1998 Game Recap / Allstate Sugar Bowl

64th Annual Sugar Bowl Classic ~ January 1, 1998
#5 Florida State 31 (Final: 12-1, #4)
#9 Ohio State 14 (Final: 10-4, #9)

In the Bowl's first ACC-Big 10 matchup, FSU used a wide-open offensive and defensive attack to thwart OSU's more traditional style of play in front of a New Year's Day crowd of 67,289. Seminole QB Thad Busby passed for 334 yards and one touchdown and the FSU defense blanketed Buckeye quarterbacks and registered six sacks and three interceptions to give FSU the victory.

Seminole receiver E.G. Green received Most Outstanding Player honors scoring the Seminoles' only passing touchdown, a 46-yard first quarter strike from Busby. Green also tallied a game-high 176 receiving yards.

OSU jumped on the scoreboard first, 3-0, off a 40-yard field goal by Dan Stultz, but FSU retaliated with 21-straight points and took a 21-3 lead into halftime. The Buckeyes shut out FSU in the third quarter and mustered five points of their own. Down 24-8 just seconds into the fourth quarter, OSU gained new life as Joe Germaine hit John Lumpkin on a 50-yard bomb to cut FSU's lead to 24-14. But the Buckeyes couldn't generate any offense on their next possessions and the Seminoles went ahead 31-14 on a William McCray rushing touchdown with 47 seconds left to play.

Louisiana Superdome
Att: 67,289

Florida State   7   14   0   10   -   31
Ohio State   3   0   5   6   -   14

SCORING SUMMARY
OSU: Stultz 40-yard field goal
FSU: Green 27-yard pass from Busby (Janikowski kick)
FSU: Busby 9-yard run (Janikowski kick)
FSU: McCray 1-yard run (Janikowski kick)
OSU: Stultz 34-yard field goal
OSU: Safety
FSU: Janikowski 35-yard field goal
OSU: Lumpkin 50-yard pass from Germaine (Pass failed)
FSU: McCray 1-yard run (Janikowsk kick)

   Florida State   Team Statistics   Ohio State
   18   First Downs   21
   60   Rushing Yards   118
   22-33-2   Passing   16-36-3
   334   Passing Yards   207
   394   Total Yards   325
   6-42.7   Punts   7-45.4
   0-0   Fumbles - Lost   1-0
   9-74   Penalties - Yards   10-70

Rushing
FSU: Minor 12-53; Feaster 2-10
OSU: Pearson 22-60; Keller 6-20

Passing
FSU: Busby 22-33-2, 334 yards, 1 TD
OSU: Germaine 10-26-2, 173 yards, 1 TD

Receiving
FSU: Green 7-176, 1 TD; Warrick 3-82
OSU: Miller 6-79; Lumpkin 2-61, 1 TD

Miller-Digby Award recipient: E.G. Green, Florida State flanker