We’re back with Round 2 of our GOAT college football tournament. Joe Burrow continues to lead the 2019 LSU team as the top seed, while Ed Reed leads the charge of the 2001 Miami defense. Florida State, who saw both their entrants suffer upsets in the first round, will be fighting for elimination. Elsewhere, Andy Dalton and the 2010 TCU Horned Frogs duel with Kellen Moore and the 2009 Boise State Broncos in an elimination battle, while Michael Vick’s 1999 Virginia Tech squad. Lots of legends are clashing on the gridiron, but let’s see which 8 teams got the ax in this round.
Bracket A Winner’s Bracket
2019 LSU vs. 2008 Oklahoma
LSU 58 Oklahoma 52
2018 Clemson vs. 2012 Alabama
Alabama 35 Clemson 20
2004 USC vs. 2008 Florida
Florida 45 USC 33
2010 Auburn vs. 2000 Miami
Miami 51 Auburn 28
Loser’s Bracket
2010 TCU vs. 2009 Boise State
Boise State 33 TCU 17
2009 Texas vs. 1998 Ohio State
Ohio State 23 Texas 13
2010 Oregon vs. 1999 Virginia Tech
Oregon 30 Virginia Tech 21
1999 Florida State vs. 1997 Michigan
Florida State 38 Michigan 13
Bracket A’s 3 Stars
1. Joe Burrow, 2019 LSU: 28-31, 423 yards, 5 TD
2. Eddie Lacy, 2012 Alabama: 23 carries, 149 yards, 2 TD
3. LaMichael James, 2010 Oregon, 32 carries, 138 yards, 1 TD
Game of the Day
Once again, 2019 LSU was engaged in a thrilling battle. Their defense was plenty good enough during their championship season, but it’s struggled to get stops against elite offenses in this bracket. Can Burrow continue to lift the Tigers? We’ll see. He rallied the Tigers from a halftime deficit in this one. With 1:33 remaining, Burrow hit a streaking Ja’Marr Chase down the sideline for the game-winning TD. Chase finished with 101 yards and three scores. Sam Bradford tossed five TDs for 2008 Oklahoma, but the 8th-seeded Sooners dropped into the loser’s bracket.
Other Games
Bracket A saw the lone entries from TCU, Virginia Tech, and Michigan all crash and burn, dropping out of the tournament with an 0-2 record. Boise State kept the Group of 5 alive in the bracket with a dominant victory. 2010 Oregon survived outlasted Michael Vick’s Hokies, and the 1999 Florida State squad, after suffering a first-round upset, brutalized the Wolverines 38-13. 2009 Texas also bid adieu, suffering an upset to 1998 Ohio State’s throttling defense.
In the winner’s bracket side of things, besides LSU’s thrilling victory, we saw three straight upsets. 7th seeded 2012 Alabama got a combined 279 rushing yards from Kenny Drake and Eddie Lacy to topple 2018 Clemson. #6 2008 Florida handled 2004 USC, and 2000 Miami showed they may have been dreadfully underseeded; the 13th seed dismantled Auburn’s 2010 national championship squad 51-28, as quarterback Ken Dorsey threw for five touchdowns and 340 yards.
Bracket B Winner’s Bracket
2001 Miami vs. 2014 Ohio State
Miami 48 Ohio State 21
2005 Texas vs. 2003 LSU
LSU 38 Texas 33
2009 Alabama vs. 2005 USC
Alabama 40 USC 31
2014 Oregon vs. 1998 Tennessee
Oregon 30 Tennessee 28
Loser’s Bracket
2009 Florida vs. 2017 UCF
UCF 42 Florida 30
2000 Oklahoma vs. 1996 Arizona State
Oklahoma 28 Arizona State 14
2016 Clemson vs. 1997 Nebraska
Clemson 34 Nebraska 14
2013 Florida State vs. 2004 Auburn
Florida State 44 Auburn 24
Bracket B’s 3 Stars
1. Clinton Portis, 2001 Miami: 18 carries, 178 yards, 3 TDs
2. Mark Ingram, 2009 Alabama: 26 carries, 149 yards, 1 TD
3. Deshaun Watson, 2016 Clemson: 20-28, 238 yards, 3 TD
Game of the Day
The game of the day was an easy pick on this side of the bracket. In a battle of underdogs, the 12-seeded 2014 Oregon Ducks took on the 13th-seed – the 1998 Tennessee Volunteers. Battling to improve their record to a surprising 2-0, the Vols had Marcus Mariota and the Ducks on the ropes, after a touchdown put them up 28-27 with 1:04 to play. However, Mariota hit Royce Freeman for 34 yards on a screen pass on the first play of the drive to immediately but the Ducks in Tennessee territory. After another 10-yard completion, Oregon utilized their two timeouts, as Freeman ran twice for 16 yards to bring it to the Tennessee 15-yard line with 9 seconds to play. Matt Wogan drilled the 32-yarder for his 3rd field goal of the day and a game-winner, and Oregon moved on in the winner’s bracket.
Other Games
After a 19-point win in Round 1, 2001 Miami continued to showcase their dominance, winning 48-21 in Round 2 over 2014 Ohio State. Clinton Portis ran for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns in the pounding. 2003 LSU kept the Tigers undefeated as a program in this bracket, toppling Texas 38-33 behind 143 receiving yards and a touchdown from Michael Clayton, and 2009 Alabama utilized a 149-yard rushing effort from Mark Ingram to torch 2005 USC’s defense in a 40-31 victory.
Over on the loser’s bracket side, UCF gave the Group of 5 another victory as the self-declared national champions handled the Gators 42-30. No other game was decided by less than 14 points. 2000 Oklahoma took down the 1996 Arizona State squad, 28-14, 2016 Clemson dismantled 1997 Nebraska, and Jameis Winston and the 2013 FSU Seminoles destroyed Auburn’s undefeated 2004 team.
Round 3 Schedule
Bracket A Winner’s Bracket
1. 2019 LSU vs. 13. 2000 Miami
6. 2008 Florida vs. 7. 2012 Alabama
Bracket A Loser’s Bracket
2. 2018 Clemson vs. 16. 2009 Boise State
3. 2004 USC vs. 4. 2013 Florida State
5. 2010 Auburn vs. 11. 2010 Oregon
8. 2008 Oklahoma vs. 15. 1998 Ohio State
Bracket B Winner’s Bracket
1. 2001 Miami vs. 12. 2014 Oregon
3. 2009 Alabama vs. 7. 2003 LSU
Bracket B Loser’s Bracket
2. 2005 Texas vs. 16. 2017 UCF
6. 2005 USC vs. 4. 2013 Florida State
13. 1998 Tennessee vs. 11. 2016 Clemson
9. 2014 Ohio State vs. 10. 2000 Oklahoma
College Kids Talking College Sports 