<P> One of the stipulations in the first contract was that all games be played in the Gators' home stadium, Florida Field in Gainesville, because the Seminoles' stadium facilities at the time were too small . As a result, the first six games in the series were all played in Gainesville . Florida State initiated a series of expansions to Doak Campbell Stadium, and beginning in 1964, the game site has alternated on an annual home - and - away basis between Gainesville and Tallahassee . The Gators hold a 20--11--1 series advantage in games held in Gainesville, and have a one - game edge for those played in Tallahassee, 13--12--1 . The Gators and Seminoles have split two neutral - site games--both Sugar Bowls played in the Mercedes - Benz Superdome in New Orleans (1994 and 1997). Since alternating the game site, the Gators hold a 29--23--1 edge over the Seminoles . Since Bobby Bowden became the head coach at Florida State in 1976, the Seminoles hold a 21--19--1 advantage over the Gators . </P> <P> After the Florida State College for Women became the co-educational Florida State University in 1947, the newly formed Florida State Seminoles football team achieved immediate success on the gridiron . Under head coach Don Veller, the Seminoles became the first collegiate football program in the state of Florida to go unbeaten and untied, finishing 8--0 in 1950 . Under Coach Tom Nugent, the Seminoles made the move to major college status in 1955 . Just three years later, Nugent would lead the Seminoles onto Florida Field to face the Gators, with Florida winning 21--7 . With the arrival of Bill Peterson in 1960, the Seminoles began their move to national prominence . Under Peterson's direction, the Seminoles beat the Gators for the first time in 1964 and earned their first major bowl bid . Peterson also led the Seminoles to their first - ever top - ten ranking . While Peterson was taking the Seminole program to new heights, Ray Graves had been hired as the Gators new head coach to improve the Florida football program . When the two teams fought to a 3--3 tie in 1961, Graves likened the result to "a death in the family ." From that point on, the game took on new significance and the rivalry intensified . </P> <P> With a strong advantage in resources, facilities and home field advantage (the first six games of the series were played in Gainesville), the Gators would dominate the rivalry in its formative years, as the Gators were 16--2--1 against the Seminoles from 1958 until 1976 . One particularly poor stretch for the Seminoles was from 1969--72 when wide receiver Barry Smith was playing for Florida State . He didn't play in the 1969 contest since freshmen were not eligible then but recalled the 1970--72 games in a recent article in The Tampa Tribune, </P> <P> "My sophomore year...I ran a reverse...and I remember being nailed by Jack Youngblood . I remember watching the ball being pitched to me and thinking, when the ball was about halfway, that it was kind of race to see whether he was going to get to the ball first or me . He was foaming at the mouth . I still have nightmares from the hit he gave me...My junior year, we were 5--0 and Florida was 0--5 . There is no question that we were the much better team, and they beat us...My senior year, we're playing Florida at home and we're 4--0 . They had a decent team, but it wasn't like the year before...Chan Gailey was their quarterback, and he had a big game . That game was a blowout . They torched us . It got so bad, I had to throw a touchdown pass ..." (1) </P>

When was the last time florida beat florida state