Florida State

ACC Network is rolling out another edition of its We’re #1! docuseries, featuring the 1999 Florida State Seminoles.

The feature will focus on the Seminoles’ perfect 1999 season, during which Bobby Bowden’s team was the wire-to-wire #1 team in the country.

From ESPN’s release, here’s the synopsis, including those interviewed for the film.

After 24 seasons as head coach at Florida State, Bobby Bowden finally achieved his coveted “perfect season” in 1999. His Seminoles finished the year 12-0, and they did something no college football team had ever done – start the year as the preseason No. 1 and for the next 12 consecutive weeks remain in the top spot. A perfect wire-to-wire season. The Noles won the ACC Championship with an 8-0 conference record and capped their perfect season with a 46-29 win over Virginia Tech in the 2000 Sugar Bowl BCS National Championship Game.

Through a mix of photographs, newscasts, archival footage and game broadcasts, We’re #1! looks back at that memorable 1999 Florida State season and what is widely regarded as the greatest team in ACC football history. The documentary features interviews with more than 20 former players, coaches and staff from Florida State, as well as competitors and media members, including:

  • Former Florida State players Chris Weinke (QB), Peter Warrick (WR), Tarlos Thomas (OT), Corey Simon (DT), Snoop Minnis (WR), Ron Dugans (WR) and Keith Cottrell (P).
  • Archival interview with Hall of Fame FSU head coach Bobby Bowden
  • Opposing head coaches Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech) and Steve Spurrier (Florida)
  • Opposing players Joe Hamilton (Georgia Tech) and Michael Vick (Virginia Tech)

One of Florida State’s toughest tests during the 1999 season was a 17-14 road victory at Clemson dubbed “The Bowden Bowl,” as Bobby Bowden coached against son Tommy – the first time in Div. I-A history that a father and son met as opposing head coaches in a football game. This episode of We’re #1! will debut the same week that Florida State travels to Clemson (Sat., Sept. 23) for one of the most anticipated games of the 2023 ACC football season.

Here’s a trailer.

https://twitter.com/accnetwork/status/1688565665370632192

Typically, dominance isn’t all that interesting when it comes to a longer feature, but this could be especially interesting, given the end-to-end dominance of this FSU team.

This is the third edition of the We’re #1! series on ACC Network, following 2021’s look at the 1990 ACC football season and 2022’s feature on the 1981 Clemson team.

We’re #1! – The Story of 1999 Florida State premieres Tuesday, September 19 at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.

[ESPN]

About Joe Lucia

I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.