European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 03, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I voters choose seminoles the stars and stripes january 1994 Page 40 Miami a Bobby Bowden and Florida state won their first National championship sunday finishing no. 1 in the associated press College football poll after beating then no. 2 Nebraska 18-16 in the Orange bowl. Florida state also won the Usa today can coaches championship. The seminoles received 36 first place votes in that poll 11 More than no. 2 notre Dame. The seminoles who came close to win Ning the title the last six seasons retained their top a ranking when Nebraska s Byron Bennett missed a 45-Yard Field goal on the final play saturday night. Florida state 12-1 easily beat out no. Fla. St. Sidesteps huskers behind Bentley s 4 Fps by Rick Warner a football writer Miami this time the other team missed. There was no wide right saturday night for Florida state and no More heart break for Bobby Bowden. The National championship that has eluded him for so Long arrived when Nebraska missed a Field goal in the chaotic final seconds of one of the wildest Orange bowls Ever. In a game that became a Battle of kick ers it was seminoles freshman Scott Bentley who booted the Winner from 22 Yards out with 21 seconds left to give no.1 Florida state an 18-16 Victory Over no. 2 Nebraska that should keep them atop the associated press poll. But the breathtaking Victory came Only after Nebraska kicker Byron Bennett missed wide left from 45 Yards on the final play of the game. I was thinking we were going to end up getting beat of a Field goal again said Bowden whose Florida state teams Likely lost two National titles when they missed game ending Field goals wide right to Miami in 1991 and 1992. We be lost National championships by missing kicks Bowden said. Tonight we finally won one when somebody else missed a kick. I found out the difference wide left instead of wide  the game was anything but the blow out Many expected. The Cor huskers who came in As 17-Point underdog de spite an 11-0 record held Florida state to a season Low in Points and Yards and Orange bowl stayed close despite losing big eight Rushing Leader Calvin Jones in the second Quarter with a separated shoulder. Bentley provided much of the offence for normally High scoring Florida state kicking an Orange bowl record tying four Field goals. But Heisman trophy Winner Charlie Ward who completed 24 of 43 passes for 286 Yards was the game s most valuable player despite getting sacked five times and failing to throw a to pass for just the third time this season. Nebraska had taken a 16-15 Lead with lr6 remaining on a 27-Yard Field goal by Bennett who had t made a Field goal in sch weeks. But Florida state 12-1 took Over on its 35 and marched 60 Yards in eight plays to set up the game winning Field goal by Bentley a highly recruited player who passed up a scholarship offer from notre Dame. The drive was helped by a pass interference Call and a late hit against Nebraska which was Hurt by penalties throughout the game. After Bentley s Field goal Nebraska got the Ball on us 43 with 14 seconds left and reached the Florida state 28 on a pass from Tommy Frazier to Trumane Bell As time apparently ran out. Players and fans ran onto the Field but officials restored one second on the clock setting up the 45-Yard Field goal at tempt by Bennett. He appeared to slip As he planted to hit the Ball and the kick went wide left As time expired.  see Page 33 2 notre Dame 11-1 for the title even though the fighting Irish handed the seminoles their Only defeat 31-24, at South Bend on nov. 13.  the seminoles received 46 of 62 first place votes and 1,532 Points in voting by a nationwide panel of writers and Broad casters. Notre Dame which moved up from no. 4, got 12 first place votes and 1,478 Points after beating Texas am 24-21 in the Cotton bowl. Nebraska 11-1 dropped one spot to no. 3 in the a poll. The other four first place votes went to no. 4 Auburn 11-0the Only undefeated team in division i a. The tigers coached by Bowden s son Terry were barred from postseason play because of Mcaa probation. West Virginia 11-1 fell from no. 3 to no. 7 following a 41-7 Joss to Florida in the sugar bowl. The Victory moved the gators 11-2 up three spots to no. 5. Wisconsin 10-1-1 jumped three notches to no. 6 with a 21-16 Victory Over Urcla in the Rose bowl. Rounding out the top 10 were Penn state 10-2texas am 10-2 and Arizona 10-2. Miami fell from no. 10 to no. 15, end ing a Streak of 137 consecutive appear ances in the top 10 that began during the 1985 season. Playing to the crowd Wisconsin s John rhymes exhorts the crowd during the closing minutes of the badgers 21-16 Rose bowl Victory Over Urcla on saturday in Pasadena Calif. Ignoring the Call to celebrate is Rose bowl map Brent Moss 33. See Story on Page 36. Freshman kicker fulfils his port of plan championship Florida state coach Bobby Bowden made a bit of a Deal with the Devil. He promised a High school kid a starting Job. It paid off saturday night. Miami a looking for the miss Down to it i knew i could come  finishes among the nation s top four ing piece in his quest for a National Bentley tied an Orange bowl record teams including three stops at no 2omnsn pwn a. In a who four Fidd Goa a his previous Singie. Persuaded the Veteran coach to take a game Best was two. Chance. A freshman from Aurora colo., Bent Bentley s winning kick capped a 60 by was the most highly recruited kicker Yard eight play drive that began with 76in the nation a year ago. Bowden sought second remain in freshman Scott Bentley kicked a 22 help for a kicking game that had Cost a cronus a Coaming Yard Field goal with 21 seconds left lifting Florida state heavily the past two years the top ranked seminoles past no. 2 be when last minute Field goal attempts sail Braska 18-16 in the Orange bowl. De wide right in narrow losses to Miami. They said from Day one that i was Bowden s Promise to Bentley was the Here to win the National championship. I first time he had made such a vow in 28 never really believed it but when it came years As a head coach. But six straight he also kicked Field goals of 34 25 and go egg go egg jg"2js. I hit it Well. I looked up and it split the uprights. I could t believe it. I had tears in my  he jumped into arms of Holder andro mate Dan Kanell. 39 Yards but missed wide Leff from 47 Yards in the first Quarter. When i missed that first one i told myself i was t going to miss any More. I thought it might be a close  the game became a Duel of Field goals in the final moments. Byron Bennett hit a 27-yarder to give Nebraska a 16-15 Lead with 1 16 to go but missed a 45-Yard at tempt wide left on the final play. When they spotted the Ball at the 28, i thought i had just two minutes of glory. Then he missed and it was a dream come True Bentley said. 0"246850"000504." \