Quantcast
Channel: Sideline Mob» Rose Bowl
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 7

FSU Wins BCS Championship; Ranking BCS Title Games All-Time [POLL]

0
0

FSU Beats Auburn – Best BCS Title Game Ever?

FSU beat Auburn in a classic BCS Championship. Was it the best ever?

FSU beat Auburn in a classic BCS Championship. Was it the best ever? (Credit Opertinicy)

What a game. In the final BCS Championship Game of all time (unless they bring the BCS back – shudder), the #1 Florida State Seminoles overcame a 21-3 first half deficit to defeat the #2 Auburn Tigers, 34-31. In doing so, the Seminoles ended a 7-year run of BCS titles by SEC teams and captured FSU’s second BCS Championship (the first coming in the 2000 Sugar Bowl over Michael Vick and Virginia Tech).

While Jameis Winston will get most of the publicity – and to be fair, the Heisman Trophy winner was outstanding when he had to be in the game’s final minutes – the two true offensive stars of this game were Florida State WR Rashad Greene and Auburn RB Tre Mason. Greene racked up 147 receiving yards on 9 catches, proving to be Winston’s most reliable target. And Mason was once again spectacular for Auburn, toting the football 34 times for 195 yards and a touchdown (and adding a receiving TD for good measure).

The game was all Auburn in the first half, as the Tigers jumped out to a 21-3 lead and took a 21-10 advantage into halftime. But the Rose Bowl exploded in the second half, as the Seminoles stormed back to a 21-20 deficit. After a Cody Parkey field goal made the score 24-20 in favor of Auburn, FSU’s Levonte Whitfield took the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to put Florida State up 27-24.

The ball went back to Auburn with 4 and a half minutes to go, and the Tigers proceeded to march down the field before Tre Mason busted a weak tackle for a 37-yard touchdown with 1:19 to play. But that, as it turns out, was just enough time for Jameis Winston and the Seminoles offense.

Winston, who was harried and harrassed all evening by the Auburn defense, found Rashad Greene on a key 49-yard catch and run to move FSU inside the Auburn 20. After a series of short plays and a key pass interference call against the Tigers, Winston found Kelvin Benjamin for the decisive 2-yard TD pass with just 13 seconds remaining, sealing the victory for Florida State.

It was a finish that left college football fans breathless and Seminoles fans ecstatic. But was it the greatest BCS Championship Game of all time? We’ve rated the 16 title games of the BCS era from 1-16 based on competitiveness, star quality, fan enjoyment, historical relevance and overall quality. 

Ranking all 16 BCS Championship Games 1999-2014, #1-16

We’ll be providing game recaps for our top 5 BCS Championship Games of all time, followed by the rest of the list (#4-16). Agree or disagree with our rankings? Let us know in the comments below!

1. #2 Texas 41, #1 USC 38 (2006)

The classic and standard-bearer for all BCS Championship games. Just a slight amount of controversy (well, none as large as OSU/Miami in 2003), plenty of stars, and copious highlights – capped off by Vince Young’s TD run on 4th and 5. Texas overcame a 38-26 4th quarter deficit, beat a team with 2 Heisman Trophy winners (Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush), and ended USC’s 34-game winning streak.

Vince Young compiled 467 total yards, a BCS Championship record. Four players from this game went in the top 10 of the 2006 NFL Draft. The win was the 800th in the storied history of Texas Longhorns football, and the highest Nielsen-rated game ever played in Rose Bowl history. What more can we say?

2. #2 Ohio State 31, #1 Miami 24, 2OT (2003)

This game became an instant classic not only for its epic double overtime finish, but for the controversy surrounding “The Call” – a late flag on Miami for pass interference after what appeared to be the game’s final play in the first overtime. Though later reports have since vindicated the official, Miami fans (and many others) still feel bitterness over what they believe to be a phantom penalty.

Regardless, OSU vs. Miami in 2003 remains the only BCS title game to require overtime. The game had 3 ties and 3 lead changes, and neither team ever led by more than 10 points. The list of stars from this game is massive – Willis McGahee, Sean Taylor, Maurice Clarett, Kellen Winslow Jr., Mike Nugent, Mike Doss, and many others. In total, 37 of the 48 starters in this game became NFL draft picks.

3. #1 Florida State 34, #2 Auburn 31 (2014)

The final BCS Championship Game rates as one of its very best. The game had a little of everything – dominating defense, timely offense, a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and two seemingly game-winning TD drives inside the game’s final 4 minutes.

Florida State overcame a sluggish start and a 21-3 deficit, scoring the game’s next 17 points to cut the lead to 21-20. A Tre Mason 37-yard TD run gave Auburn a 31-27 lead with 1:19 remaining. But Jameis Winston led the Seminoles on an 80-yard drive highlighted by a 49-yard catch and run by Rashad Greene and a 2-yard TD reception by Kelvin Benjamin with 0:13 remaining.

4. #1 Auburn 22, #2 Oregon 19 (2011)

Cam Newton led the Tigers in for what promised to be a shootout with the high-powered Oregon Ducks. Instead, what emerged was a game largely dictated by defense between these two undefeated teams. Prior to the game, the AP and coaches’ polls were split, with Auburn and Oregon ranked as #1 in one poll each.

Whereas the passing game was supposed to dominate, it was ultimately Auburn’s rushing attack led by Michael Dyer that went off for 254 yards on 50 carries. While Oregon’s LaMichael James scored 2 touchdowns, Auburn’s defensive (led by Nick Fairley) carried the day for the Tigers.

5. #1 Tennessee 23, #2 Florida State 16 (1999)

The first national championship decided by the BCS went to the Tennessee Volunteers the year after Peyton Manning left school. Instead, it was QB Tee Martin leading the Vols against Florida State. The game featured two of college football’s premier receivers, Tennessee’s Peerless Price and FSU’s Peter Warrick.

The scoring came in bunches in the 2nd and 4th quarters, as defense dominated the 1st and 3rd. Price was outstanding, going off for 199 receiving yards – the bulk coming on two plays of 76 and 79 yards. By comparison, the highlight of the game may have been Warrick being tackled on a return by Tennessee punter David Leaverton which saved a sure touchdown. The game featured several notable future NFL stars such as Travis Henry and Sebastian Janikowski.

6. #2 Florida 24, #1 Oklahoma 14 (2009)

7. #1 Oklahoma 13, #2 Florida State 2 (2001)

8. #2 LSU 21, #1 Oklahoma 14 (2004)

9. #1 Florida State 46, #2 Virginia Tech 29 (2000)

10. #2 LSU 38, #1 Ohio State 24 (2008)

11. #2 Alabama 21, #1 LSU 0 (2012)

12. #1 Alabama 37, #2 Texas 21 (2010)

13. #1 Miami 37, #2 Nebraska 14 (2002)

14. #2 Florida 41, #1 Ohio State 14 (2007)

15. #1 Alabama 42, #2 Notre Dame 14 (2013)

16. #1 USC 55, #2 Oklahoma 19 (2005, vacated)


Filed under: NCAA Football Tagged: 2014, all-time, Auburn, BCS, BCS Championship, college football, fbs, Florida State, football, jameis winston, national championship, NCAA football, poll, rankings, Rose Bowl, Seminoles, tre mason, vince young

Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 7

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images