- National Championship game – (3) FSU vs (4) BYU – Atlanta, GA
o ESPN is fascinated by this match up and the whole “Cinderella Cougars” story has taken over the national media. Holmoe even announces an ESPN 30-for-30 on BYU football and Lavell’s influence on college football that will come out later that summer. Needless to say the extra attention is well deserved and also long-awaited.
o FSU stomped BYU the last two times they played…once in 2009 in LES derailing a top-10 ranking and the early season “national championship” buzz and then the next year with Heaps at the helm. BYU is looking to avenge both losses and realizes they have their hands full.
o To counter the speed on the edges Ty depends on the strength of his OL and reverts back to many double-TE sets and a simple “ground and pound” game that will keep BYU’s defense fresh and take the ball out of Francois’ hands. For the first half this works. BYU has drives of 11 plays (8+ minutes), 7 plays (4+ minutes) and 15 plays (10+ minutes). They own the TOP battle 24 to 6 at halftime! Miraculously BYU made 2 FG’s and Tanner found Bushman in the endzone for a TD but they still find themselves down 14-13 as FSU scored twice in rapid succession in the 2nd quarter after a BYU drive was cut short on a Tanner INT.
o Ty holds true to his plan but works a bit more play-action into the play calling and lets Tanner do his thing a bit more in the 2nd half. While this leads to shorter drives and giving FSU the ball more BYU’s D shows they are up to the task and, amazingly, have the speed at most positions to at least keep close to FSU’s athletic stars. Specifically, the Warner brothers come up with several huge plays in the 3rd quarter. After Francois scrambled into the endzone to put FSU up 21-13, Troy gets his 4th pick of the season and a beautiful read, leading to a BYU TD a few plays later. On the next drive Fred strips the FSU RB on a fly sweep and falls on the ball as it rolls out of bounds. The call was that he recovered at it was BYU’s ball…the replay “stands” and BYU punches it into the endzone one more time when Tolutao plows his way in from 5 yards out. BYU takes a 27-21 edge heading into the 4th.
o The teams mostly exchange punts for the fourth quarter and Kaufusi, who’s NFL stock is rising higher and higher, also bats down 2 fourth-quarter pass attempts and forces a 3rd and long, with only 2:45 left. Francis Bernard sacks Francois and FSU has a decision to make on 4th and forever from their own 35. They opt to punt and use their 3 timeouts to try and get the ball back. They successfully pin BYU down inside the 15 yard line.
o Ty tries to get cute and calls a QB roll out but sure-handed MLP drops the pass and now the clock stops. Squally is stuffed for no gain and now BYU has 3rd and 10 and there’s still 1:40 left. Since FSU still has 2 time outs left BYU takes a risk and goes for the first down rather than force FSU to use their timeout. Tanner is pressured, steps up in the pocket and it collapses on itself…sack. FSU calls a time out…1:29 left.
o Linehan joked afterward that he called his own number on the play, but instead he sent a booming 60 yard punt down the field. FSU first down on the FSU 30 yard line…1:22 remaining. Francois hits his TE for a 9 yard completion, then scrambles for 12. After PBU’s by Hanneman and Lake, he scrambles again for a first down. FSU uses their last time out. 1st down on the BYU 31, :44 remaining, FSU needs a TD to win. This time Warner chases down Francois has he tries to escape the pocket and tackles him in bounds on a scramble…clock is ticking down. Showing his youth, he spikes the ball rather than calling a quick out and now it’s 3rd and 9 from the 32 with only :29 left. A pass over the middle is caught and then dropped when Lake lays the wood on him. A fourth down play seems to be going no where until Francois spots his WR breaking toward the endzone…he heaves it off the wrong foot and his WR makes a miraculous grab and falls out of bounds. 1st down on the BYU 6 with 4 seconds left!
o Greg Wrubell can hardly announce the game b/c he’s giving mouth-to-mouth to Lyons who’s apparently passed out b/c of the drama!
o FSU doesn’t have a timeout to set up a play so Francois calls it from the line…their slot back comes in motion and is pushed back in some apparent confusion. Upon snapping the ball Francois rolls to his right and the TE and slot WR are doing shallow outs toward the endzone. Lake has the TE covered but the slot WR is wide open in the flat…Pili, who has been an unheralded star on the DL, sheds his blocker and dives at Francois’ legs, Francois hurdles him but the delay gives Hanneman time to come down and absolutely blow up the receiver as soon as he catches the ball, stuffing him at the 1 yard line. The call on the field is that he’s short. After review the call is “confirmed”…game over.
o BYU is the National Champion, while Lavell smiles down from heaven above!