FSU Players We Miss: Chris Rix

The early 2000’s was a glorious time to be a Hurricanes fan, wasn’t it? Ken Dorsey was the signal caller, the Orange Bowl was still around, and most of all, Chris Rix was quarterback for FSU.

Has there been a time in recent UM-FSU history, where a quarterback for one of these teams came so close to victory, only to have it slip away every-time?

Rix was just one of those guys who fit the part of an FSU quarterback in 2002. The spiked hair, he just looked as if he was lost for four straight years for the Noles, and the Canes were happy to take advantage of it.

The stats that Rix had during his career against Miami are almost too sad to laugh at, but we’ll laugh anyway.

Through his four years, Rix completed 41.5% of his passes, threw five touchdowns and NINE interceptions. And also, Rix was 0-5 against Miami.

Starting off in 2001, little freshman Chris Rix took the field against the greatest college football team ever assembled, and it was a nightmare. Rix threw four interceptions, and fumbled the ball twice, as Miami won 49-27, ending FSU’s 54-game home winning streak.

Then in 2002, it really started to get bad for Rix. He actually played ok, and put the Noles up 27-14 in the fourth quarter, and if it wasn’t for the greatness of Ken Dorsey and a missed kick by Xavier Beitia, FSU would’ve won, but they didn't, Canes 28-27.

Then back home at a rained out Doak Campbell Stadium in 2003, Rix’s favorite target that day was Sean Taylor. Taylor intercepted two Rix passes, one for a touchdown, and Rix also fumbled twice. Canes win 22-14.

Later that season, because Miami wasn’t in the ACC yet, the two met again in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Thats the game where Rix was almost killed by Vince Wolfork. Rix was battered all night, threw himself a pick as well as a 31.6% completion percentage, and Miami won again 16-14.

Finally, the finale of his glorious career against the Hurricanes, 2004 in the Orange Bowl. In another game where Miami had to comeback and win, Rix threw an interception, and then fumbled a snap in overtime, and the Canes won the game on the next possession.

There you have it, and boy, do we miss it. Five of the most memorable games in UM-FSU history, and not just because Miami won, but how we won it.

I mean, when there's that much heartbreak, you kind of feel bad for Rix, not I though. Its a rivalry, and I'm going to remind everyone of it when these two teams meet each year.