FIESTA BOWL Tennessee23Florida St.16 TEMPE – Undefeated and underdogs no more.
Tennessee took advantage of Florida State backup quarterback Marcus Outzen’s inexperience and capped a perfect season by beating the Seminoles 23-16 in the Fiesta Bowl to claim thenational crown in the Bowl Championship Series title game at Sun Devil Stadium.
Outzen, who began spring practice as FSU’s third-string quarterback but ascended to the position of starter in the second to last game of the regular season because of injuries and played superbly in a 23-12 win over Florida, fell victim to the Backup Quarterback Syndrome.
His second quarter interception was returned 54 yards for a touchdown by Dwayne Goodrich, giving Tennessee a 14-0 lead it would never relinquish. With Outzen struggling, FSU was never able to sustain an offense and the much-hyped BCS finale yielded a sporadically played title game.
Tennessee (13-0) is guaranteed to be voted the national title in the coach’s poll. It would be a travesty if the writers chose anyone – are you listening Ohio State? – other than Tennessee. Tulane (12-0) is the only other undefeated Division I-A team. It is Tennessee’s first national championship since 1951.
The Seminoles (11-2) lost Dan Kendra to a spring knee injury. Chris Weinke, the 26-year-old former minor league baseball player, than beat out Outzen for the starting job. Weinke suffered a season-ending neck injury against Virginia, leaving Outzen, who almost transferred after last season, to start against Wake Forest and Florida.
He was good enough against those opponents but with the nation’s spotlight shining down on him and a Fiesta Bowl record 80,470 fans in attendance, Outzen performed like a quarterback making just his third career start. Five of of FSU’s offensive possessions resulted in 3-and-Outzen’s, plus his two interceptions and one lost fumble.
The Vols, despite their undefeated record and No.1 ranking, entered the game as 5-point underdogs to No. 2 FSU. All week long, the Vols, who usually end their practices by chanting, ‘1-2-3, Tenneessee!’ had changed their cry to ‘1-2-3, Underdogs!’
Leading 14-9 going into the fourth quarter, Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin, who hadn’t played much better than Outzen, lofted a 79-yard touchdown pass to Peerless Price, who caught the ball in stride streaking down the sideline. Price raced away from Mario Edwards, the Seminoles’ best cover man, and into the end zone with 9:17 left.
The extra-point kick was blocked but the 11-point lead might well have been 21 with the way FSU’s offense was struggling.
Until that play, a third-and-nine at the Tennessee 21, the Vols were 0-for-8 on third down conversions. But Martin, a tough kid from Mobile, Ala., who has seen 12 of his boyhood friends die in street trouble, hung in and made the play when it counted.
On Florida State’s next possession, Outzen scrambled up the middle on first down, but failed to tuck away the ball. Shaun Ellis stripped him from behind and Billy Ratliff recovered at the FSU 29. It set up a 23-yard field goal by Jeff Hall.
Outzen rallied the Seminoles to within 23-16 on a seven-yard touchdown run and then Tennessee dodged two bullets. FSU kicker Sebastian Janikowski nubbed an on-sides kick that was recovered by FSU. But officials correctly ruled that the ball had bounced off the kicker’s hip before traveling 10 yards.
The Vols should have run out the clock but with 1:29 left, Martin and Travis Henry botch an exchanged and fumbled. FSU took over at its 10. But on the first play, Outzen tried to force a bomb into double coverage and was intercepted by Steve Johnson.FSU’s defense forced a 3-and-out on the game’s first possession, but Troy Saunders ran into Tennessee punter David Leaverton, drawing a personal foul and keeping the drive alive. Martin then connected with Price on a 23-yard out pattern and scrambled for 18 as the Vols drove to the FSU 16.
Jeff Hall, who beat Syracuse and Florida with field goals earlier this season, lined up for a 33-yard field attempt. He was 13-of-14 on field goals inside the 40 yard line but he pushed it right and the Seminoles didn’t pay for Saunders’ mistake.
The Vols forced an FSU punt and took over on their own 39 and drove to the 37. But Travis Henry was jarred from behind by Demetro Stephens. The ball popped loose and Lamont Green recovered for the Seminoles.
Tennessee’s defense held and it became clear that points would be at a premium in this national championship game. The last time the title was decided here, Nebraska routed Florida, 62-24, in 1996.
After a horrendous 28-yard punt by Leaverton, FSU was in position to put its first points on the board. Starting at the Tennessee 42, however, the Seminoles lost three yards on three plays and were forced to punt. The Vols were pinned at their 12.
On first down, the Vols again went to Price, who earlier this week was outraged at the attention being paid to FSU wide receiver Peter Warrick. He beat a pair of FSU defenders and hauled in a 76-yard catch and run. Price was tackled at the 12. The quarter ended in a scoreless tie.
The Seminoles defense stopped the Vols and Hall lined up for a 24-yard field goal attempt, which was good. But FSU safety Dexter Jackson brushed Hall’s leg and was called for a personal foul. The Vols took the points off the board and took advantage of a first and goal at the 4.
Tennessee’s first play spoke volumes about how tentative both teams had become on offense. Martin handed to Henry, who tried a halfback option pass to tight end John Finlayson. But the ball skipped in the end zone.
The Vols then actually tried a conventional play and it worked. Martin rolled to his left and fired a quick pass in the flat to his fullback, Shawn Bryson, who was wide open and ran into the end zone on the fourth play of the second quarter.
Two plays later, the Backup Quarterback Syndrome struck. Outzen foolishly tried to muscle a deep out pass to Warrick on the right sideline. Warrick never got good separation and Tennessee DB Dwayne Goodrich broke on the ball. He intercepted it and ran untouched for a 54-yard TD return.
After more than 15 minutes of no scoring by both teams, Tennessee had struck for two touchdowns in a 25-second span to take a 14-0 lead.
Martin, who did a marvelous job of taking over for the legendary Peyton Manning, allowed the Seminoles back in the game when he tried to force a pass down the middle to Price.
FSU’s Derrick Gibson intercepted the pass and raced down the left sidelines to the Tennessee 3. Three plays later, fullback William McCray plowed over from the 1.
The extra-point kick, however, was no good. Clay Ingram’s long snap was low and Outzen couldn’t set it up for Sebastian Janikowski, whose kick hit the crossbar, making it a 14-6 game with 8:39 left in the second quarter.