Dorsey's 12-yard TD pass to Jeremy Shockey with 46 seconds to play, plus Munyon's wide-right, 49-yard field goal attempt as time expired, gave Miami a 27-24 win.

``All we can do now is win the rest of our games and hope to stay alive,'' Weinke said afterward.

Returning to its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, Florida State beat up on Duke (63-14), Virginia (37-3) and North Carolina State (58-14). Then came Bowden Bowl II against Clemson, which had just lost its first game of the year the week before. Father showed no mercy on Son Tommy's Tigers as Florida State rolled up 771 yards in a 54-10 victory on Nov. 4.

Two days later, Florida State moved ahead of Miami and into second place in the Bowl Championship Series standings. The BCS standings, which incorporate the AP media poll and USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll, eight computer rankings, schedule strength and number of wins, determine which two teams play in its title game.

Miami regained second place a week later, while the Seminoles struggled in a 35-6 win over Wake Forest, but Florida State clinched second place and its spot in the Orange Bowl by beating No. 4 Florida 30-7 on Nov. 18. Weinke fought off flu-like symptoms and threw for 353 yards and three TDs against the Gators.

Florida State will be without its top pass catcher in Minnis, but the Seminoles have overcome similar problems to get to title games in '98 and '99.

Last season, Warrick was suspended for two games for his role in a department store scam; in '98 the Seminoles made it to the title game against Tennessee by beating Florida without Weinke, who missed the game with a neck injury.

``One man's adversity leads to another man's opportunity,'' Bowden said. ``Somebody gets hurt and can't play, somebody gets suspended and can't play and that's a chance for somebody else.''

Weinke refuses to look back.

``We've got to move forward,'' Weinke said. ``Someone needs to step up.''

At Florida State someone usually does.