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CNNSI.com GROUP
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Florida State Daily Report Seminoles tread on familiar, if disappointing, turf
By Paul Crane, CNNSI.com MIAMI -- Florida State was given the day off from practice on Sunday, but not from memories. With the field at Pro Player Stadium being transformed from one for the NFL playoffs to another for college football's national championship game, Media Day was moved to the Orange Bowl. This had the Seminoles returning to the site of their only loss in the last two seasons. Walking into the stadium was a strange feeling for many Florida State players. Senior running back Travis Minor called it "eerie." But, he added, "I think this might have been something good. It kind of made us remember [the loss to Miami] and made us realize what we did out there and what we can't afford to do any more." Quarterback Chris Weinke agreed, saying "losing in this stadium made our team more focused." The Heisman Trophy winner also said the loss to Miami is one of the reasons the Seminoles are in the national championship game. "I think we played our best football after we lost to Miami," he said. Florida State not only won all six of its games since the loss, but did so by an average margin of more than 37 points. The defending national champions became more dominant on both sides of the ball, and worked their way back to the title game for a third consecutive year. But not every Seminole was putting a good spin on the return trip to the Orange Bowl. Wide receiver Atrews Bell said the first thing that went through his head when coming in the stadium was Wide Right. "It's typical with that," Bell said. "Wide Right against Miami. It's a good thing the game's not played here."
Not taking Oklahoma lightlyOne other common denominator for the Seminoles as they spoke about the upcoming game with Oklahoma to the nation's media was the respect they have for what the Sooners have done. In Bobby Bowden's 25 years at Florida State, last year was the only undefeated team he's ever had. The senior-laden Seminoles know how hard it is to go unbeaten. "Oklahoma beat a great Nebraska team as we saw last night with what they did to Northwestern," says linebacker Brian Allen. "They [also] beat Kansas State twice. That's not a fluke."
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