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Friday, December 13, 2002
Six games that shaped the national championship
By Will Weiss
BCSfootball.com
Oklahoma and Florida State will meet in the FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 3 for the BCS National Championship. While many disagree with this matchup, there are a host of others who would argue that the two best teams are playing in Miami, even though the 'Canes did defeat the 'Noles head-to-head. But then Washington defeated Miami head-to-head in Week 3?
(Sigh) Tired of any of this yet?
As we're predisposed to lists at this time of year, here are six games that led to college football's national championship scenario. Whatever your opinion on who should be playing in Miami, there is no argument that the six games listed established the current situation.
|  | | Jerramy Stevens and Washington are the main reason Miami will not play in the Orange Bowl. |
Washington 34, Miami 29
September 9, 2000
Husky Stadium -- Seattle
Michigan endured the cross-country trek the week before and failed in Pasadena. On this September afternoon, the noise of Husky Stadium was a factor, as was Washington's lead 'dawg, Marques Tuiasosopo.
Tui started off hot, throwing a touchdown pass and running for another, sparking the Huskies to a 21-3 halftime lead. His counterpart, Ken Dorsey, looked lost for the first 30 minutes.
The 'Canes mounted a comeback in the third. Trailing 27-9, third-string tailback Clinton Portis scooted 61 yards to set up Najeh Davenport's 8-yard TD run. On UW's next possession, Tui fumbled deep in his own territory, and Miami's Dan Morgan recovered, setting up a James Jackson 1-yard score and the lead was down to five.
But Tui showed his competitive nature, engineering a 13-play, 65-yard drive that culminated in Pat Conniff's 1-yard plunge. That score effectively iced the game for the Huskies.
Despite three turnovers (two INTs and a fumble), Tuiasosopo had 268 yards of total offense and accounted for two scores. Dorsey completed only 44 percent of his passes, and the 'Canes lost three fumbles.
Miami 27, Florida State 24
October 7, 2000
Orange Bowl -- Miami
Wide Right III is the only crossover from the five best games of 2000 list.
Miami led 17-0 at halftime and seemed to have this one well in hand, but Chris Weinke and his sprained left foot would have none of that. The 28-year-old put the team on his back and shook off the missed opportunities of the first half to give his Seminoles a chance to win.
The demeanor of the final two minutes wass as frantic as it gets. Following a Davenport fumble, Weinke hit Atrews Bell on a 29-yard scoring strike that gave FSU a 24-20 lead.
1:37 left.
Dorsey answered with a gem of his own. Starting from his own 32, the sophomore proceeded to complete 6-of-7 passes, the final one being a 13-yard TD to backup tight end Jeremy Shockey, and Miami was on top again.
46 ticks remaining.
Weinke had another chance. He drove the 'Noles to the Miami 33, setting up what would be a 50-yard game-tying attempt for walk-on kicker Matt Munyon, who had missed an earlier attempt.
Munyon nailed the kick. It had plenty of distance, but it drifted to an all too familiar place for Florida State fans. "WIDE RIGHT III" flashed on the scoreboard at the Orange Bowl, and Miami had upset its upstate nemesis for the first time in Butch Davis' six-year reign in Coral Gables.
"This is definitely going to put us in national contention," said Morgan. "There's no telling how good this team can be."
Good enough to have writers and fans screaming for a rematch.
Oklahoma 31, Nebraska 14
October 28, 2000
Owen Field/Memorial Stadium -- Norman, Okla.
Crazed Sooner fans littered Owen Field with oranges after Oklahoma thrashed longtime rival Nebraska and usurped the No. 1 ranking. The win completed an unlikely trifecta for Bob Stoops' team, who rolled through Texas and Kansas State like a Crimson wrecking ball.
The Huskers scored on their first two possessions to race to a 14-0 lead, with Eric Crouch scoring both on the ground and through the air. But Josh Heupel bore down and brought the Sooners back in the second quarter. First, he found Curtis Fagan for 19 yards, setting up Quentin Griffin's 1-yard score. Later, on a third-and-14 from the NU 34, Heupel eluded a furious blitz and shot-putted a beauty to Fagan that tied the game at 14.
Nebraska never recovered. The Sooners' Josh Norman later blocked a punt that led to a field goal, and on the next possession, Norman scored from eight yards out to cap a 24-point barrage and take a 10-point lead into the locker room.
Derrick Strait's interception return for a TD closed the scoring in the third, and the Oklahoma defense continued its domination the rest of the way.
"I don't know if you'll see a stronger defensive performance against them," Stoops said. "I think we've more than proven who we are."
They proved they were the best team in the country -- an honor they wouldn't relinquish for the rest of the season.
|  | | Santana Moss is one of four Miami Hurricanes who could be picked in the first round. |
Miami 41, Virginia Tech 21
November 4, 2000
Orange Bowl -- Miami
The winner of this game controlled the Big East and the conference's slot in the BCS. Virginia Tech boasted an undefeated season and a five-game winning streak as it invaded Miami, but Va. Tech would face the Hurricanes without a healthy Michael Vick, who suffered a sprained ankle against Pittsburgh the week before and was rendered useless in his brief action.
Fifth-year senior Dave Meyer looked more like Oscar Mayer, as the Hokies never got on track. Vick replaced Meyer on Va. Tech's fourth series, played for 19 snaps, fumbled once, and looked beaten from the get-go.
Miami, on the other hand, was relentless, using a balanced attack and some big plays to streak to a 28-0 lead. The 'Canes dominated every facet of the game, amassing 466 yards of offense and forcing three Hokie turnovers.
Florida State 30, Florida 7
November 18, 2000
Doak Campbell Stadium -- Tallahassee, Fla.
In five of the last seven years, the winner of this game played for the national championship, and this year would be no different.
Flu-ridden Chris Weinke turned in another masterful effort, throwing for 353 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-44 passing, as FSU dominated the Gators. 'Noles wide receiver Marvin "Snoop" Minnis emerged from the shadow of Peter Warrick to snag two of those TD passes, and totaled eight catches on the night.
Steve Spurrier maintained his quarterback rotation, going mostly with senior Jesse Palmer. That move, along with whatever else Spurrier tried on offense, proved futile, as Florida State's defense continually came up big. Tay Cody had two interceptions, and Chris Hope picked off a pass to end another drive.
With the win, Florida State closed its regular season, and waited for both the BCS rankings and the outcome of the Big XII Championship Game to see if it would earn the right to defend its national championship.
Oklahoma 27, Kansas State 24
December 2, 2000
Arrowhead Stadium -- Kansas City, Mo.
The game that ultimately determined the FedEx Orange Bowl. Though undefeated, people still questioned the mettle of Josh Heupel, Bob Stoops and the Sooners, who struggled in the three games leading up to the Big XII Championship Game.
Defense was the story, as Kansas State mixed zone coverage and blitzing that forced Heupel into poor decisions that led to three interceptions on the night. The Sooners' D was just as strong, holding K-State to a paltry 239 yards of offense, and only 133 yards rushing.
Heupel's perseverance ended up beating the Wildcats, though. After Aaron Lockett returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 17, the senior from South Dakota responded, leading the drive that preserved Oklahoma's unblemished record.
First, Heupel tossed a 28-yarder to tight end Trent Smith, who turned out to be the secret weapon in the OU offense. Then, on fourth-and-1, Quentin Griffin took an option pitch around the left side for 22 yards to the K-State 17. On that play, Heupel got rid of the ball a split second before getting creamed by Wildcat defensive lineman Chris Johnson. Griffin's run set up Heupel's dart to Andre Woolfolk on the next play, putting the Sooners ahead for good.
Tim Duncan's career-long 46-yard field goal with three minutes to go iced it. Jonathan Beasley led a scoring drive to close the gap to 27-24, but it was too little too late for the Purple People.
"We just weren't good enough to make a difference in the game tonight," said Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder.
That's how we got from there to here.
Will Weiss is the assistant editor of BCSfootball.com.
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Josh Heupel does it on his own with this 7-yard touchdown run.