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The Tigers had a nice lead in the first half and looked like they were going to blow out the Florida State and their Heisman QB. All that changed when FSU coach Jimbo Fisher called one of the gutsiest plays in a crucial moment towards the end of the first half. The Seminoles were down 18 points on a 4th and 4 on their own 40 when they pulled off a fake punt on a double lateral that gave the Seminoles a first down and a boost of confidence. That first down would swing momentum into Florida States favor and begin the "Famous Jameis Winston Show".
They would finish that drive off with a TD run by RB Devonta Freeman to bring the Seminoles within 11 points going into the half, 10-21. The 3rd quarter was the slowest in terms of points scored, with only FSU scoring a field goal midway thru to bring the score within 13-21.
The 4th quarter is when things would heat back up and a total of 31 points would end up being scored throughout. Winston would use his first drive of the 4th to put a TD pass to FB Chad Abram that would bring the Seminoles within 1 point, 20-21.The Tigers would retaliate with a field goal of their own to cushion their lead to 20-24.
On the ensuing kickoff FSU freshman WR Levonte Whitfield would return it 100 yards for the TD and give the lead back to FSU, 27-24, who hadn't been in front since their first drive that ended with a field goal and put them up 3-0.
Auburn was not done just yet, and would set up a nice 37-yard TD run by junior RB Tre Mason, capping off a 75-yard drive to regain the lead, 31-27 with only 1:19 remaining in the game.
You could tell what was going to happen next, or at least hope for it. You had this years Heisman winning QB in a TD-or-Lose situation with less than 2 minutes to go on their own 20. Well just as you would hope Jameis Winston would direct a game-winning drive, ending with a TD pass to the big 6'5 sophomore WR Kelvin Benjamin to regain the lead, 34-31, and leave Auburn with only 0:13 seconds left in regulation. Auburn would try, but be unable to work their way down the field, ending the game with a everybody-lateral-the-ball attempt.
FSU finished their night off with some nice stats after their shaky start. The freshman Heisman trophy winner Winston ended his night throwing 237 yards and 2 TD's after just barely scraping over 50 yards in the first half. His main target was WR Rashad Greene who finished with 147 yards on 9 receptions although he was unable to break into the endzone but I think he will be alright with that. The Seminoles run game was good enough to get the win on Monday, with Freeman and Winston each running the ball 11 times. Winston only accrued 26 yards but Freeman was able to break off for 73 yards and 1 rush TD.
Auburn's RB Tre Mason played a terrific game for the Tigers, gashing the Seminoles for 195 yards on the ground on 34 attempts with 1 rush TD and 1 reception TD. Mason's rushing total will go down as the 2nd most rushing yards in a BCS Title game, only 5 behind Vince Young's record 200 against USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Nick Marshall the QB for Auburn played a decent game throwing for 217 yds, 2 passing TD's, 1 rush TD and 1 INT. The Tigers as a team would rush for 232 yards on 53 carries.
With how great of a game it was you can attribute two plays that may have helped decide the winner or put momentum in their direction. The first is the fake punt I was talking about earlier and the second is a missed 33-yard field goal attempt by Auburn early in the second that would have gave them enough to make it to OT as long as the game still played out the way it did.
This was the 7th BCS Championship that was awarded to a school from either Alabama or Florida in the last 8 years and was the 6th in a row for either as well.
Alabama - 2009, 2011, 2012
Auburn - 2010
Florida State - 2013
Florida - 2006, 2008
That's pretty amazing but unfortunately the streak will end since this was also the last BCS Championship game since the NCAA will be moving to a college playoff system next season.
Florida State will be the team to beat next season when Jameis Winston will go for this second Heisman trophy while the team will be the favorite to win in the new college playoff system.
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