South Florida Bulls

FSU Football: How A 2009 Loss To USF Was a Blessing For The Noles

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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When FSU Football lost their first ever meeting with USF back in the 2009 season, it was actually the best thing for the program.

There are plenty fans of the Seminoles who are still trying to wrap their heads around last weekend’s 43 point loss to Louisville. The defeat was the worst in the Jimbo Fisher era at FSU – one of just 15 losses since he took over before the 2010 season.

In the three seasons before Fisher took over, FSU football combined for 16 losses – maybe none worse than the one that took place on a hot September day in 2009 when the ‘Noles hosted a Sunshine State opponent for the first time.

In front of a crowd of FSU fans expecting a easy win and a group of rowdy fans from Tampa eager to join the college football party, USF – led by Tallahassee native B.J. Daniels – shocked the Seminoles and the entire state with a 17-7 win. The loss gave the new kids on the block bragging rights and warmed up that seat under legendary former head coach Bobby Bowden.

It was the second loss of the season, following a heartbreaking opener against Miami, a lucky victory over FCS opponent Jacksonville State and a odd blowout win on the road over BYU. The Seminoles would go on to lose four more games in the regular season, limping into the postseason at 6-6 for what would be Bowden’s final game as head coach following 34 (mostly) glorious seasons.

In actuality, that loss to the Bulls may have been the best thing for the FSU football program.

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If the Seminoles win that game, maybe they turn things around and win at least two of those games they lost later on in the season. Instead of going into the bowl season 6-6, FSU comes in with a much more respectable 9-3 record. A win in their bowl gets the Seminoles back to double digits for the first time since 2010 – and the Bowden era continues for another year.

While Bowden had said he did want just one more year for his farewell tour, who knows if a 10 win campaign ignites a new fire and he decides on several more years. Instead of FSU playing for an ACC title in 2010 and 2012 as well as a national title in 2013, it’s back to 8-4 and 7-5 finishes.

Players like Jameis Winston, Rashad Green, Timmy Jernigan, Lamarcus Joyner and others may look elsewhere for college and the course of FSU football changes for at least another decade.

True, much of this can be thrown away by some as purely guessing what would have taken place. But, and I say this as a FSU grad who grew up with the glory years of Bowden and survived the Rix years as a student, FSU football would not be “back” to the point it is at now.

Sometimes, when you win you actually lose – and when you lose, you actually win. Those words from Rosie Perez in White Men Can’t Jump actuarially describe the Seminoles’ 2009 defeat at the hands of the Bulls. It was a loss on the scoreboard…and a win for the long term stability of the program.