Learn About Florida State’s All-Time Greatest Passers

There are several college football programs in the nation that are known for producing elite talent at the most important position in all of sports, quarterback.

The University of Southern California often claims the title of "Quarterback U" thanks to the droves of excellent signal-callers that the school sends to the NFL, while the University of Oklahoma has three current starting quarterbacks in the big leagues. That includes the pilot of the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Hurts.

Lost in the shuffle amongst those schools is Florida State University. The Seminoles have had some of the best college quarterbacks in recent memory, all of whom were instrumental in continuing FSU's legacy as a perennial title contender throughout the early 2000s.

Below are four quarterbacks who have their names in the program's record books as FSU's all-time leaders in touchdown passes.

Weinke is, without a doubt, the best quarterback the Seminoles have ever had. After a freshman season spent on the bench, Weinke put up an excellent sophomore season, throwing 19 touchdowns and just six interceptions while leading the nation in yards per attempt and yards per completion. Things got significantly better in Weinke's junior year, when he led college football in yards and completions while producing 25 touchdowns. His play at the game's most important position was a huge reason that the Seminoles were able to capture their second-ever national championship following a Sugar Bowl win against Virginia Tech.

A national championship is almost always the highlight of a quarterback's career, but Weinke's senior season might take the top spot, even though the 'Noles fell short of the title. He led the nation in every major statistical category, capturing the Heisman Trophy in his final year on campus in an apt punctuation mark for a truly extraordinary college career.

The fact that Winston is on this list despite only playing two seasons in Tallahassee is ridiculous. The vast majority of Winston's passing production came during his freshman year, which turned out to be one of the best seasons by a quarterback in college football history. Winston was responsible for 4,057 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions, en route to capturing the Heisman Trophy, an All-American Selection, and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. The cherry on top was a national championship victory for the Seminoles, their first since 1999.

That sophomore campaign could not have possibly been more successful than the one that preceded it, but Winston still managed a fantastic season, leading the nation in completions, completion percentage, passing yards, and yards per game. Winston went on to be selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2016 NFL Draft, concluding a wildly successful college career.

Travis was only the full-time starter for Florida State for three seasons, but what a stretch of work it was. The Seminoles struggled under his leadership during Travis's first full season as a starter, partially because he only threw 15 touchdowns throughout the entire season. The next year on campus was a magical one for Travis, as he threw 24 touchdowns and one fewer interception than in 2021, while leading the 'Noles to a 10-3 record, one of the best seasons in Tallahassee since the Winston days.

The final act of Travis's college career was a bittersweet one. The quarterback played like one of the best in the nation, leading college football in passer rating while tossing 20 touchdowns and two interceptions. As a result of his efforts, the Seminoles cruised into mid-November with an undefeated record and a realistic chance at returning to the college football playoffs.

In one of the most heartbreaking turns of events in recent sports memory, Travis suffered a devastating leg injury against the University of North Alabama, ending his and effectively the Seminoles' season. Despite the devastating ending that marked the end of Travis' FSU career, he is one of the most electric, entertaining guys to ever play quarterback for the 'Noles.

Fans could not have known it at the time, but Rix was an early iteration of another quarterback on this list, Winston. He was the definition of a gunslinger during his years as a Seminole, tossing an ACC-leading 24 touchdowns as a freshman while also launching 13 interceptions. Rix produced nearly identical stats in his junior season, an output that saw head coach Bobby Bowden seek out an alternative option at quarterback for Rix's senior season. Regardless of his unceremonious exit from Florida State, Rix had three fantastic seasons at the helm for the Seminoles.

It is unlikely that Florida State ever gets credit for the excellent quarterback play that defined a couple of championship victories, but that does not take away from the truly fantastic careers of the men who make up the top of the Seminoles' all-time passing touchdown list.