2000-2001 SEMIFINALS
#1 Oklahoma (13-0) vs #5 Virginia Tech (12-1)
#2 Florida State (12-1) vs #3 Miami (11-1)
Oklahoma 33 Virginia Tech 14 (OKLA wins 63.4%, avg. score = OKLA 26.8 VT 20.3)
Josh Heupel completed 22 out of 31 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Oklahoma Sooners to a 33-14 win over Virginia Tech, sending the Sooners to the national championship game. Oklahoma took control early, with two long scoring drives in the first quarter to take a 13-0 lead. The Hokies got on the board in the second quarter when Andre’ Kendrick scored on a 4 yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 13-7. A 43 yard Tim Duncan field goal late in the second quarter gave the Sooners a 16-7 lead at halftime. Oklahoma extended the lead in the third quarter on another Duncan field goal and a 9 yard touchdown run from Quentin Griffin to give OU a commanding 26-7 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Sooners put the game away early in the fourth quarter when Griffin scored on a 9 yard touchdown pass from Heupel, putting Oklahoma up 33-7. Virginia Tech scored late in the game on a 1 yard touchdown run by Lee Suggs to make the final score more respectable.
Florida State 24 Miami 10 (FSU wins 76.2%, avg. score = FSU 35.2 MIA 26.9)
Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke passed for 417 yards, and a tough Florida State defense played well in a 24-10 victory over the Miami Hurricanes, sending the Seminoles to the national championship game. The win also avenged a heartbreaking 27-24 last minute loss to the Hurricanes at Miami’s Orange Bowl back in October. The Hurricanes got on the scoreboard first when Ken Dorsey hit Jeremy Shockey on a 52 yard touchdown pass to put Miami up 7-0. They extended the lead to 10-0 midway through the second quarter on a 26 yard Todd Sievers field goal. Late in the second quarter, Weinke hit Atrews Bell on a one yard touchdown pass to cut the Hurricanes’ lead to 10-7 at halftime. The only score of the third quarter came on a 35 yard Brett Cimorelli field goal to tie the score at 10-10. Miami had a chance to take the lead again, but Sievers’ 46 yard field goal was no good, setting up what would turn out to be the game winning drive for Florida State:
Miami would later turn the ball over on downs, and Florida State tacked on an insurance touchdown with a late 10 yard touchdown run from Travis Minor for the 24-10 final score. For the game, the Seminoles outgained the Hurricanes 532-365 and had 32 first downs to Miami’s 16.