1. www.star-telegram.com Sunday, January 4, 2009 11C
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BCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME | OKLAHOMA
BEST OF THE BCS
With BCS title on line,
time to rise and shine
By TRAE THOMPSON mtthompson@star-telegram.com
By late Thursday night, Florida or Oklahoma will be hoisting another crystal football.
The Gators (12-1) and Sooners (12-1) meet for the BCS national championship in Miami on
Thursday night. While many college football fans have argued against the BCS and have pointed
out its flaws, the format has produced its share of memorable moments since its inception in
1998. A look back:
Top five
Most national championship
games haven’t been real com-
petitive, but these provided
some entertainment:
Oklahoma linebacker Travis Lewis says he loves the fact the Sooners are the underdog. OU ATHLETICS
Defense takes offense
BCS Championship day.
OU is ready to put to rest
Game Yet defensive coordinator
the perception that its
Brent Venables likes the way
No. 1 Florida (12-1) vs. Vince Young
defense is its weakness. ORANGE CO. REGISTER
his unit has prepared, espe-
No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1)
cially in the past week, when
7 p.m. Thursday 1. Texas 41, USC 38 (Jan. 4,
By MIKE JONES
jjones@star-telegram.com the focus turned to game
Dolphin Stadium, Miami 2006): Texas quarterback Vince
The talk hasn’t escaped the plans.
TV: KDFW/Ch. 4 Young helped snap the Trojans’
notice of Oklahoma’s defen- “They came back from 34-game winning streak and was
sive players. ed by it because we have a fast [Christmas] break terrific and named the Rose Bowl’s offen-
sive MVP for the second consec- Michael Vick was sensational for Virginia Tech against Florida State in
They are aware of the defense, too.” really sharp,” Venables said.
the 2000 Sugar Bowl, although his team didn’t win the national title. AP
premise that Oklahoma’s de- OU offensive coordinator “They came back purposeful utive year after finishing with
fense is its weakness, that the Kevin Wilson, who drives one and they came back with an 467 total yards.
Dominant performances
Sooners haven’t seen any- of the country’s most explo- attitude of, ‘Tell us what you
These five players shined on the biggest stage:
thing to match the speed and sive units, offers the opinion want us to do.’
skill of Florida’s offense, that that there may be a miscon- “The guys are very excited 3. WR Peter Warrick, Florida
1. QB Vince Young,
the eye-popping numbers ception regarding how this and have prepared very hard. State: Warrick hurt Virginia Tech
Texas: He had 467 total
posted by Big 12 offenses are a game will be played. Thank goodness [for the prac- with the deep ball, and was named
yards against USC, and
partial mirage created by con- “I think as good as the of- tice time], because [Florida’s the game’s MVP after catching six
fans will remember his
ference-wide defenses being fenses are, you’re going to see offense] has a lot to it.” passes for 163 yards, including touch-
game-winning touchdown
inferior to those of the SEC. two pretty good defenses The Gators show multiple downs of 64 and 43 yards. He also
on fourth-and-5 when he
Those perceptions are part playing at a high level,” Wil- formations and motion into returned a punt 59 yards for a touch-
scored on an 8-yard keep-
of the reason why BCS No. 1 son said. “People say this different sets. They run a down.
er with 19 seconds re-
(and AP No. 2) OU is a 3-point might be a shootout. I don’t spread scheme similar to Mis- 4. QB Ken Dorsey, Miami: At the
maining.
underdog to the second- know. souri, along with inside-veer Maurice Clarett Rose Bowl in 2002, he completed 22
2. QB Michael Vick,
GETTY IMAGES
ranked (AP No. 1) Gators in “They have a tremendous option principles. Defending of 35 passes for a career-high 362
Virginia Tech: It was
Thursday’s BCS Champion- defense. I know our guys [on is all about being where you’re 2. Ohio State 31, Miami 24, yards against Nebraska, a school
against Florida State that
ship Game. defense] have a lot of pride supposed to be, holding 2 OT (Jan. 3, 2003): The Buck- record that beat George Mira’s mark
the redshirt freshman was
“I love it, I love it,” line- and have been playing pretty ground and pursuing. eyes, 111⁄2-point underdogs, (321) set in 1962.
introduced to the nation.
backer Travis Lewis said. “I well. As hot as the offenses “Read your keys and re- snapped Miami’s 34-game win- 5. QB Josh Heupel, Oklahoma:
Vick finished with 322
wouldn’t have it any other have been, we’ve been scor- act,” McCoy said with a shrug. ning streak at the Fiesta Bowl. Heupel completed 25 of 39 passes
total yards, rushing for 97
way. I love it that we’re the un- ing a lot of points because our “I think we’ll be ready for any- Running back Maurice Clarett with one interception for 214 yards in
and completing 15 of 29
derdog. Let’s go get it.” defense has been getting thing they throw at us.” had 23 carries for 47 yards and the Sooners’ 13-2 victory over Florida
passes for 225 yards and
Lewis has been the most stops, we’ve been getting Cornerback Dominique scored twice, including the State in the Orange Bowl in 2001.
a touchdown in a loss.
outspoken among a group turnovers, our kicking game Franks, who has emerged as game-winning touchdown on a
that largely has refused to get has been getting great re- one of OU’s top defenders, 5-yard run in overtime.
into a trash-talking debate on turns. It’s not been just the of- said the Sooners must remain Big D
the merits of a defense that fense. aggressive. Some games have featured
surrendered more than 400 “The points are a part of “The muscle of the team is amazing defensive perfor-
yards a game to Big 12 oppo- the whole group and how we going to win,” he said. “When mances:
nents, yet had 25 sacks and have functioned down the we come up and tackle, we Florida shuts
2007
led the conference in turn- stretch.” have to punish those guys down Ohio
over margin (plus-14 on 11 in- OU’s 32 takeaways in 13 and make them not want to State quarterback and
terceptions and nine fumble games have led to 20 of the run the ball anymore. Heisman Trophy winner
recoveries in league play). Sooners’ 97 touchdowns. “They think that our de- Troy Smith, who passes for
“People can say we can’t The time off since OU’s 66- fense is not any good in the only 35 yards.
play defense,” end Jeremy 21 victory over Missouri in the Big 12. They said they are USC intercepts
2004
Beal said. “But we know that Big 12 title game Dec. 6 has going to come and hit us in Chris Weinke GETTY IMAGES Oklahoma’s
we can.” helped the Sooners. Defen- the mouth and we are not Jason White three times
OU’s defenders aren’t, sive end Alan Davis is back in going to be able to sustain it. 3. Florida State 46, Virginia and holds running back
however, fooling themselves the rotation and end Auston So we have to come in there Tech 29 (Jan. 4, 2000): Down Adrian Peterson to 82 yards Willis McGahee of Miami suffered a
regarding the talent on Flori- English is back at full with the attitude that no mat- by 21 points in the first half, on 25 carries. devastating knee injury late in the
da’s offense. strength, which will be key ter what they [do], we have to Virginia Tech scored 22 unan-
2003 Fiesta Bowl. AP/ELAINE THOMPSON
Miami holds
2002
“Florida has a great of- against the Gators’ option. line up and make plays.” swered points to go ahead
Nebraska’s Eric
fense,” tackle Gerald McCoy But the loss of run-stuffing Venables said all the acco- 29-28 with 2:13 left in the third
Crouch to 62 yards passing, That was nasty
said. “Tim Tebow is a great tackle DeMarcus Granger lades due Florida’s offense are quarter at the Sugar Bowl in
and returns one intercep-
player and they have another cannot be overlooked, nor well-deserved. New Orleans. Seminoles quar- One of the most gruesome injuries
tion for a 47-yard score.
great player in Percy Harvin. can the uncertain situation at “We’ll just have to see if we terback Chris Weinke, who came during the Miami-Ohio State
LSU holds
2004
“Florida is a very fast team, middle linebacker as starter can keep up with them,” he finished with 329 yards passing, game in 2003, when Hurricanes
Oklahoma,
but we’re not the slowest de- Austin Box (sprained knee) said. rallied his team to an 18-0 edge running back Willis McGahee in-
which had the nation’s top
fense. We know what’s in front gets re-acclimated after re- in the fourth quarter. jured his left knee early in the
scoring offense, to 154
of us, but we’re not intimidat- turning to practice Wednes- fourth quarter. McGahee, who had
MIKE JONES, 817-390-7760
total yards and finishes 20 carries for 67 yards and a
with five sacks. touchdown, had a record-breaking
BOWL LINEUP Oklahoma season come to a sudden halt.
2001 holds Florida During the regular season, he set
State to 301 total yards — school records for rushing yards
Bowl Date Site Result Attendance 248 below its average — (1,753), attempts (282), rushing
EagleBank Dec. 20 Washington D.C. Wake Forest 29, Navy 19 28,777 and Chris Weinke has no TDs (28) and all-purpose yards
New Mexico Dec. 20 Albuquerque Colorado St. 40, Fresno St. 35 24,735 touchdown passes for the (2,108). He also was fourth nation-
St. Petersburg Dec. 20 St. Petersburg, Fla. South Florida 41, Memphis 14 25,205 first time that season. ally in rushing average (134.9).
Las Vegas Dec. 20 Las Vegas Arizona 31, BYU 21 40,047
New Orleans Dec. 21 New Orleans Southern Miss 30, Troy 27 (OT) 30,197 Tee Martin GETTY IMAGES
Early riser
Poinsettia Dec. 23 San Diego TCU 17, Boise State 16 34,628
In the 2006 season, Florida’s Urban Meyer became the seventh
4. Tennessee 23, Florida
Hawaii Dec. 25 Honolulu Notre Dame 49, Hawaii 21 43,487 coach to win a national title in his first or second year at a school:
State 16 (Jan. 4, 1999): Ten-
Motor City Dec. 26 Detroit Fla. Atlantic 24, Central Mich. 21 41,399 Season Coach School Year
nessee, which finished 13-0,
1942 Paul Brown Ohio State 2nd
Meineke Car Care Dec. 27 Charlotte, N.C. West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30 73,712
won its first title since 1951 a
Champs Sports Dec. 27 Orlando, Fla. Florida St. 42, Wisconsin 13 52,692 1948 Bennie Oosterbaan Michigan 1st
year after Peyton Manning was
Emerald Dec. 27 San Francisco California 24, Miami 17 42,268 1974 Barry Switzer Oklahoma 2nd
selected No. 1 by the Indianapo-
Independence Dec. 28 Shreveport Louisiana Tech 17, Northern Illinois 10 41,567 lis Colts. His replacement, Tee 2000 Bob Stoops Oklahoma 2nd
Martin, completed 11 of 18
PapaJohns.com Dec. 29 Birmingham, Ala. Rutgers 29, N.C. State 23 38,582 2001 Larry Coker Miami (Fla.) 1st
passes for 278 yards and two
Alamo Dec. 29 San Antonio Missouri 30, Northwestern 23 (OT) 55,986 2002 Jim Tressel Ohio State 2nd
touchdowns at the Fiesta Bowl.
Humanitarian Dec. 30 Boise, Idaho Maryland 42, Nevada 35 26,781 2006 Urban Meyer Florida 2nd
Holiday Dec. 30 San Diego Oregon 42, Oklahoma State 31 59,106
Texas Dec. 30 Houston Rice 38, Western Michigan 14 58,880 Record breaking
Armed Forces Dec. 31 Fort Worth Houston 34, Air Force 28 41,127 Eleven players from Miami’s 2001 national title team were selected
in the 2002 NFL Draft, a record and the most by one school since
Sun Bowl Dec. 31 El Paso Oregon St. 3, Pittsburgh 0 49,037
the draft went to seven rounds in 1994. A look at who was drafted:
Music City Dec. 31 Nashville Vanderbilt 16, Boston College 14 54,250
Pos. Name Round Team
Insight Dec. 31 Tempe, Ariz. Kansas 42, Minnesota 21 49,103
OT Bryant McKinnie 1 Minnesota
Chick-fil-A Dec. 31 Atlanta LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3 71,426
TE Jeremy Shockey 1 NY Giants
Outback Jan. 1 Tampa, Fla. Iowa 31, South Carolina 10 55,117
CB Phillip Buchanon 1 Oakland
Capital One Jan. 1 Orlando, Fla. Georgia 24, Michigan St. 12 59,681
S Ed Reed 1 Baltimore
Justin Vincent
Gator Jan. 1 Jacksonville, Fla. Nebraska 26, Clemson 21 67,282 GETTY IMAGES
CB Mike Rumph 1 San Francisco
Rose Jan. 1 Pasadena, Calif. Southern Cal 38, Penn St. 24 92,293
5. LSU 21, Oklahoma 14 (Jan. RB Clinton Portis 2 Denver
Orange Jan. 1 Miami Virginia Tech 20, Cincinnati 7 73,602
4, 2004): In a great defensive OG Martin Bibla 4 Atlanta
Cotton Jan. 2 Dallas Mississippi 47, Texas Tech 34 88,175 matchup, it was the Tigers who
RB Najeh Davenport 4 Green Bay
Liberty Jan. 2 Memphis Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19 56,125 prevailed at the Sugar Bowl for
S James Lewis 6 Indianapolis
Sugar Jan. 2 New Orleans Utah 31, Alabama 17 71,872 their first national title since
WR Daryl Jones 7 NY Giants
1958. Tigers running back Justin
International Jan. 3 Toronto Connecticut 38, Buffalo 20 40,184
OT Joaquin Gonzalez 7 Cleveland
Vincent, named the game’s MVP,
Bowl Date Time Site TV Pairing had 16 carries for 117 yards and
Fiesta Mon. 7 p.m. Glendale, Ariz. Fox Ohio State (10-2) vs. Texas (11-1)
one touchdown. TRAE THOMPSON, 817-390-7760
GMAC Tue. 7 p.m. Mobile, Ala. ESPN Tulsa (10-3) vs. Ball State (12-1)
BCS Nat. Champ. Thu. 7 p.m. Miami Fox Florida (12-1) vs. Oklahoma (12-1)