Choke at Doak The Choke at Doak was a 1994 college football game between the Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators . The game is one of the most memorable in the heated Florida – Florida State rivalry and tied the NCAA record for the biggest fourth - quarter comeback . In the matchup of 9 - 1 cross - state rivals at Florida State ' s Doak Campbell Stadium , Florida squandered a 28 - point fourth quarter lead and allowed the Seminoles to tie the score at 31 in the final minutes . Because the game occurred before the advent of overtime in college football , it ended in a tie that would be regarded very differently by each respective fan base . Background . Both teams entered the November 26th game — their final of the regular season — with identical 9 - 1 records . Florida , ranked fourth , had been the number one ranked team earlier in the season before a loss to Auburn knocked them from their perch . Florida State , the defending national champion , suffered an early - October loss to nemesis Miami and was ranked seventh heading into the clash with Florida . Florida was led by future Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel at quarterback , while Florida State had managed to replace 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward with Danny Kanell behind center . Although Penn State and Nebraska were cruising along to undefeated records , it was thought the winner of the Florida – Florida State game , along with fellow one - loss Miami , would have an outside shot of playing for a piece of the national championship in its respective bowl game . The game . On a cool and overcast Saturday afternoon at Doak Campbell Stadium , Florida State got on the board first with a 35 - yard field goal from Dan Mowrey . Florida , however , came back with a vengeance and scored 24 unanswered first - half points , building a 21 - point halftime lead behind three Danny Wuerffel touchdown passes , including two to receiver Jack Jackson . The Gators padded their lead in the third quarter when Wuerffel scored off a quarterback sneak from the goal line . With the Gators up 31 - 3 entering the fourth quarter , many thought the rout was on . Thousands of Florida State fans had seen enough and started to pour out of the stadium in disgust . Big lead in hand , Florida coach Steve Spurrier uncharacteristically decided to play conservatively on offense , mostly calling running plays for Fred Taylor , and opted to utilize a prevent defense . Florida State , in turn , remained in the shotgun almost exclusively and went into its hurry - up offense for the final quarter . Florida State began the fourth quarter at the Florida 46 - yard line and went on a 9 - play drive that included a fourth - and - 10 conversion . The Seminoles scored their first touchdown of the day on first - and - goal from the 5 when Zack Crockett found the end zone on a fullback dive . The Florida State defense then forced a three - and - out , and after the punt , the Seminoles took over on their own 39 . Kanell hit Kez McCorvey for a big gain , taking the Seminoles down to the Florida 25 - yard line . Kanell then found a wide open Warrick Dunn on a swing pass for a 19 - yard gain . On the next play , Kanell rolled right and connected with Andre Cooper in the front right corner of the end zone for a touchdown , making it a 31 - 17 game with 10 : 04 to play . After the Seminoles again forced the Gators to punt , which was almost blocked after a bad snap , Florida State took over on its own 27 . Kanell methodically drove the Seminoles down the field , completing 6 passes , mostly to receivers underneath Florida ' s zone coverage and running backs out of the backfield . Kanell completed the drive with a 3 - yard touchdown run that cut the score to 31 - 24 . Florida took possession at its 33 with 5 : 04 left to play , and the Gators appeared to steady themselves with a 15 - yard completion from Wuerffel to Reidel Anthony . Two plays later , however , Wuerffel threw to an area of the field where there were no Gator receivers and was intercepted by James Colzie at the Seminole 40 , sending the Doak Campbell crowd into a frenzy . On the ensuing possession , Florida State promptly moved down to the Florida 23 - yard line on a big 37 - yard catch - and - run by Dunn . The drive was capped by a 4 - yard touchdown run by Rock Preston with 1 : 45 left in the game , making it 31 - 30 Florida pending the extra point . Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden immediately made the decision to kick the extra point rather than attempt a 2 - point conversion , overruling nine assistants who pleaded with him to go for the win ( there was no overtime in college football at the time ) . Bowden did not want to see the Seminoles come back from such a large deficit only to lose on a failed 2 - point attempt . Mowrey came on and split the uprights , tying the game at 31 and completing Florida State ' s historic fourth quarter comeback . Florida ' s offense was again unable to muster anything and punted the ball away . The Seminoles took over inside their own 30 - yard line with 22 seconds left . Kanell completed a big pass to McCorvey at the Florida State 48 and McCorvey was able to get out of bounds and stop the clock with 17 seconds left . On the next play , Kanell scrambled down to the Florida 43 - yard line but was unable to get out of bounds or pick up the first down , either of which would have stopped the clock . With 10 seconds left and the clock running , Kanell tried to hurry the offense to the line to spike ball , but time ran out before he was able to get the snap off and the Seminoles had to settle for a moral victory . Though the game ended in a 31 - 31 tie , Florida State players celebrated the result , while Florida players slowly walked off the field , stunned by what had happened . Aftermath . The Seminoles ' 28 - point rally tied the NCAA record for biggest fourth quarter comeback . Despite the fact that Florida did not actually lose , the game has gone down as one of the biggest " chokes " in college football history and has been popularly dubbed the " Choke at Doak , " adding another memorable chapter to the intense rivalry between the two schools . Although often cited as a proud moment in the history of Florida State football , the game was not all positive for the Seminoles , either , as the tie eliminated any chance that either team could win a share of the national championship . Florida recovered from the demoralizing tie and defeated Alabama one week later in the SEC Championship Game , earning a berth in the 1995 Sugar Bowl and a rematch with Florida State . In a game nicknamed " The Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter , " Florida would not find redemption , losing to Florida State , 23 - 17 .