A NEW ERA DAWNS

This Orange Bowl football is autographed by the 1979 FSU team that faced off against powerhouse Oklahoma, led by Sooners head coach Barry Switzer, on January 1, 1980, in one of the most high-profile games in program history to that point. It marked FSU’s first-ever appearance in a major bowl game and capped off an undefeated regular season. Led by Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles entered the game ranked No. 4 in the country but ultimately fell short in a hard-fought 24-7 loss to No. 5 Oklahoma. Despite the outcome, this game helped solidify FSU’s arrival on the national stage and readied the team for decades of success to follow.