By BILL VILONA
Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- On a day so emblematic of Notre Dame, steel-gray, slight fog and November chill, it was Florida State that showed up with all the horsemen.

The fifth-ranked Seminoles, looking like the team they've sought to become, crushed Irish tradition in a 37-0 victory Saturday that was forged with big-play passes and unyielding defense.

A sellout crowd (80,795) at Notre Dame Stadium has rarely left this brick-encased shrine so silent.

"I can't explain why were were able to do what we did," said Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, who was visibly surprised by his team's easy rout. "We picked (Saturday) to play our best offensively and defensively."

Notre Dame endured its first home shutout loss in 25 years and the second-worst shutout loss in the program's 115-year history.

"If you would have told us when we got up here that it would be like that, I don't think anybody would have believed it," said defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews. "You're just so proud and happy for the players. To play in a place with such history, such tradition, and to play this well, it's special.

"We looked like a good football team, most of the time."

The Seminoles (8-1) are looking better and better in the national title picture, too. With Georgia losing to Florida on Saturday, the Seminoles will likely move up in the Bowl Championship Series standings.

They have virtually clinched a major-bowl berth, at the very least, but could make this season more special in three remaining games.

"What makes me feel so good is I think we have re-established the program, the tradition of a Florida State defense," said senior linebacker Michael Boulware. "Notre Dame is kinda like the old tradition, and Florida State has kinda been the new team with great tradition."

The Irish (2-6) had one first down in the first half. The second one, five minutes into the third quarter, caused the Irish fans to stand in mock cheer. Notre Dame had 66 yards of offense at halftime.

The Seminoles made Irish quarterback Brady Quinn look like, well, like the true freshman he is. Quinn completed just 20 of 52 passes and tossed three interceptions, one of which was returned 90 yards by Leroy Smith for the Seminoles' final touchdown.

"We wanted to come in here and take care of business," Smith said.

The Seminoles looked like they were shop owners. Even worse for Notre Dame, this loss fell on All Saints Day, a date where Notre Dame had never lost in 15 previous games.

"We got flatter and flatter as the game went on," said Irish cornerback Jason Beckstrom. "The thing I tell the younger guys is this is a metaphor for life. Despite the fact we're 2-6, we can't give up."

Florida State's defense thwarted Notre Dame five times inside the Seminoles' 20. Once with a blocked field, twice with interceptions, and the others with fourth-down stops.

"It might have been Kansas back in '93 (a 47-0 victory) where our defense played this good or was this impressive," said Bowden, who earned his 340th career win, now two ahead of Penn State's Joe Paterno as the all-time winningest Division 1-A coach.This was Florida State's second shutout of the season. The last time it happened was 1997. But getting it at Notre Dame made Saturday stand out.

Ten years ago in Notre Dame Stadium, then No. 1-Florida State came in with pride and left with doubt in a 31-24 loss. Last season in Tallahassee, the Irish ignited Seminoles' disarray with a 34-24 win.

"The difference with this team is we're all pulling together, offense and defense," said Boulware. "And we have a lot of fight and heart on this team."

On Saturday, the Florida State player with the heaviest heart shined brightest.

Receiver Craphonso Thorpe missed the team flight Friday to attend his grandfather's funeral in Tallahassee.

But he produced the game of his life, with seven pass receptions for a career-high 217 yards and two touchdowns.

It was the most yards any opposing receiver has had against Notre Dame in the program's history.

"I dedicated the game to him (his grandfather)," said Thorpe. "I wasn't really pressing to try and force things, but I just let the game come to me. I feel like if I can play my game every week I can have a big game."

On the game's first play from scrimmage, quarterback Chris Rix connected with Thorpe for a 38-yard gain to the Irish 34. It led to Xavier Beitia's 40-yard field goal, his first of three.

That one pass matched the longest Notre Dame's secondary had allowed all season. But this was a mere harbinger.

The rest of the game, Rix and Thorpe played catch at will, picking on Irish cornerback Vontez Duff in a mismatch of solo coverage. Whenever the Seminoles needed a play, Thorpe made it. Florida State needed to throw, too, because the Irish crowded the line and thwarted three Seminoles' tailbacks.

"There's not a lot of guys in college football who are going to shut down Craphonso in one-on-one coverages," Rix said. "He's just a playmaker."

Rix, who endured a three-turnover performance and absorbed the blame for last year's loss to Notre Dame, had another mixed bag of success and miscues. He completed 17 of 31 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns. He also tossed three interceptions and recovered his own fumble.

Rix is a wild ride of thrills and spills.

"If you expect him to play perfect, it's unrealistic," said offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden. "You have to take the good with the bad."

The good preceded the bad. Rix connected with Thorpe on a perfect 51-yard strike, then lofted a nice 6-yard fade pass to P.K. Sam for the Seminoles' first touchdown.

Then, came the bad. He threw right into Duff's hands on the next series. Fullback B.J. Dean saved a touchdown at the Seminoles' 9. The defense held and Seminoles' safety B.J. Ward blocked a chip-shot field goal.

Three minutes later, Rix had the Seminoles in the end zone with a six-play, 87 yard-drive. It started after Rix twice avoided a safety while scrambling in his end zone and hit Sam on a 48-yard pass. Thorpe got past Beckstrom in a solo coverage matchup for a 35-yard score.

"That was big, big," Ward said. "If Notre Dame had scored a touchdown there, you know their crowd would have been in it and they (Irish players) may have thought they could win this game."

Two more field goals from Beitia gave the Seminoles a 23-0 halftime lead. Thorpe then removed any suspense with his 38-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

"We knew we were going to have to go deep," Jeff Bowden said. "We didn't do it enough last year."

By the fourth quarter, Bobby Bowden could savor the moment. He has a 2-1 record in Notre Dame Stadium.

"Some of the comments made to me (by players) made me feel like this was something special," Bowden said. "Our 1993 team was here and learned what (Notre Dame) tradition is."

Ten years later, the Seminoles dismissed tradition, ghosts and Notre Dame's team as easily as Thorpe ran past Irish defenders.