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Stormy Conditions Can't Keep Noles Grounded

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2007

Updated: 11/04/2007 01:12 am

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - By kickoff, the stinging horizontal rain had let up and the wind wasn't howling as bad, but for most of Saturday, that wasn't the case as the remnants of Hurricane Noel slammed the Boston area. By halftime, the rain had stopped and the wind was nothing more than a steady swirl.

For FSU players accustomed to hurricane weather, since most of them grew up in Florida, there was one big difference: it was colder than they are used to in the Sunshine State. At the start of Saturday's game at Boston College, the temperature was 44, but it felt colder with winds gusting between 20 and 30 mph.

Despite the inclement weather, which included gusts up to 70 mph on Cape Cod and the surrounding coast, there was no talk of postponing the game. Mike Finn, Atlantic Coast Conference associate commissioner for football, said the only way the game would have been postponed was if officials had believed the players' safety was in jeopardy.

Once the game started, FSU appeared unaffected by the conditions. The Noles led 7-0 at halftime, racking up 233 total yards and dominating time of possession. The Noles had the ball for nearly 22 minutes in the first half, compared to 8:02 for Boston College.

HIGH FIVE: FSU sophomore CB Patrick Robinson picked off a pass for the fifth consecutive game, intercepting Boston College QB Matt Ryan on the Eagles' second drive of the game. Robinson became the second FSU player to intercept a pass in five consecutive games, matching the streak of former FSU All-American Terrell Buckley in 1991.

Buckley is back at FSU finishing his degree and working as a student assistant with the football team. Robinson also had a big play on Boston College's first drive, forcing Eagles WR Kevin Challenger to fumble, and it was recovered by FSU safety Myron Rolle.

IN THE SHADOWS: Remember a few weeks ago when USF was ranked No. 2 in the nation and local media coverage exploded? Well, that's not the case in Boston, where No. 2-ranked Boston College gets overlooked easily.

In Saturday's editions of The Boston Globe and Boston Herald, the FSU-Boston College game wasn't near the front of the sports sections. How could that be?

Well, the Celtics opened the Kevin Garnett Era with an easy win against Washington on Friday night, the highly anticipated Patriots-Colts game is today, and don't forget the Red Sox just won the World Series and Tim Wakefield and some of his Red Sox teammates were touring town with the trophy.

MOVING ON UP: Noles QB Drew Weatherford continues to stamp his name in the school record books, moving to third all-time in career passing yardage. Weatherford entered Saturday's game needing 36 yards to surpass Danny Kanell and Gary Huff. Weatherford easily accomplished that by halftime, going 17-for-24 for 175 yards in the first half. The former Land O' Lakes High standout also passed Kanell to move into third place for total yards.

FAGG STAYS HOT: WR De'Cody Fagg, coming off a career-high nine-catch performance against Duke, had four receptions for 52 yards in the first half. Fagg has caught a pass in 23 consecutive games.

ROSE HURTING: FSU starting LT Daron Rose, a product of Jefferson High, left the game in the second quarter with a sprained knee. Rose has started all nine games this season. He was replaced in the lineup by David Overmyer in the second half.

EXTRA POINTS: A moment of silence in honor of former FSU video coordinator Billy Vizzini was held before the game. Vizzini, 36, lost his four-month battle with cancer Tuesday, three days after he was presented with a game ball following last week's win against Duke. ... FSU freshman LG Rodney Hudson started after missing two games with a sprained knee, and LB Marcus Ball returned after missing two games because of a severely sprained ankle. ... Boston College women's basketball player Ayla Brown, a regular on "American Idol" two years ago when she made the final 13, sang the national anthem.

Scott Carter

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