It's Official: Oklahoma To Play In BCS National Title Game

Dec. 3, 2000

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(AP) - Whatever system college football uses to decide a national champion, Florida State always seems to be in the mix.

For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Seminoles will play for a national title -- this time No. 3 Florida State (11-1) goes against No. 1 Oklahoma (12-0) in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3.

In the third season of the Bowl Championship Series, the system of rating teams using polls, computers, schedule strength and losses had the Seminoles second behind the Sooners in the final BCS standings released Sunday.

The matchup creates the possibility of split national champions. The ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll and AP Top 25 -- the two polls that select national champions -- both have Oklahoma and Miami ranked 1-2. If Florida State beats Oklahoma and Miami beats Florida in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, there's a chance for co-champions. Miami defeated Florida State 27-24 on Oct. 7.

In the final AP media poll, the sports writers and broadcasters vote independently of the BCS, while the coaches' poll crowns the Orange Bowl winner its champion.

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said the BCS formula shows his Seminoles are worthy of playing in the Orange Bowl.

"Everything was run through the computer," Bowden said. "We had nothing to do with it. The facts were fed in during the season and it came out ranking us second. We will accept that. I'm not turning it down."

Miami coach Butch Davis said his team did all it could to reach the BCS title game, but he had no choice but to accept a Sugar Bowl bid.

"Regardless of how it turned out, it can't take anything away from our great season," Davis said. "We had some great games, against Florida State and then Virginia Tech. We've won nine in a row and did everything we think we could have."

Florida State (11-1) is trying to become just the seventh school to win back-to-back national crowns and the first since Nebraska did it in 1994-95.

Oklahoma, the nation's only major unbeaten team after its 27-24 win over Kansas State in the Big 12 title game Saturday night, is gunning for its seventh national title and first since 1985.

The teams last met in the Orange Bowl in 1981, with the Sooners winning 18-17.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

It's Official: Oklahoma To Play In BCS National Title Game

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