Between The Hashes: The good the bad and the ugly from FSU's national title win

Posted January 07, 2014

Youre a champion now, Jameis. Its OK. Let it all out. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Its the end of the BCS. Lets take a second to remember the good, the bad and the only in college football moments from the last 16 seasons. Pasadena delivered an unforgettable sendoff on Monday night, with Florida State edging Auburn 34-31 in a thrilling game that came down to the final seconds. With a slow burn through the first three quarters, this contest had a spacey feel to it. Then the beat dropped and all the beeps and bloops came raining down so fast that fans barely had time to keep up.

Here are a few awards and thoughts from Mondays wonderful game. Dont come down from that high too quickly. The crushing depths of the offseason will hit us all soon enough.

14-0:That was the record of teamsleading at the half in BCS championship games coming into Monday nights showdown. The Tigers led 21-10 at intermission, and the Seminoles appeared overmatched and confused. Things changed after the break, however, as Florida State chipped away bit by bit, slicing the score to 21-20 before Auburn kicked a 22-yard field goal with 4:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Then madness ensued. Levonte (Kermit) Whitfield broke free for a 100-yard kick-return touchdown to put the Seminoles up 27-24, and then Tigers running back Tre Mason scampered for a 37-yard score that temporarily looked like the game-winner.

It wasnt. Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston hit wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin from two yards out with 13 seconds to play, and the above stat went from 14-0 to 14-1.

Winstons game-winning touchdown pass narrowly beat out Whitfields thrilling return and Masons impressive touchdown run. Three plays in rapid succession, like some sort of Wagner-orchestrated crescendo.

Shout out to the special teamers. How important were the punts in Monday nights game? An Auburn punt pinned the Seminoles at their own two-yard line in the first quarter. A poor Florida State punt led to the Tigers first touchdown of the game. A successful fake punt gave Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher and his team new life late in the first half.

Auburn fumbled three kicks or punts and somehow recovered them all. Then, of course, there was Whitfields return, which reinvigorated Florida State, giving the Seminoles their first lead since 3-0 in the first quarter.

Kicking matters. Kicking is back en vogue. Wear it with pride and confidence.

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Between The Hashes: The good the bad and the ugly from FSU's national title win