Gators stop high-scoring Sooners for BCS crown
Wright’s interception key in win
Friday, January 9, 2009 12:17 PM PST
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| Oklahoma’s Manuel Johnson (1) attempts to catch a pass from Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford during the second quarter of the BCS Championship NCAA college football game in Miami, Thursday. The pass was intercepted by Florida’s Major Wright (21). |
MIAMI (AP) — Major Wright’s sure hands kept the Oklahoma Sooners from grabbing the lead.
With the score tied, Wright snatched an interception near the goal line after three teammates deflected the ball. It was a big defensive play on a night full of them for the Florida Gators, who beat Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS national championship game Thursday.
Twice the Gators stopped Oklahoma inside the 10, including on Wright’s juggling interception. It came when cornerback Joe Haden tipped a Sam Bradford pass. Ryan Stamper and Ahmad Black also got a hand on the ball before Wright hauled it in.
‘‘That play took forever,’’ Wright said. ‘‘Joe Haden made a great play. He knocked down the ball. Stamper ended up hitting up the ball. Somebody else touched the ball, and I was like, ‘Whoa, I have to do something. Let me grab it.’’’
The Sooners scored an NCAA-record 702 points during the regular season, averaging 54 a game. When reaching the opposing 20-yard line, they had scored 76 of 80 times, including 69 touchdowns. But they were stopped twice in the first half by Florida, and later had a field-goal attempt blocked.
‘‘That basically won the game for us,’’ Stamper said. ‘‘We bent but we didn’t break.’’
Coach Urban Meyer’s Gators, who ranked eighth nationally in yards allowed, kept Heisman Trophy winner Bradford guessing with lots of blitzes. The pace of the Sooners’ no-huddle attack gave Florida little trouble.
‘‘We had a whole month to prepare,’’ defensive end Carlos Dunlap said.
‘‘Coach Meyer constantly had the scout team running the ball and the whole defense running no-huddle the whole practice, running faster than Oklahoma actually ran it.’’
With Florida able to keep up, the Sooners failed for the first time this season to score at least 35 points. Bradford went 26-for-41 for 256 yards and was sacked twice. The Sooners were 6-for-15 on third- and fourth-down conversions.
‘‘Our defense was really jacked up to play this game, knowing this was the No. 1 offense in the country and playing against the Heisman Trophy winner,’’ Stamper said. ‘‘They have dynamic players, but we have dynamic players on our defense, too.’’
Oklahoma made 25 first downs but totaled a season-low 363 yards, well below its average of 562.
The Sooners led the nation with only nine turnovers during the regular season, but Black and Wright intercepted Bradford.
