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FSU earns epic Orange Bowl win

Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois looks to pass during the first half of the Orange Bowl against Michigan Friday. Francois hooked up with Nyqwan Murray for an Orange Bowl-record 92-yard touchdown and then tossed the game-winning TD to Murray as FSU won 33-32.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Deondre Francois threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Nyqwan Murray with 36 seconds remaining, and No. 10 Florida State beat No. 6 Michigan 33-32 in a wild Orange Bowl on Friday night.

Francois threw for two scores — both to Murray — and ran for another for the Seminoles (10-3). They got 145 yards rushing from Dalvin Cook and recovered after wasting a 12-point lead midway through the fourth.

Chris Evans had a 30-yard touchdown run and Khalid Hill an 8-yard scoring catch in the final minutes for Michigan (10-3), which also got a defensive conversion when Josh Metellus ran a blocked extra point back after the second Francois-Murray TD.

But Michigan turned the ball over on its final possession, and the Seminoles held on to win a game where the teams combined for 23 points and two lead changes in the final 5:22.

“The character on this team,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. “I’ve said it before. I’m as proud of this team as any I’ve coached.”

Evans’ scoring run put the Wolverines up 30-27, but Florida State’s Keith Gavin swung momentum back to the Seminoles with a 66-yard kickoff return right up the middle — setting up the drive where his team would take the lead for good.

“Best game of my life,” Cook said.

Michigan played without injured star linebacker Jabrill Peppers, and lost tight end Jake Butt to what appeared to be a knee injury early in the second quarter.

[naviga:h3]Sun Bowl[/naviga:h3]

EL PASO, Texas — Bryce Love took over for the absent Christian McCaffrey in the Stanford backfield, running for 119 yards and catching a 49-yard touchdown pass to help the No. 16 Cardinal beat North Carolina 25-23 on Friday in the Sun Bowl.

Stanford (10-3) held on after North Carolina (8-5) pulled within two with 25 seconds left on Mitch Trubisky’s 2-yard pass to Bug Howard, sacking Trubisky on the 2-point conversion try.

McCaffrey skipped the bowl game to focus on his NFL career.

[naviga:h3]Music City Bowl[/naviga:h3]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Joshua Dobbs ran for three touchdowns and 118 yards and threw for 291 yards and another score in Tennessee’s 38-24 victory over Nebraska.

The Volunteers (9-4) beat a Big Ten team in a bowl for the third straight year and notched their first win in three tries against the Cornhuskers. It’s the first time Tennessee has won three straight bowls since 1994-1996 when Peyton Manning was quarterback for the Vols.

[naviga:h3]Liberty Bowl[/naviga:h3]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nick Chubb ran for 142 yards and a touchdown, sending Georgia past TCU, 31-23, for the Bulldogs’ third bowl victory in three years.

Georgia (8-5) sent TCU (6-7) to its third losing year in Gary Patterson’s 16 full seasons as coach.

Rodrigo Blankenship put Georgia ahead for good with 13:27 left on a 30-yard field goal. Blankenship’s kick was set up by Chubb’s 48-yard burst on the final play of the third period.

[naviga:h3]Arizona Bowl[/naviga:h3]

TUCSON, Ariz. — Arion Worthman threw for 207 yards to balance out Air Force’s run-heavy offense, Jacobi Owens scored two touchdowns and the Falcons overcame a sluggish start to beat South Alabama, 45-21.

Air Force (10-3) struggled to get its triple-option going, falling into an 18-point first-half hole. Once the Falcons got rolling, they couldn’t be stopped, scoring 42 straight points to turn it into a rout.

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