Bowl Championship Series started in 1999. After much debate about not having a National Championship, NCAA figured out a way to have a National Championship game with a bowl game posing as the title game. BCS took some major lumps throughout the years ranging from screwing teams out of titles, games and anything else you could think of. Next year, a playoff will begin which is what 75-90 percent of college football fans wanted for the last several years. The final game pitted Florida State against Auburn and it could not have been any better with Seminoles coming out on top, 34-31 in a dramatic comeback including a final award-winning drive by Jameis Winston.It really felt like this game displayed college football in 2013 perfectly. The whole season was batshit crazy. Like Real Housewives crazy. No one expected Auburn to be there, and hell people thought Florida State would be there last year, not this year. There are many games from this year where people are going to point to and say 'I remember where I was when this happened.' Three of them have involved Auburn, and the third one, the Tigers were on the bad side of things meaning destiny does not always find its date at the end of the night.
Auburn held an 18-point lead in the first half thrashing everyone's narratives to begin the game. S-E-C chants were being heard from stands in Pasadena. Instead people were starting to drum up another narrative about how Florida State did not play anyone for the entire year because they played in the ACC versus the big bad SEC. People also began comparing Winston's night to Troy Smith's horrendous performance in his only BCS National Championship. Those narratives would also be found stranded by the wayside at the end of the game and end of the college football season.
Honestly, I feel like one of the biggest drive of the game featured Florida State getting their first touchdown of the game late in the second quarter. They were down 18 points, and severely dominated throughout the first half. Seminoles needed at least a field goal to keep themselves relevant in this game, and were able to get into the end zone with about 90 seconds left in the first half. Noles had a chance to double up as Aaron Rodgers like to calls it as they had the ball first in the second half meaning they could be right back into this game early on in the third quarter.
Florida State did not really do much in the third quarter besides getting a field goal, but more importantly, the defense started to wake up. It is like they were Junior from Cool Runnings decided to be a 'bad ass mother who don't take shit from no one' and started to start hitting in this football game. Defensive tackle Tim Jerrigen led the charge with delivering big hit after big hit trying his damnedest to stop Auburn's rushing attack at the line of scrimmage. Auburn's offense held at 21 points and Florida State trailed by eight points heading into the final quarter where things got mad real meaning they need sunglasses and Advil in the morning.
Marshall did not make a mistake all game long which is amazing to think up given how Florida State forces turnovers, and how often Marshall has the ball in his hand. But he made a mistake early in the fourth with Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams pick off a weak pass from Marshall sitting up the Seminoles in their best field possession all game. Winston and company took advantage as they marched down the field to get a touchdown to Chad Abram, the last remaining fullback with a neck roll meaning he probably eats footballs for dinner. Florida State's plan was to go for two, but Devonta Freeman may or may not have pointed the pistols at Auburn's bench leading to a 15-yard penalty forcing the Noles into an extra point.
Even though Auburn pounded the ball down the field, they were not able to get a responding touchdown instead only three points giving the Tigers are four-point lead. It did not last long as Kermit Whitfield took back the kick 100 yards to give Florida State their first lead since 3-0. The game went from being 'pretty enjoyable' to 'HOLY SHIT, THIS IS GETTING ENTERTAINING AND FULL OF HAM.' People who trust in things like destiny believed Auburn had at least one more drive left in them and truth be told, they had Florida State on the ropes.
Tigers began to pound the football down the field. Florida State's defense started to suck wind, and it clearly showed their lack of fourth quarter games was coming back to haunt them a bit with Jerrigan, their best defensive player on Monday night had to go to the sidelines with cramps. Tre Mason had one of the best losing efforts performances with 196 yards on 34 carries including a 37-yard touchdown to give Auburn the lead again. It is weird to think about it, but Mason and Auburn could have drain this clock to virtually zero never letting Winston get another chance guaranteeing the Tigers second National Championship in as many years yet this is straight revisionist history due to Jameis validating his Heisman trophy with an exclamation point.
Winston started the drive from the 20 yard line heading the same direction Vince Young did many years ago leading Texas over USC. Florida State's talented redshirt freshman went six for seven marching this football team down the field. A couple things about that drive stood out to me... 1.) They never had a fourth down. Usually on these big last second drives, there is at least one fourth down, it did not happen. 2.) Florida State faced a 3rd and 3 and got a delay of game penalty of all things putting them at 3rd and 8 yet Winston kept his composure delivering a ball to the end zone that should have been caught but a yellow flag showed why the receiver did not.
Chris Davis, the hero of Auburn's season as he took back the miraculous Iron Bowl field goal, committed the penalty. If this game did not need another story line, Davis delivered another one. Scott Van Pelt says all the time 'Sports is the greatest reality show' and it is extremely true with Davis' case. Everyone tripped over themselves to buy him a drink after beating Alabama, and now people will probably still be cool with him yet the pass interference will be remembered.
Chris Davis, the hero of Auburn's season as he took back the miraculous Iron Bowl field goal, committed the penalty. If this game did not need another story line, Davis delivered another one. Scott Van Pelt says all the time 'Sports is the greatest reality show' and it is extremely true with Davis' case. Everyone tripped over themselves to buy him a drink after beating Alabama, and now people will probably still be cool with him yet the pass interference will be remembered.
Seminoles had to finish the drive though down at the goal line. Winston did not leave much theatrics as he found Kelvin Benjamin with a pop pass on the first play. Jameis threw a ball that only 6'6 Benjamin could pull down and he did it giving Florida State the lead once again with under 30 seconds. It showed incredible pose in the moment from a guy whom just turned 20 yesterday. He wanted the moment and took advantage of it. Heisman moments are overrated, but let's be clear, that was the play of 2013, Auburn plays be damned.
Florida State wins their third National Championship ending the seven year reign of SEC dominance setting up another great year of college football with a four-team playoff involved. Winston will be back for another year with Florida State trying to claim the first college football playoff. There is a chance people will still not be happy and ask for the BCS back yet the last one will always be remembered for a great finish. This is how a series finales should end.
Charlie.
