Mariota, Ducks expose Seminoles with beat down in Rose Bowl

Florida State just finds ways to win. It’s a team with incredible character. It’s a team that never can be counted out in the fourth quarter. And that was the four-month myth that Mariota buried on New Year’s Day.

As John Avello, the Wynn Las Vegas sports book director, appropriately said, “Oregon did everything it was supposed to do and more.”

The Ducks not only beat the Seminoles in a College Football Playoff semifinal, but they also finally exposed them as frauds and forced them to quit in the fourth quarter of a 59-20 beat down in the Rose Bowl.

It was worth the wait. So was Thursday’s second semifinal.

Here were two other myths: The Southeastern Conference is much stronger than the other leagues, and the Big Ten stinks.

Who smelled this upset? Ohio State, an underdog of 7½ to 8 points, staged a stunning comeback to take down No. 1 Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl. Nick Saban is out, and Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes are in with a third-string quarterback.

“We definitely needed Ohio State,” Avello said. “All the money came in on Alabama late.”

Avello opened Oregon as a 7-point favorite over Ohio State in the national championship game on Jan. 12. In August, when their No. 1 quarterback went down, the Buckeyes were getting 50-1 odds to win the title.

A showdown between the past two Heisman Trophy winners took the spotlight first in Pasadena, Calif., a picture-perfect setting for a football game and the spot where Florida State’s 29-game win streak came to an ugly end.

A touchdown pass by Jameis Winston rallied the Seminoles and sliced their deficit to 25-20 in the third quarter. The comeback kid was up to his old tricks, or so it seemed.

Mariota struck back with a 56-yard touchdown pass at the 6:43 mark, and he struck again with a 30-yard touchdown pass with 4:21 on the clock. Just like that it was 39-20.

There was no crazy comeback this time. Winston scrambled, took a hit and coughed up the ball. Tony Washington plucked it out of the air and returned it 58 yards for a score. Early in the fourth quarter, Mariota ran 23 yards for the end zone, and the Ducks were smelling like a rose.

Winston had a remarkable run, and showed class by greeting Mariota at midfield while several of his teammates sprinted for the bus, but a loss always was the inevitable conclusion to Florida State’s season. It was a phony team that got by with smoke and mirrors several times against a weak schedule.

MGM Resorts sports book director Jay Rood said “a lot of Florida State money” went up in smoke.

The Seminoles finished 3-11 against the spread, and the three covers were flukes. The Ducks closed as 7½-point favorites only because the line looked a little high.

“That point spread could have been 11 or more very easily,” Avello said. “But the point spread was based on Florida State winning games and being favored in every game for two years.”

Alabama is never an underdog, either. The Crimson Tide led 21-6 early but were on the wrong end of a 34-21 score late in the third quarter. Ezekiel Elliott torched Saban’s defense for 230 yards rushing, including an 85-yard touchdown run with 3:24 to go.

The bowl season has been a disaster for the SEC. Louisiana State lost to Notre Dame. Mississippi was embarrassed by Texas Christian. Mississippi State was upset by Georgia Tech.

It was early in the morning, and some of us were sleeping through a hangover, when Wisconsin, a 6-point underdog, upended Auburn 34-31 in overtime in the Outback Bowl. It was more SEC misery.

Michigan State pulled off another stunner for the Big Ten by beating Baylor 42-41 in the Cotton Bowl. The Bears, 2½- to 3-point favorites, blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead. The Spartans’ comeback, capped by Connor Cook’s 10-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds remaining, was some kind of miracle.

“Michigan State coming back and winning that game was huge for us,” Rood said. “I was the lone 2½ out there, so they just kept pounding Baylor with me. I liked Michigan State a little, so I just stuck at 2½.

“I was looking like an idiot, and then I was looking like a genius.”

It can be fine line, and every bettor walks that tightrope. Alabama bettors were looking smart in the first half.

This is why a playoff was required. TCU is a reason it should be an eight-team playoff. The wagering handle on the semifinal games was strong, as expected, but short of sensational.

“We have a decision like we do on an NFL game,” Rood said. “A guy called me and said, ‘So, is this like the Super Bowl?’

“I said, ‘No, not even close.’ ”

Oregon-Ohio State is not close to a Super Bowl-sized game, either, but it will be great because there’s no SEC team and we finally said good riddance to Florida State.

■ CLOSING NUMBERS — Oklahoma made me look like an idiot, and Georgia Tech turned me into a genius.

My best bets for the bowls went 3-2 last week, running the season record to 59-44 ATS.

Here are two plays for today: Kansas State (+1½) over UCLA in the Alamo Bowl; Washington (-6½) over Oklahoma State in the Cactus Bowl.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports betting columnist Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts “The Las Vegas Sportsline” weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM). Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247.