TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ In Florida State's first game after Jimbo Fisher's brewing departure for Texas A&M, the Seminoles relied on their collective pride to accomplish one of their seasonal goals to maintain the program's history.
Florida State improved to .500 for the first time this season, and is eligible to extend the nation's longest bowl streak to 36 years after a 42-10 victory over Louisiana Monroe on Saturday afternoon in Doak Campbell Stadium.
After Fisher's departure from the program Friday, Seminoles players and fans rallied around longtime position coach Odell Haggins, the longest tenured coach on FSU's staff who was named interim coach.
On the field, running backs Jacques Patrick and Cam Akers each scored two touchdowns to lead the Seminoles to a victory in their season finale, salvaging one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory.
While Fisher wanted to lead FSU one last time Saturday, he resigned to accept college football's richest coaching contract, a 10-year deal worth $75 million guaranteed from Texas A&M.
Seminoles players found out about Fisher's departure before a scheduled 2 p.m. meeting Friday, where he addressed the team one last time in his eight-year tenure.
Fisher's absence after a testy week negotiating his new deal, along with the Seminoles' taking care of their business on the football field made for a positive ending to an emotion-filled regular season.
The game marked the season finales for both teams after being rescheduled from its original Sept. 9 date due to Hurricane Irma.
But now while the Seminoles hope to keep an assistant coaching staff together for bowl game preparation, FSU's administration is steadfast in its first coaching search in 41 years after a seamless transition from Bowden to Fisher.
Oregon coach Willie Taggart, a Bradenton native and former USF coach, is among few known candidates for the job.
FSU athletics director Stan Wilcox hopes to find a new hire to replace Fisher in a "very, very short time."
"We're going to find the best coach that we can possibly find," Wilcox said during a halftime interview with ACC Network Extra. "We have to move as fast as we possibly can."
Wilcox also had kind words for Fisher, who finished his FSU career with an 83-23 record, the 2013 national championship, three conference titles and 42 players selected in the NFL draft.
"We would have loved if he had been able to stay," Wilcox said of Fisher. "When you get an offer like he got, you can't turn those things down. I wish him well."
