Houston Cougars top Florida State Seminoles in Peach Bowl

On the first day of 2015, the Florida State Seminoles found themselves on the wrong end of a double-digit deficit in one of college football's biggest bowl games. Not many people were sure of how well Houston would do, but they showed their mettle in this game. Florida State opens the 2016 season against Ole Miss at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.... The defense forced a three-and-out while Maguire led the offense on a nine-play, 59-yard drive ending in a one-yard Dalvin Cook touchdown to reduce the lead to 21-10. This may have been a second straight step back for Jimbo Fisher and Florida State (yes, they were undefeated in the regular season in 2014), but the Seminoles will not be likely to continue down a steep decline.

By the time Kermit Whitfield caught a 14-yard pass on the third play of the third quarter, the damage was done. After a long completion on a corner route, Ward identified a corner blitz from FSU on third down and quickly slung the ball out to an uncovered Chance Allen for a touchdown to bring the score to 31-17 in favor of the Underdog with six minutes remaining. Though Houston obviously would have preferred a shot at the national semifinals, it made a point as firmly as it could on a lesser stage.

Houston's defensive performance was impressive, but it was the offense finding its tempo and just gassing Florida State's defense that got the Cougars the win.

The rebirth of Houston football continues under Tom Herman.

Florida State (10-3), which trailed 21-3 at halftime, tried to rally with two fourth-quarter touchdown passes by Maguire. Cosentino went 1 of 4 and was under constant pressure.

Maguire will start on Thursday as Golson, a senior transfer from Notre Dame, is not with the team due to personal reasons.

A quick three and out and short punt gave Cosentino and the FSU offense advantageous field position. He completed 22 of 44 passes for 392 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

For now, all he wanted to think about was the way the Cougars, the only Group of Five team in the BCS bowl lineup this year, dominated FSU.

Cook scored on a 1-yard run on the Seminoles' opening possession of the second half, and Florida State had the momentum after stopping Houston on fourth down on the Cougars' following possession.

Houston safety Trevon Stewart and cornerback William Jackson III each had two interceptions.

"It's not about revenge in the spring, it's a whole new team", Maguire said. What that means is his team had a lot of rushes for negative yardage, per USA Today.

Linebacker Matthew Adams said the win "puts our name out there with all the other great programs". Stewart recovered a fumble.

Ward completed 25 of 41 passes for 238 yards.

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