1999 Fiesta Bowl

Last updated

1999 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
BCS National Championship Game
28th Fiesta Bowl
Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe Arizona.jpg
Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, hosted the Fiesta Bowl.
1234Total
Florida State090716
Tennessee0140923
DateJanuary 4, 1999
Season 1998
Stadium Sun Devil Stadium
Location Tempe, Arizona
MVP Peerless Price, WR
Dwayne Goodrich, CB
Favorite Florida State by 5½
National anthem Southwest Iowa and Mountain Pointe High School bands
Referee Bill Richardson (Pac-10)
Attendance80,470
United States TV coverage
Network ABC
Announcers Keith Jackson, Bob Griese
Fiesta Bowl
 < 1997 (Dec) 2000 > 
College football championship game
 < 1998 (Bowl Alliance) 2000 > 

The 1999 Fiesta Bowl, the designated BCS National Championship Game for the 1998 season, was played on January 4, 1999, in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil Stadium. The teams were the Tennessee Volunteers and Florida State Seminoles. Tennessee entered the contest undefeated and number one in the major polls, while Florida State had won 10 straight games after a Week 2 loss to NC State. Florida State sophomore QB Chris Weinke was injured in Florida State's final ACC game of the regular season and did not participate in the championship game. Ultimately, Tennessee won their sixth claimed national championship and first since 1967 by defeating the Seminoles, 23–16. The game was the first BCS National Championship.

Contents

Game summary

First half

After a scoreless first quarter, Tennessee's QB Tee Martin fired a 4-yard touchdown pass to FB Shawn Bryson for the Vols to open up an early 7–0 lead. Bryson's TD came after the Vols took a Jeff Hall field goal off the board due to a roughing-the-kicker penalty. Shortly thereafter, Florida State had the ball near midfield. Seminoles QB Marcus Outzen threw an interception to Vol CB Dwayne Goodrich who was covering WR Peter Warrick, and it was returned 54 yards for a touchdown; thus, Tennessee opened up a 14–0 lead. The two scores both occurred in the first 25 seconds of the second quarter. Goodrich's interception changed the complexion of the game and forced Florida State to play from behind.

Florida State did get on the board later in the second quarter with a 1-yard run by FB William McCray, but Sebastian Janikowski missed an extra point off the crossbar, so the score stood at 14–6. At the end of the half, Janikowski drilled a 34-yard field goal, and the lead was cut to 14–9.

Second half

The second half saw a new challenge for the Vols, who were clinging to a narrow lead. Cornerback Dwayne Goodrich, who had the interception for a touchdown in the first half, was unable to play in the second half due to an ankle injury. He was replaced by Gerald Griffin, who had not seen much action that season. Griffin was assigned to cover Warrick, and did an adequate job, limiting Warrick to one catch for the game.

The Vol defense, as a unit, also held its own. Once again, both teams failed to score for an entire quarter. After the scoreless third quarter, the Vols got back on the scoreboard again. Tee Martin fired a 79-yard touchdown pass to Peerless Price, and the Vols claimed a 20–9 lead after a missed extra point by K Jeff Hall.

Later, Tennessee added a 23-yard field goal by Hall, and the lead extended to 23–9. But Florida State was not conceding the outcome yet. Seminole quarterback Marcus Outzen scrambled for a 7-yard touchdown, capping a Florida State drive, and the lead was cut to 23–16. With less than 2 minutes to go in the game, Tennessee RB Travis Henry fumbled and turned the ball over to Florida State. [1] However, Outzen threw an errant pass that was intercepted by CB Steve Johnson, which sealed the victory and the national championship for the Vols. [2]

Scoring summary

Scoring PlayScore
First Quarter
No Scoring
2nd Quarter
Tennessee: Shawn Bryson 4-yard pass from Tee Martin (Jeff Hall kick), 14:05Tennessee 7–0
Tennessee: Dwayne Goodrich 54-yard interception return (Hall kick), 13:40Tennessee 14–0
Florida State: William McGray 1-yard run (kick failed), 8:59Tennessee 14–6
Florida State: Sebastian Janikowski 34-yard field goal, 1:17Tennessee 14–9
Third Quarter
No Scoring
Fourth Quarter
Tennessee: Peerless Price 79-yard pass from Martin (kick failed), 9:17Tennessee 20–9
Tennessee: Hall 23-yard field goal, 6:01Tennessee 23–9
Florida State: Marcus Outzen 7-yard run (Janikowski kick), 3:42Tennessee 23–16

Highlights

SEC and National Championship rings for the 1998 Tennessee Vols 98TennRings.JPG
SEC and National Championship rings for the 1998 Tennessee Vols

See also

References

  1. Taylor, Noah (January 4, 2019). "Jan. 4, 1999: No. 1 Tennessee knocks off No. 2 Florida St. to cap off undefeated season". Vols Wire. USA Today. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  2. "Tennessee 23, Florida State 16". UPI. January 5, 1999. Retrieved April 11, 2025.
  3. ""Pandemonium Reigns" as Tennessee Wins BCS National Championship". University of Tennessee Athletics. January 4, 1999. Retrieved April 11, 2025.