FSU will go down as one of the all-time great teams

PASADENA, Calif. Step aside, 1972 Miami Dolphins.

The 2013 Florida State Seminoles are now the most perfect team in the history of this state and one of the most dominant, dynamic teams in the history of football.

The undefeated No. 1-ranked Seminoles, blowing teams out all season long, cemented their national-championship legacy in a completely different fashion Monday night. This time, with nearly 100,000 fans on the edge of their seats at the Rose Bowl, the surging Seminoles came charging back to beat Auburn 34-31 and finally end the Southeastern Conference's streak of seven straight national championships.

And speaking of streaks, the Seminoles had a streak of their own in the form of true freshman Levonte "Kermit" Whitfield of Orlando Jones High School. The 5-foot-7 world-class sprinter streaked 100 yards with a kickoff return to ignite the Seminoles with 4:30 left in the game, and then FSU won it with 13 seconds remaining when Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston hit Kelvin Benjamin with the game-winning 2-yard touchdown pass.

Florida State, it seems, gave Auburn a taste of its own "team of destiny" medicine. The Tigers have lived on last-second miracles all season, but this time it was FSU that came up with the big plays at the biggest moments on a magical manic Monday night in the storied Rose Bowl.

Winston, playing on his birthday, struggled for much of the game, but played like a champion on the final drive. Even though it was statistically one of Winston's least impressive games, Fisher called it his best game of the season.

"Great players understand great moments," Fisher said. "Anybody can do it when it's their 'A' game night. Very few can do it when it's not their night. To pull it out in this atmosphere with what was on the line if that's not a great player, I don't know what is."

Said Winston of the final drive: "That's what Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees do. That's how you're judged. Any quarterback can go out there and perform when you're up 50-0 in the second quarter. I'm pretty sure I got more respect from my teammates on that last drive than I got the whole year."

Before this thrilling, chilling, fulfilling finish, Seminole Nation was preparing for undeniable disappointment, but instead finished the season with unprecedented dominance. In the span of a few seconds, FSU fans went from infernal dejection to eternal perfection.

Fisher took over for the iconic Bobby Bowden four years ago and now has rebuilt FSU back into the powerhouse program Bowden shepherded in his heyday. This national championship game against Auburn wasn't just any national championship game for the undefeated, unchallenged Seminoles; it was their garnet and golden opportunity at immortality.

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FSU will go down as one of the all-time great teams