1998 NCAA Bowl Preview
College football finally has a National Championship game pitting No. 1 against No. 2. Getting there was the tricky part. After a wild weekend full of major upsets and some exhaustive computer work, the stage is set -- it will be the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers facing off with the second-ranked Seminoles of Florida State on January 4 to determine the top dog of the gridiron.
Both teams may be know for their defense, but both are plagued by injuries on the other side of the ball. Florida State will be without quarterback Chris Weinke, who suffered a severe neck injury earlier this season, while the Vols running back Jamal Lewis is doubtful to return from a knee injury.
The keys for Tennessee will be to shut down Peter Warrick and rush the passer. With a young quarterback like Marcus Outzen leading the Florida State offense, taking away his primary receiver and forcing him to throw the ball early should create opportunities for the aggressive Volunteer defense, which held Mississippi State to just 145 yards (including 48 in the second half) and forced three turnovers in the SEC Championship.
Defensively for Florida State, they need to shut down the passing game. Without Lewis in the lineup, coach Phillip Fulmer has really opened up the passing attack. The pressure will be on the Seminole defensive backs to keep with outstanding wideouts Peerless Price, Cedrick Wilson, and Jeremaine Copeland. Also, Tennessee will be without offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe, who left after Saturday night's game to take over as head coach at Mississippi.
But the main advantage FSU seems to have is the fact that they have nothing to lose. Until last Saturday, when both Kansas State and UCLA fell as upset victims, the Seminoles weren't even supposed to be playing for the title. That mentality should have the team relaxed and ready to try anything offensively -- perhaps a few gimmick plays? Add to that the fact that Bowden is undefeated in in four appearances in the Fiesta Bowl, and the mental edge certainly goes to Florida State.
The Gators will have to contend with the Big East champion Orangemen, who at 8-3 have been inconsistant. When they're on, though, they have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation, averaging 42.5 points per game this season while topping 60 points in different three games this year. Senior quarterback Donovan McNabb has accounted for 30 touchdowns this season, 22 passing and eight rushing, and has thrown for 2,134 yards this season.
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