2009 BCS National Championship Game


The 2009 BCS National Championship Game was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 [NCAA Division I FBS football season], and featured the second-ranked 2008 [Florida Gators football team|Florida Gators] against the top-ranked 2008 [Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma Sooners]. The two participants were determined by the BCS Rankings to decide the BCS National Championship. Television coverage in the United States was provided by Fox, and radio coverage by ESPN Radio. The game was the last BCS Championship to air on Fox; starting with the 2010 [BCS National Championship Game|2010 game], ABC or ESPN televised the championship.
Tim Tebow's two touchdown passes and Percy Harvin's two-yard touchdown run led the Florida Gators to their second BCS National Championship in three seasons. The Gators defeated the Oklahoma Sooners, 24–14, in front of a Dolphin Stadium record crowd of 78,468.

Road to the championship

University of Oklahoma

The Sooners, coached by Bob Stoops, lost one game during their regular season to 2008 [Texas Longhorns football team|Texas] in the annual Red River Rivalry contest, 45-35 on October 11. During the regular season, quarterback Sam Bradford, winner of the 2008 Heisman Trophy, led the Sooners on offense to become the highest-scoring team in NCAA history and the first team to score 60 or more points in five consecutive games. The game was Oklahoma's fourth BCS Championship appearance.

University of Florida

The 2008 Florida Gators football season was marked by a powerful combination of dynamic offense and relentless defense. Under head coach Urban Meyer, the team, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow, finished the regular season with a 12-1 record, showcasing a potent spread offense and a formidable defense that consistently stifled opponents. Key victories included a thrilling win against rival Georgia and a dominant performance in the SEC Championship game against Alabama.

Scoring summary

Scoring

;First quarter
  • No scoring
;Second quarter
;Third quarter
;Fourth quarter
  • OKLA — Jermaine Gresham 11-yard pass from Bradford, 12:13 FLA 14 - OKLA 14.
  • FLA — Jonathan Phillips 27-yard field goal, 10:45 FLA 17 - OKLA 14.
  • FLA — David Nelson 4-yard pass from Tim Tebow, 3:07 FLA 24 - OKLA 14.

    Statistics

  • Passing: Sam Bradford 256 yards
  • Rushing: Percy Harvin 121 yards
  • Receiving: Jermaine Gresham 62 yards
Team:FloridaOklahoma
1st Downs2425
3rd down efficiency12-176-13
4th down efficiency0-00-2
Total yards480363
Passing316256
Comp-Att18-3026-41
Yards per pass7.76.0
Rushing249107
Rushing attempts4429
Yards per rush5.73.7
Penalties8-814-31
Turnovers22
Fumbles lost00
Interceptions thrown22
Possession34:5725:03

Game notes

  • This was the first meeting between these two teams.
  • Both starting quarterbacks were Heisman Trophy recipients.
  • Despite both teams having potent offenses, neither team scored in the first quarter.
  • Quarterbacks Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford combined for four interceptions despite throwing for just eight combined over the course of the regular season.
  • The Gators thwarted two Sooners possessions that were inside the five-yard line: a stop on fourth and goal on the one-yard line in the second quarter, and an interception of Bradford's pass at Florida's three-yard line with 6 seconds to play in the first half.
  • Despite coming off an ankle injury and declaring himself at "90%", Percy Harvin had nine carries for 122 yards and a touchdown and five receptions for 49 yards. The injury was reported as a high ankle sprain, but Harvin later stated that it was in fact a hairline fracture.
  • Jimmy Stevens' 49-yard field goal attempt for the Sooners was blocked in the third quarter.
  • Florida was ranked #1 and Oklahoma was ranked #5 in the final AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll, released after the game.