NCAA Football Recap (Ohio St-Florida St)
Posted: Fri January 2, 1998 at 1:38 a.m EST
Thad Busby threw for a touchdown and ran for another score as
Florida State assured itself of a top-five ranking
for the 11th straight season with a 31-14 victory over Ohio
State in the Sugar Bowl at New Orleans, Louisiana.
Busby completed 22-of-33 passes for 334 yards and two
interceptions as Florida State (11-1) improved to 17-8-2
all-time in bowl games. E.G. Green caught seven passes for 176
yards and a touchdown and was named Most Valuable Player.
"I want to thank our players and coaches for the job they did,
but also thank the Sugar Bowl for the job they did," said
Florida State coach Bobby Bowden. "We're glad to win this
ballgame and get back on the winning track. Last year, when we
lost here, we stopped an 11-game winning streak (in bowls). Now
we have 12 out of 13."
"It's been a dream more than anything," Green said. "When I
came here I was a fifth, sixth-string guy. God's blessed me and
I kept working hard and I thank God for the blessings He gave
me."
Pepe Pearson carried 22 times for 60 yards for Ohio State
(10-3), which fell to 13-17 in the postseason. Buckeyes
quarterbacks Stanley Jackson and Joe Germaine combined to go
16-of-36 for 207 yards with one TD and three interceptions.
"We got beat by an outstanding football team. They're a big,
strong defensive football team and they kept relentless pressure
on us the entire ballgame," said Ohio State coach John Cooper.
On the last play of the opening quarter, Busby hooked up with
Green for a 27-yard scoring pass to give the Seminoles the lead
for good, 7-3.
Ohio State appeared to regain the lead but an unsportsmanlike
penalty nullified holder Brent Bartholomew's four-yard TD pass
to tight end John Lumpkin on a fake field goal. Lumpkin was
flagged for not reporting to the huddle, and after a false
start, Dan Stultz missed a 42-yard field goal attempt with 11:28
left in the second quarter.
"We borrowed that from Michigan State," Cooper said about the
fake fiald goal. I covered that with the officials before the
game. I thought we executed the play like I told them to. We
thought we had it set up but they (referees) didn't see it that
way. He (Lumpkin) was inside the mark, but not when the ball
was marked for play."
Busby scampered nine yards on a quarterback draw, giving Florida
State a 14-3 advantage with 3:25 to go in the second. Safety
Shevin Smith intercepted Germaine and returned it 30 yards to
the Ohio State 24, setting up the final score of the first half.
After an offsides penalty on the Buckeyes, Busby tossed a
17-yard pass to running back Travis Minor and William McCray
plunged in from one yard to make it 21-3 with 10 seconds left in
the opening half. Minor carried 12 times for 53 yards, while
McCray's only two rushes were a pair of one-yard scores.
On the first possession of the third quarter, Stultz capped a
13-play, 80-yard drive with a 35-yard field goal to cut Florida
State's lead to 21-6. After holding the Seminoles on the
following possession, the Buckeyes had a chance to cut the
deficit again but Stultz missed a 46-yard field goal. On the
Seminoles ensuing possession, defensive tackle Winfield Garnet
chased Busby out of bounds in the end zone to pull the Buckeyes
within 21-8 with 73 seconds to go in the third.
Defensive end Andre Wadsworth intercepted Jackson to set up
Sebastian Janikowski's 34-yard field goal, giving the Seminoles
a 24-8 cushion four seconds into the fourth. John Lumpkin made
a shoestring catch of Germaine's pass and went all the way for a
50-yard TD just under six minutes later and Ohio State cut the
lead to 24-14 after the two-point conversion pass was
incomplete.
McCray's one-yard plunge capped a seven-play, 59-yard drive and
closed the scoring with 44 seconds left.
Ohio State held its only lead at 3-0 lead when Stultz kicked a
40-yard field goal with 1:56 left in the first. Busby was
intercepted by safety Damon Moore on the second play from
scrimmage. After Ohio State went three and out, the Seminoles
drove to the Buckeyes 8, keyed by Minor's 22-yard run and
Busby's 15-yard pass to Green. But cornerback Ahmed Plummer
intercepted Busby in the end zone on a 3rd-and-goal from the 8.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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