FSU's dreams of repeating as National Champions were rebuffed with extreme prejudice Thursday night after the Noles were demolished by Oregon in the Rose Bowl by the score of 59-20.
It was the end of what has been a tumultuous run by the Seminoles and their polarizing star QB Jameis Winston. While Oregon won big, FSU managed to keep things competitive in the first half of the game, turning in a feisty never-say-die fight as they have all season long.
But then things derailed horribly for FSU.
And perhaps no other play in the game encapsulated the Seminoles' undignified massacre at the hands of the Ducks as Winston's third quarter fumble that resulted in an Oregon recovery and 68-yard touchdown. It was a play that was equal parts hilarious, tragic, sad and riotous. And it took the Internet by storm.
With less than two minutes remaining in the 3rd, and the Noles down 39-20, Winston took the snap and began a mad scramble as linemen and linebackers swarmed at him. Winston has made a career of seemingly impossible escapes, turning possible travesty into big gains for the FSU offense.
But Oregon's speed overtook Winston, and when he tried to set his feet to make the pass, his plant foot inexplicably slipped from under him, sending Jameis tumbling backwards.
That's when the ball slipped out of his hand, flew into the air and bounced into the hands of Oregon linebacker Tony Washington. Making the play even more ridiculous, was the referee also falling down as he tried to track the play.
Washington ran back the recovery for the touchdown, sticking in the proverbial dagger into FSU's hopes of getting to the championship game.
Here's another view, from above:
The entire play was embraced by the Internet, who went on to immediately make fun of the fumble with some good old fashioned snark and schadenfreude:
The overall (mostly) national glee of seeing FSU not only lose, but Winston involved in a viral video that captured the team's ultimate downfall can't be overstated.
Winston was at the center of a rape allegation case this year, and at least one report alleged that Tallahassee police may have protected him against the accuser. Then there was the time Winston stole crab legs from Publix.
And the Seminoles, as a whole, seemed to escape every week whenever their backs were against the walls and it seemed as if they were finally going to lose. Somehow, someway, FSU always managed to pull off a last-minute victory.
But on Thursday, that all came to a screeching halt.
Jamies would later call the fumble "a very unfortunate play."
Send your story tips to the author, Chris Joseph. Follow Chris Joseph on Twitter
Follow @NewTimesBroward
