The 1904 Florida State College football team represented Florida State College (FSC) in the sport of American football during the 1904 college football season. The team, led by head coach Jack Forsythe, posted a 2–3 record and won the State Championship with victories over Stetson and the University of Florida at Lake City With no formal nickname or mascot, the Florida State College football team was known simply as the "Florida State College Eleven".
This would be the last football squad fielded by Florida State College, which was converted into the Florida State College for Women when the state's system of higher education was reorganized by the Buckman Act. Jack Forsythe became the first football coach for the new University of the State of Florida when it opened in Gainesville in 1906. After World War 2, Florida State College became the co-educational Florida State University, which traces the roots of its football program back to the teams of Florida State College.
Before the season
Uniforms
The Florida State College Eleven wore gold uniforms with a large purple F on the front. As with most college teams of the period, their pants were lightly padded, but their upper bodies were largely unprotected. Leather helmets with ear guards covered their heads, and shoehorn-shaped metal nose guards were strapped across their faces.
Coaching staff
During the summer, W. W. Hughes turned over coaching duties to Jack Forsythe, who had played at Clemson the previous season and had never served as a head coach. Why Hughes surrendered his position is unclear, but that autumn his salary was increased, signifying that his academic duties increased. Jock Hanvey, who had been Forsyth's teammate at Clemson, served as an assistant coach. The team's captain was Dan Williams.
Schedule
Season summary
Week 1: Georgia Tech
The season opened with a 35–0 defeat at the hands of coach John Heisman's Georgia Tech team. At the start of the contest, Georgia Tech tried line bucking to no avail. Then a run off tackle by Tech's fullback Clarke went 70 yards for a touchdown. Lob Brown and Davies played well.
The starting lineup for Florida State was: Johnston (left end), Liddell (left tackle), Mullin (left guard), Williams (center), Buckholz (right guard), McCord (right tackle), Pulliston (right end), Murray (quarterback), Watson (left halfback), Wells (right halfback), and Walther (fullback).
Week 2: Florida
Florida State College's 23–0 victory over the Blue and White of the University of Florida at Lake City was its third shutout in a row over their in-state rivals. Fans in Lake City were bitterly disappointed, and a local newspaper urged that "the university team should be made stronger before it attempts to play again. Florida State scored a touchdown in a "hotly contested" first half, and three more in the second half. Time of game: First half, 25 minutes; second half, 20 minutes.
Week 3: Savannah Athletic Association
The Savannah Athletic Association, "always considered one of the strongest in the South", was larger and more experienced than Florida State team, but their 6–0 victory "was hard won".
Week 4: Jacksonville Consolidated
The first half was played without either team scoring. Florida State started the game with a fumble by Liddell on kickoff and was held where he caught it. Florida State was driving towards Jacksonville's goal, when Jacksonville recovered the ball on a Florida State fumble. Florida State got the ball back, thanks to a fumble by Yancey. On the thirty-yard line, Jacksonville's Jones tackled a Florida State player and forced a fumble, which Florida State lost. After Jacksonville gained yardage, an effort to send the ball around the left end of Florida State resulted in a loss of ten yards. Yancey again lost several yards, but by a technicality kept possession of the ball instead of a turnover on downs. Yancey, Jones and Kennedy then commenced a rapid advance of the ball by a series of fierce bucks. The first half ended with the ball in Jacksonville's territory.
In the second half, there was a decided improvement by Jacksonville and an apparently falling off in the defensive work of Florida State. Jacksonville was getting into weak points of Florida State and managed to advance a little more rapidly.