Page 16
Fortiani» (Observer
Florida State quarterback Jaméis Winston, the 2014 Hiesman winner.
D ecem ber 31, 2014
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, the 2015 Heisman winner
New Year’s Day Big Matchup
Oregon Ducks and
Florida State face
off in Rose Bowl
(AP) — College football has never had a
quarterback matchup quite like Jameis Win
ston and Marcus Mariota.
When M ariota and second-seeded O r
egon face W inston and th ird -see d ed
Florida State in the College Football Play
off sem ifinal at the Rose Bowl on T hurs
day Jan. 1, (TV coverage at 2 p.m. on
ESPN) it will be the third time Heisman
Trophy winners have met in a postseason
game.
Southern C alifornia’s M att Leinart and
O klahom a’s Jason W hite were the first to
do it at the 2005 Orange Bowl with the BCS
cham pionship on the line. Florida’s Tim
Tebow and O klahom a’s Sam Bradford did
it at the 2008 BCS title game.
This is different, though. Potentially,
this could be the start of a long rivalry
between M ariota and W inston that goes
from Pasadena, Calif., to the NFL for years
to come.
H ere’s how they compare:
Mariota is a 6 foot-4 junior at 219 pounds.
His record for 39 starts at Oregon is 35-4.
Com ing out of high school, he d id n ’t start
until his senior year at Saint Louis High
School in Honolulu.
As a redshirt freshm an, he quickly
showed what he could do, going 18 o f 22
for 200 yards and three TDs against A r
kansas State. The first nine drives o f his
college career resulted in touchdow ns.
Mariota has had 101 career touchdown
passes and 12 interceptions, going 38-2 this
season. He has big-time speed. Whether it’s
running the read option or escaping a col
lapsing pocket, Mariota can gash a defense
with long, demoralizing runs.
W inston is a 6 foot 4 sophom ore at 235
pounds. His record for 26 starts at Florida
State is 26-0.
Com ing out o f high school from Besse
mer, Ala., he was one o f the m ost highly
sought after players in the country.
On his first start, he went 25 for 27 for
256 yards and four TDs in a victory against
Pittsburgh.
W hen Florida State is trailing by 8-14
points, W inston is 22 for 33 (69 percent)
for 327 yards with three touchdow ns and
four interceptions. When Florida State is
trailing by 15 points or more, W inston is 16
for 22(73 percent) for 279 yards with a TD
and no interceptions.
The winner of the Rose Bowl will advance
to the national championship game on Mon
day, Jan. 12.
Charles Washington
Former. Publisher of the Portland O bserver
hi memory of un outstanding uiul Joiieuted
member of Portland's Longest Stundin^
M inority Publication.
,Ti,„
P o rtlan d (Obscroct