The 1997 Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual game. It featured the top ranked Florida State Seminoles, and their heated rivals, the third ranked Florida Gators. It was the designated National Championship Game for the 1996-97 season by the Bowl Alliance. The match up was supposed to feature the top two teams in the nation. However, number two ranked Pac-10 Champions, Arizona State, were contractually obligated to play the number four Big Ten Champions Ohio State, in the Rose Bowl. Florida overcame a loss to Florida State 24-21 in late November of the season, to win 52-20. This, along with a win by Texas over Nebraska in the Big 12 title game and Ohio State’s come from behind victory over Arizona State, helped give the Gators the National Championship.
Florida was led by their Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Danny Wuerffel who threw three touchdown passes, in each of the first three quarters, to Ike Hilliard and ran for another score.
With the victory, Florida claimed its first-ever national championship and Florida State was denied their second national title in four years and gave up the most points since a 59-27 loss against Auburn in 1985.
The victory marked Spurrier’s third win against Bowden in nine tries.
The victory helped erase the memory of the previous season's 62-24 loss to Nebraska in the National Championship Game in the Fiesta Bowl.
Wuerffel became the second Heisman Trophy winner in four years to win a national championship, following Charlie Ward of Florida State in 1993.
Score by Quarter
First Quarter
UF-Hilliard 9 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick)
FSU-FG Bentley 43
UF-FG Edmiston 32
Second Quarter
UF-Taylor 2 run (Edmiston kick)
FSU-Eg Green 29 pass from Busby (Bentley kick)
UF-Hilliard 31 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick)
FSU-Dunn 12 run (Bentley kick)
Third Quarter
FSU-FG Bentley 45
UF-Hilliard 7 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick)
UF-Wuerffel 16 run (Edmiston kick)
Fourth Quarter
UF-T Jackson 42 run (Edmiston kick)
UF-T Jackson 1 run (Edmiston kick)
External links
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Florida Gators bowl games |
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Florida State Seminoles bowl games |
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