Ducks Are Too Hot to Handle

The University of Oregon and the University of Florida State played in the first ever inaugural College Football Playoffs.

The 12-1, Pac–12 champion, No. 2-ranked Ducks defeated the then 13-0 ACC Champion Florida State Seminoles, 59-20, in the Rose Bowl.

The Oregon Ducks ran 81 plays while picking up 30 first downs and 639 yards on offense. The Ducks had two turnovers and possessed the ball for 27 minutes, 17 seconds.

The Seminoles, on the other hand, ran 87 plays and picked up only 28 first downs. The Seminoles only picked up 528 yards on offense, 180 of it coming on the ground, and controlled the ball for 32 minutes, 43 seconds. That was not the distinct factor though. It was the Ducks stingy defense that forced five Seminole turnovers.

The game was close at halftime, but the Ducks pulled away in the second half.

Jameis Winston dropped back just out of the redzone and dropped the ball.  An Oregon defensive end scooped it up and ran it back for the touchdown.

That was pretty much the icing on the cake for the Ducks–and the dagger in coffin for the Seminoles.

“The game was a great game to watch,” senior Matt Hook said.

Marcus Mariota threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns while Jameis Winston threw for 348 yards and one touchdown.

The Seminoles just never got anything going, and the Ducks were too hot to handle.