Whatever the reason, the Bears didn't play at the high level seen throughout the year, and that simply wasn't good enough against a solid game-planner like George O'Leary. But that tends to be the case when your team is a 17-point favorite and looking for its first-ever BCS bowl win. Bortles finished with 301 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions, and the Knights finished with the biggest win in school history and perhaps the biggest upset in BCS history.įor Baylor fans, the disappointment is palpable. Baylor's offense had some success, including a head-over-heels touchdown from quarterback Bryce Petty, but Blake Bortles and the Knights were better than the Bears over the course of the entire game. " How long can UCF keep up, from a big-play perspective?" That was the biggest question entering this game. For the Noles, this might only have been the start - they are in a position to make this a lengthy run of excellence. The Seminoles came back from a 21-3 deficit in the first half to pull off the victory, cementing their place as one of the best teams of the BCS era. After a couple of incredible come-from-behind wins that were necessary just to place Auburn in the national championship game, it was a difficult way to go out.įlorida State, meanwhile, accomplished what was expected of it by just about everybody during the month leading up to the game, just not in the way anyone anticipated. When Tre Mason bruised his way into the end zone to give the Tigers a four-point lead in the final 90 seconds, it appeared that Auburn's miraculous bounce-back season would have a happy ending, but that score ultimately meant nothing but heartbreak.
For the first time all year, Florida State had to rally late to secure a victory, but the Seminoles answered that challenge in dramatic fashion, topping Auburn with a touchdown in the final minute. The final game of the BCS era couldn't have been more compelling, and it was also a fitting end to a college football season with a lot of twists but one overriding theme: the outstanding play of Florida State. Miss any bowl games so far? We've got you covered here, with links to more coverage for each, mini-recaps, and some fun stuff along the way.