Laughing and mugging for the cameras, the Florida State Seminoles happily hoisted the Orange Bowl trophy as a consolation prize, their disappointment about failing to reach the national championship game all but forgotten.
They figure next season will be different.
Smothering defense and two breakaway runs by senior fullback Lonnie Pryor helped Florida State defeat Northern Illinois 31-10 on Tuesday night.
The victory was the first for the Seminoles (12-2) in a Bowl Championship Series game since the glory days of 2000, when they defeated Virginia Tech for the national title.
After the game, coach Jimbo Fisher?s players wore T-shirts that read, ?Florida Statement.?
?We?re knocking on the door,? Fisher said. ?We feel very confident about where we?re going and what we?re doing. We?ve laid a great foundation here, and there?s a great team coming back.?
Although Fisher?s roster is loaded with underclassmen, two seniors excelled in the season finale. Pryor, voted the game?s outstanding player, ran for a career-high 134 yards and two scores on only five carries, and senior EJ Manuel passed for 291 yards.
?We wanted to leave a legacy and change the culture in what we do here,? Manuel said. ?You?re reaping the benefits right now.?
