The Sod Cemetery

Sod Cemetery
In 1962, the FSU football team captains returned to Tallahassee with a piece of the turf from Sanford Stadium after whipping Georgia 18-0 in Athens. The turf was presented to Dean Coyle E. Moore who founded the tradition of the sod game.

The sod cemetery began when the first piece of sod was buried in the corner of the Florida State practice field and a monument was placed to commemorate the road victory. In the early years, FSU only snipped grass when it won by upset on the road. But as the Seminoles became more successful, the criteria changed. Sod games still represent road games won when FSU is a significant underdog, however, all bowl games are now considered sod games as well as landmark road wins no matter who was favored. Each piece of sod is buried in the cemetery next to the practice field and a tombstone is placed above it with the score and date of the game.

The Games

YearOpponentScoreSite
1962Georgia18-0Sanford Stadium

Georgia Tech14-14Grant Field

Auburn14-14Cliff Hare Stadium
1963Miami24-0Orange Bowl
1964Georgia17-14Sanford Stadium

Texas Christian10-0Amon G. Carter Stadium

Miami14-0Orange Bowl

Oklahoma36-19Gator Bowl
1965Oklahoma36-19Gator Bowl
1966Miami23-20Orange Bowl

Texas Tech42-33Jones Stadium

South Carolina32-10Carolina Stadium
1967Alabama37-37Legion Field

Memphis State27-7Memphis Memorial Stadium

Texas A&M 19-18Kyle Field

Florida21-16Florida Field

Penn State17-17Gator Bowl
1968N.C. State48-7Carter Stadium

South Carolina35-28Carolina Stadium

Houston40-20gator Bowl Stadium
1969Miami19-14Orange Bowl

Virginia Tech10-10Lane Stadium
1970South Carolina21-13Carolina Stadium

Miami27-3Orange Bowl
1976Boston College28-9Alumni Stadium

North Texas State21-20Fouts Field
1977Oklahoma State25-17Lewis Field

Florida34-9Florida Field

Texas Tech40-17Tangerine Bowl
1978Syracuse28-0Archbold Stadium
1979Arizona State31-3Sun Devil Stadium

Louisiana State24-19Tiger Stadium

Florida27-16Florida Field
1980Louisiana State16-0Tiger Stadium

Nebraska18-14Memorial Stadium
1981Ohio State36-27Ohio Stadium

Notre Dame19-13Notre Dame Stadium
1982Miami24-7Orange Bowl

Ohio State34-17Ohio Stadium

West Virginia31-12Gator Bowl
1983Arizona State29-26Sun Devil Stadium

Louisiana State40-35Tiger Stadium

North Carolina28-3Atlanta Fulton County Stadium
1984Arizona State52-44Sun Devil Stadium

Georgia17-17Citrus Bowl
1985Nebraska17-13Memorial Stadium

Oklahoma State34-23Gator Bowl
1986Indiana27-13Legion Field
1987Michigan State31-3Spartan Stadium

Auburn34-6Jordan-Hare Stadium

Florida28-13Florida Field

Nebraska31-28Sun Devil Stadium
1988Clemson24-21Clemson Memorial Stadium

Auburn13-7Louisiana Superdome
1989Florida24-17Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field

Nebraska41-17Sun Devil Stadium
1990Penn State24-17Joe Robbie Stadium
1991Michigan51-31Michigan Stadium

Texas A&M 10-2Cotton Bowl
1992Clemson24-20Clemson Memorial Stadium

Georgia Tech29-24Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field

Nebraska27-14Orange Bowl
1993Florida33-21Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field

Nebraska18-16Orange Bowl
1994Notre Dame23-16Citrus Bowl

Florida23-17Louisiana Superdome
1995Notre Dame31-26Orange Bowl
1997North Carolina20-3Kenan Memorial Stadium

Ohio State31-14Sugar Bowl
1999Florida30-23Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field

Virginia Tech46-29Sugar Bowl
2001Virginia Tech30-17Gator Bowl
2003Florida38-34Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field
2004West Virginia30-18Gator Bowl
2005Virginia Tech27-22Gator Bowl

Virginia Tech27-22Alltel Stadium - ACC Championship
2006Miami13-10Orange Bowl

UCLA44-27Emerald Bowl
2007Boston College27-17Alumni Stadium