2002 Orange Bowl
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox college football game
| name =
| year_game_played = 2002
| title_sponsor = FedEx
| game_name = Orange Bowl
| subheader = BCS Bowl Game
68th Orange Bowl
| football_season = 2001
| visitor_name_short = Florida
| visitor_nickname = Gators
| visitor_school = University of Florida
| home_name_short = Maryland
| home_nickname = Terrapins
| home_school = University of Maryland
| visitor_record = 9–2
| visitor_conference = SEC
| home_record = 10–1
| home_conference = ACC
| visitor_coach = Steve Spurrier
| home_coach = Ralph Friedgen
| visitor_rank_AP = 5
| visitor_rank_coaches = 5
| visitor_rank_BCS = 5
| home_rank_AP = 6
| home_rank_coaches = 6
| home_rank_BCS = 10
| visitor_1q = 14
| visitor_2q = 14
| visitor_3q = 21
| visitor_4q = 7
| home_1q = 7
| home_2q = 3
| home_3q = 0
| home_4q = 13
| date_game_played = January 2
| stadium = Pro Player Stadium
| city = Miami, Florida
| MVP = Florida WR Taylor Jacobs
| referee = James Sprenger (Pac-10)
| us_network = ABC
| us_announcers_link = List of announcers of major college bowl games
| us_announcers = Brad Nessler and Bob Griese
}}
The 2002 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Florida Gators and the ACC champion Maryland Terrapins on January 2, 2002. Florida defeated Maryland 56–23.{{cite news|title=Maryland sees red in Orange Bowl embarrassment|url=http://www.cbssports.com/u/ce/multi/0,1329,4782767_56,00.html|agency=Associated Press|work=CBS Sports|access-date=September 2, 2011}} The game was part of the 2001–2002 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) of the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season and was the concluding game of the season for both teams. The Orange Bowl was first played in 1935, and the 2002 game was the 68th edition of the Orange Bowl. The contest was televised in the United States on ABC.
This was Steve Spurrier's last game as coach of the Florida Gators as he resigned two days after the game.
Teams
=Florida Gators=
{{main|2001 Florida Gators football team}}
Florida, ranked No. 1 entering the season, lost two SEC games by a total of 5 points and missed out on the SEC championship game. Despite those setbacks, the talented Gators entered this matchup with a 9–2 record (6–2 SEC) and a No. 5 ranking in both major polls and the BCS.
=Maryland Terrapins=
{{main|2001 Maryland Terrapins football team}}
Under first-year head coach and Maryland alumnus Ralph Friedgen, the Terps surprised many by finishing 10–1 after the regular season. That included a 7–1 conference record which gave Maryland its first ACC title since 1985.
Game summary
This potentially exciting matchup did not live up to the hype. Florida opened the scoring with a 1-yard TD run by Earnest Graham just over five minutes into the game. The opening quarter ended with some fireworks as each team scored a long touchdown in the final 12 seconds and the Gators led 14–7.
Maryland's Nick Novak kicked a 20-yard field goal with 12:20 remaining in the first half to make the score 14–10. The Terrapins inability to tie the game preceded an offensive onslaught by Florida that would last until the close of the third quarter. The Gators quick strike offense scored 35 consecutive points {{ndash}} including three TD passes by Heisman runner-up Rex Grossman and a second Graham TD run {{ndash}} in just over 15 minutes of game play to open a 49–10 advantage and put the game well out of reach.
Two touchdown runs by the Terps' Marc Riley sandwiched a fourth Grossman TD pass to close out the scoring, giving Steve Spurrier a 56–23 win in his final game as Florida's head coach.
{{Americanfootballbox
|titlestyle= {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Orange Bowl|color=black}}; text-align:center;
|state=autocollapse
|title=2002 FedEx Orange Bowl
|date=Wednesday, January 2, 2002
|time=8:12 p.m. EST
|road= No. 5 Florida
|R1=14|R2=14|R3=21|R4=7
|home= No. 6 Maryland
|H1=7|H2=3|H3=0|H4=13
|stadium= Pro Player Stadium • Miami Gardens, Florida
|attendance=73,640
|weather=Clear • Temperature: {{convert|74|F|C}} • Wind: {{convert|7|mph|kph|abbr=on}} southeast
|referee=James Sprenger (Pac-10)
|TV=ABC
|TVAnnouncers=Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bob Griese (analyst), and Lynn Swann (sideline)
|reference= [https://floridagators.com/sports/2002/1/2/2976_boxscore_2738.aspx Box score]
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryStart |VisitorName=Florida |HomeName=Maryland |state=}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=1
| Time=9:51
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=10
| DriveLength=83
| DriveTime=3:59
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Earnest Graham
| yards=1
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=7
| Home=0
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=1
| Time=0:12
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=2
| DriveLength=55
| DriveTime=0:47
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Taylor Jacobs
| QB=Brock Berlin
| yards=46
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=14
| Home=0
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=1
| Time=0:00
| Team=Maryland
| DrivePlays=1
| DriveLength=64
| DriveTime=0:12
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Jafar Williams
| QB=Shaun Hill
| yards=64
| Kicker=Nick Novak
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=14
| Home=7
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=12:20
| Team=Maryland
| DrivePlays=4
| DriveLength=1
| DriveTime=0:45
| Type=FG
| yards=20
| Kicker=Nick Novak
| Visitor=14
| Home=10
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=2:18
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=10
| DriveLength=72
| DriveTime=3:45
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Taylor Jacobs
| QB=Rex Grossman
| yards=15
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=21
| Home=10
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=2
| Time=0:03
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=6
| DriveLength=64
| DriveTime=1:21
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Jabar Gaffney
| QB=Rex Grossman
| yards=4
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=28
| Home=10
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=11:22
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=10
| DriveLength=65
| DriveTime=3:38
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Earnest Graham
| yards=6
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=35
| Home=10
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=7:26
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=4
| DriveLength=74
| DriveTime=1:29
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Rob Gillespie
| QB=Rex Grossman
| yards=11
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=42
| Home=10
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=3
| Time=2:52
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=2
| DriveLength=68
| DriveTime=0:19
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Jabar Gaffney
| QB=Rex Grossman
| yards=33
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=49
| Home=10
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=4
| Time=11:56
| Team=Maryland
| DrivePlays=15
| DriveLength=
| DriveTime=5:56
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Marc Riley
| yards=1
| Kicker=Nick Novak
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=49
| Home=17
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=4
| Time=10:16
| Team=Florida
| DrivePlays=4
| DriveLength=69
| DriveTime=1:40
| Type=RecTD
| Receiver=Carlos Perez
| QB=Rex Grossman
| yards=10
| Kicker=Jeff Chandler
| kickresult=good
| Visitor=56
| Home=17
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEntry
| Quarter=4
| Time=5:10
| Team=Maryland
| DrivePlays=14
| DriveLength=80
| DriveTime=5:06
| Type=RushTD
| Runner=Marc Riley
| yards=10
| 2pt type=pass
| 2pt result=failed
| Visitor=56
| Home=23
}}
{{AmFootballScoreSummaryEnd |Visitor=56|Home=23}}
Statistics
{{AmFootballGameStatistics
| Visitor = Florida Gators
| VisitorDisplay = UF
| Home = Maryland Terrapins
| HomeDisplay = MD
| VisFirsts = 30
| VisPlaysYds = 74–659
| VisRushing = 25–203
| VisPassYds = 456
| VisPassing = 33–49–2
| VisTOP = 28:26
| HomeFirsts = 19
| HomePlaysYds = 79–360
| HomeRushing = 40–103
| HomePassYds = 257
| HomePassing = 23–39–1
| HomeTOP = 31:34
}}
{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers
| Visitor = Florida Gators
| VisitorDisplay = Florida
| Home = Maryland Terrapins
| HomeDisplay = Maryland
| VisPasser = Rex Grossman
| VisPassStats = 20/28, 248 yds, 4 TD
| VisRusher = Earnest Graham
| VisRushStats = 16 car, 149 yds, 2 TD
| VisReceiver = Taylor Jacobs
| VisReceivingStats = 10 rec, 170 yds, 2 TD
| HomePasser = Shaun Hill
| HomePassStats = 23/39, 257 yds, TD, INT
| HomeRusher = Shaun Hill
| HomeRushStats = 11 car, 31 yds
| HomeReceiver = Matt Murphy
| HomeReceivingStats = 5 rec, 42 yds
}}
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{2001 bowl game navbox}}
{{Orange Bowl navbox}}
{{Florida Gators bowl game navbox}}
{{Maryland Terrapins bowl game navbox}}
Category:Florida Gators football bowl games
Category:Maryland Terrapins football bowl games
Category:January 2002 sports events in the United States
Category:Sports competitions in Miami Gardens, Florida
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