1997 Sugar Bowl

1997 Nokia Sugar Bowl
63rd edition
Bowl Alliance National Championship Game
1234 Total
Florida 10141414 52
Florida State 31430 20
DateJanuary 2, 1997
Season1996
StadiumLouisiana Superdome
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
MVPDanny Wuerffel (QB, Florida)
FavoriteFlorida by 3.5 points (54.5) [1][2]
RefereeRandy Christal (Big 12)
Attendance78,344
United States TV coverage
NetworkABC
AnnouncersKeith Jackson (play-by-play)
Bob Griese (analyst)
Lynn Swann (sideline)
Sugar Bowl
 < 1995 (Dec) 1998
College Football Championship Game
 < 1996 1998

The 1997 Nokia Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual Sugar Bowl game and served as the Bowl Alliance's designated national championship game for the 1996 season. It matched No. 1 Florida State of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) against No. 3 Florida of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in an all-Florida matchup. Florida defeated Florida State in convincing fashion, with a final score of 52–20, and with the victory earned its first-ever consensus national championship. This remains the only national championship game to feature two teams from the same state.

  1. ^ "Orange Bowl Odds".
  2. ^ "Betting line". Orange Bowl Odds. p. D7.