All-American Bowl : Indiana Can’t Stop Smith; Florida State Wins, 27-13

The vote was unanimous on Sammie Smith--from both coaches in the All-American Bowl.

“All of a sudden, he’s become a force,” Coach Bobby Bowden said after Smith ran for 205 yards in 25 carries and scored 2 touchdowns as Florida State turned back Indiana, 27-13, Wednesday night.

Coach Bill Mallory of Indiana said that Smith, a redshirt freshman, “is as good a back as we have faced all year. He was the difference in the game.”

Smith scored on runs of 4 and 9 yards, and Tanner Holloman scored on an 8-yard run to give the Seminoles (7-4-1) a 20-3 lead before Indiana rallied for 10 points on Pete Stoyanovich’s second field goal and Andre Powell’s 2-yard scoring run.

Holloman added a late score from 10 yards out.

Smith, nearly a unanimous choice as the game’s most valuable player, said his blockers “did a good job, and I felt great running all night long.”

Mallory said his Hoosiers (6-6) were hurt by not being able to take advantage of several scoring opportunities.

The Hoosiers, he said, “played hard for us all year. I look at our program and see the progress that we have made and how far we have come. We are a young ball club.”

Indiana went 0-11 two years ago in Mallory’s first season and 4-7 in 1985.

Indiana scored first on a 35-yard field goal by Stoyanovich after a 78-yard drive aided by two 15-yard penalties.

Keith Ross returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to the Florida State 45. Danny McManus passed to Herb Gainer for 19 yards, and Smith picked up 24 yards in three runs before scoring from the four. Indiana’s Van Waiters blocked the extra point attempt.

Smith reeled off runs of 25, 10 and 3 yards before scoring Florida State’s second touchdown early in the second period.

Holloman romped 36 yards during Florida State’s first possession of the second half to help set up his first score.

Bowden said his team “has a lot of ability. We knew that before the season, but they are young.”

Indiana retaliated with Stoyanovich’s second field goal and Powell’s touchdown before Holloman iced the game with his second score.