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GEORGIA TECH VS. No. 1 FLORIDA STATE // Done deal: Tech holds back Dunn

 
Published Oct. 22, 1995|Updated July 6, 2006

FROM THE SIDELINE

Warrick Dunn may have seen his Heisman Trophy hopes take a tumble Saturday, but there was no sense getting upset about it.

The Yellow Jackets were intent on keeping the FSU tailback from running the football _ and told him so after the game.

"One of their guys told me they weren't going to let me get 100," said Dunn, who fell short of triple-digit rushing yardage for the first time this season. "They were determined to stop me from running. When you've got eight guys (on the line of scrimmage), it's tough to run."

Dunn finished with 60 yards on 14 carries, but took advantage of pass-catching opportunities with nine receptions for 54 yards. For the season, he has rushed for 861 yards in 92 carries, an average of 9.36.

"We were hoping like hell to get Warrick Dunn 100 yards, but if they're going to put that many up front, it's ludicrous to run the ball," center Clay Shiver said.

QUICK HITS

Opportunity knocks: Dee Feaster, a freshman tailback from Rock Hill, S.C., doesn't get many opportunities to contribute, but he did make the most of his punt-return chances. Feaster returned four punts for 84 yards, including a 64-yarder that set up FSU's fourth touchdown.

"It was a return up the middle and all I had to do was shake one man," Feaster said. "After that, it was just running. I didn't see anything but open field."

Feaster was tackled by punter Rodney Williams. "I saw him late," Feaster said. "I thought about stiff-arming him, or cutting back. But it was too late. He got me."

Quick change: FSU free safety Sean Hamlet was standing on the sideline in street clothes, watching his teammates play, when safety Shevin Smith went down with an injury on the first series of the game. Hamlet was told to go to the locker room and change into his uniform; he was in on 10 to 15 plays.

"That's as surprised as I've ever been," said Hamlet, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 9, has not practiced since, and had not even started running again until Wednesday. "I didn't expect to play at all."

Firsts: For the first time this season, the Seminoles trailed in a game when Tech's Chris Leone booted a 24-yard field goal. For the first time this season, the Seminoles did not score in a quarter. They were shut out in the third quarter.

Crowning achievement: Wayne Messam became the second FSU receiver in three years to be selected Homecoming King. Matt Frier was named to the same honor in 1993.

By the numbers: Quarterback Danny Kanell passed for his third 300-yard game of the season and extended his FSU record of 300-yard passing games to eight. With 41 completions, Kanell moved into second on the all-time FSU completions list with 440 _ 33 behind Charlie Ward. FSU has held opponents to 17 points or fewer in the past five games. FSU coach Bobby Bowden is 20-0 in homecoming games. Receiver Andre Cooper has 11 touchdown receptions this season, two shy of the school record set in 1972 by Barry Smith. With a missed field-goal attempt from 37 yards, Scott Bentley had made just 5 of 12 this season.

_ BOB HARIG

Completion record

Danny Kanell's 41 completions against the Yellow Jackets broke his school record set last season against the Gators:

Player Opponent Year Cmp.

1. Danny Kanell Georgia Tech 1995 41

2. Danny Kanell Florida 1994 40

3. Charlie Ward Florida 1993 38

4. Kim Hammond Penn State 1967 37