1997 Sugar Bowl

The 1997 Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual Sugar Bowl game and served as the Bowl Alliance's designated national championship game for the 1996 season. It featured the top-ranked Florida State Seminoles, and their heated rivals, the third ranked Florida Gators, whom the Seminoles had previously defeated 24–21 in the final game of the regular season. Florida defeated Florida State in their Sugar Bowl rematch in convincing fashion, with a final score of 52–20, and with the victory, earned its first-ever consensus national championship.

The Gators were led by their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Danny Wuerffel who threw three touchdown passes to Ike Hilliard and ran for another score. Wuerffel became the second Heisman Trophy-winner in four years to win a national championship, following Charlie Ward of Florida State in 1993.

Third-ranked Florida was invited to the Bowl Alliance's designated national championship game for the 1996-97 season because the Pac-10 Conference champion was contractually obligated to play in the Rose Bowl, and unavailable to participate in the Bowl Alliance. As a result, the second-ranked Pac-10 champion, Arizona State, played the fourth-ranked Big Ten champion, Ohio State, in the Rose Bowl. When Ohio State defeated second-ranked Arizona State in the Rose Bowl the day prior, the Sugar Bowl winner was all but assured of winning the consensus national championship.

Score by quarter

First quarter
UF-TD Hilliard 9 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick) 9:48
FSU-FG Bentley 43 7:49
UF-FG Edmiston 32 2:44
Second quarter
UF-TD Taylor 2 run (Edmiston kick) 11:28
FSU-TD Eg Green 29 pass from Busby (Bentley kick) 7:28
UF-TD Hilliard 31 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick) 5:18
FSU-TD Dunn 12 run (Bentley kick) 0:40
Third quarter
FSU-FG Bentley 45 10:24
UF-TD Hilliard 7 pass from Wuerffel (Edmiston kick) 5:43
UF-TD Wuerffel 16 run (Edmiston kick) 0:13
Fourth quarter
UF-TD T Jackson 42 run (Edmiston kick) 8:52
UF-TD T Jackson 1 run (Edmiston kick) 2:12

References

1996–97 NCAA football bowl game season

Las Vegas (Dec. 19) Aloha (Dec. 25) Carquest (Dec. 27) Liberty (Dec. 27) Copper (Dec. 27) Peach (Dec. 28) Alamo (Dec. 29) Holiday (Dec. 30) Independence (Dec. 31) Sun (Dec. 31) Outback (Jan. 1) Cotton (Jan. 1) Gator (Jan. 1) Florida Citrus (Jan. 1) Rose (Jan. 1)

Bowl Alliance games: Orange (Dec. 31) Fiesta (Jan. 1) Sugar (Jan. 2)

Sugar Bowl Game

History Tulane Stadium Georgia Dome Mercedes-Benz Superdome College Football Playoff Broadcasters Tie-Ins Southeastern Conference Big 12 Conference

Games	1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 (Jan) 1972 (Dec) 1973 1974 1975 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 (Jan) 1995 (Dec) 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Notes	The 2006 game was played in Atlanta, Georgia because of Hurricane Katrina. Bolded years indicate the game was also the national championship game for Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, or Bowl Championship Series.

Florida Gators bowl games

Pound sign (#) denotes national championship game.

Florida State Seminoles bowl games

Pound sign (#) denotes national championship game.

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