The late-hit controversy that began after the team's regular season meeting intensified when the Texas Longhorns upset third-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big 12 Championship Game and Florida defeated Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, creating an FSU–UF rematch in the Sugar Bowl. Spurrier continued to complain to the press about the issue while FSU coach Bobby Bowden responded that he thought the hits in question were clean while admitting that "we just hit to the echo of the whistle instead of the whistle." The Sugar Bowl match-up gained even more importance the night before the game when the second-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils lost to the fourth-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl, making the contest between the No. 3 Gators and the No. 1 Seminoles the de facto national championship game. To counter FSU's pass rush, Spurrier installed the shotgun formation in an attempt to give quarterback Danny Wuerffel more time to throw. The plan worked, as the Gators turned a close game (it was 24–20 early in the second half) into a 52–20 rout behind Wuerffel's 306 yards and three touchdown passes, earning the Gators their first national championship. 1997: Greatest game ever played in the Swamp Florida State entered the game ranked No. 1 and a double-digit favorite over No. 10 Florida. After a pregame fight, the Gators drove the ball 83 yards for a touchdown on the opening series. Spurrier implemented a two-quarterback system with Doug Johnson and senior walk-on Noah Brindise, and rotated the two nearly every play. Florida State led 17–6 early in the second quarter after Seminoles quarterback Thad Busby found tight end Melvin Pearsall for a five-yard touchdown. The Gators fought back, however, as wide receiver Travis McGriff caught a touchdown from Johnson, and running back Fred Taylor scored from the 4-yard line to put Florida ahead 18–17 at halftime. In the second half, kicker Sebastian Janikowski boomed his second of three field goals to put Florida State back on top, but Taylor responded with a 61-yard touchdown run to retake the lead, 25–20. Seminoles running back Travis Minor scored on an 18-yard touchdown run, to give Florida State a 26–25 lead. The first twelve minutes of the fourth quarter were scoreless, but the Seminoles drove inside the Gators' 5-yard line until the Gators defense, led by Jevon Kearse and Mike Peterson, stopped the 'Noles on three consecutive running plays