The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Sunshine Showdown

Florida State29-39-2Florida
Power Program II#21 of 138–Power Program II#15 of 138▲
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
Next meeting: Fri Nov 27 · 3:30 pm ET, 23 days away.

2 players crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Florida leads the all-time series 39-29-2. They've met 70 times since 1904. Florida once took 9 straight.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Florida State
Win total
6.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-8
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -81
What fans are saying · job security
fans believe Norvell is underperforming as head coach
Even if some how FSU goes 8-4, 7-5. I still don't want Norvell back.
Verified verbatim
Florida
Win total
7.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-5
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -40
What fans are saying · program direction
fans believe Jon Sumrall will quickly restore Florida football to national prominence
Fired the bum 3 years too late but sumrall has looked the part so far. Crushing overmatched competition and look confident
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1904–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeFlorida StateFloridaevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Florida State won, gray: Florida won)192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Florida State has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Florida State led 15 and Florida led 8.

more passmore runFlorida StateFlorida2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262014Florida State 14.8 ptsFlorida State won 24-192018Florida State 12.6 ptsFlorida won 41-142005Florida State 12.3 ptsFlorida won 34-7
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

The biggest win was Florida by 49 in 1973. The biggest crowd, 90,916, was in 2015.

The coaching duels

Bobby Bowden vs Steve Spurrier8-5-1
Bill Peterson vs Ray Graves2-7-1
Bobby Bowden vs Charley Pell2-4
Bobby Bowden vs Galen Hall3-2
Bobby Bowden vs Urban Meyer0-5
Jimbo Fisher vs Will Muschamp3-1

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
218-247
Florida leads
1st-rounders
47-56
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
Florida StateFlorida
1960s7-7
1970s11-22
1980s16-30
1990s56-39
2000s55-50
2010s53-60
2020s20-39

Best picks, either side

2015Jameis Winston Quarterback · Tampa Bay BuccaneersRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1998Andre Wadsworth Defensive End · Arizona CardinalsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
2015Dante Fowler Jr. Defensive End · Jacksonville JaguarsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
1967Steve Spurrier Quarterback · San Francisco 49ersRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
1978Wes Chandler Wide Receiver · New Orleans SaintsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
2001Gerard Warren Defensive Tackle · Cleveland BrownsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
1993Marvin Jones Linebacker · New York JetsRd 1, pick 4#4 overall
1997Peter Boulware Defensive End · Baltimore RavensRd 1, pick 4#4 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Florida State1.15×its own average home crowd
Florida1.10×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2025Florida40-21Florida State — Florida State routed by 19
2024Florida31-11
2023Florida State24-15
2022Florida State45-38
2021Florida24-21
2019Florida40-17
2018Florida41-14
2017Florida State38-22
2016Florida State31-13
2015Florida State27-2Florida — both ranked
2014Florida State24-19
2013Florida State37-7
2012Florida37-26Florida State — both ranked
2011Florida State21-7

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Florida State’s chance to win through that meeting. Florida State is 2-0 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. The loudest meeting for fans was 2023: loud.

2025Florida 40-21Florida State lost 21-40 at Florida. Chance to win started at 42%, low under 1%, high 50%.Busy
2024Florida 31-11Florida State lost 11-31 vs Florida. Chance to win started at 13%, low under 1%, high 15%.Busy
2023Florida State 24-15Florida State won 24-15 at Florida. Chance to win started at 67%, low 20%, high 99%.Loud
2022Florida State 45-38Florida State won 45-38 vs Florida. Chance to win started at 78%, low 45%, high 98%.Loud
2021Florida 24-21Florida State lost 21-24 at Florida. Chance to win started at 38%, low 3%, high 57%.
2019Florida 40-17Florida State lost 17-40 at Florida. Chance to win started at 11%, low under 1%, high 16%.
2018Florida 41-14Florida State lost 14-41 vs Florida. Chance to win started at 24%, low under 1%, high 34%.
“Which UF player was ejected? The spitter?”
A Florida State fan
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “A 3-and-out? In this economy?”
    A Florida State fan

Meetings with their own story page

10 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.