Seminoles bounce BCS buster

MIAMI - Eager to avoid an Orange Bowl shocker, the Florida State Seminoles kept getting tricked.

An onside kick fooled them, as did a fake punt, and a pooch punt by Northern Illinois' star quarterback.

But the final score was no surprise. Florida State had too much speed and depth for the BCS-busting Huskies and pulled away for a 31-10 victory Tuesday.

Senior fullback Lonnie Pryor, voted the game's outstanding player, ran for a career-high 134 yards and two scores on only five carries. Senior EJ Manuel passed for 291 yards, while the Seminoles stuffed Huskies quarterback and all-purpose threat Jordan Lynch for most of the night.

"I'm glad I'm a 'Nole, and I'm glad the seniors went out with a bang," Pryor said. "I always wanted to be (Most Valuable Player) of a bowl, and I told myself that every time I get the ball, to try to make a big play."

The victory was a consolation prize for the No. 13 Seminoles (12-2), who began the season with national championship hopes. They've won five consecutive bowl games, but the victory was their first in a BCS bowl since 2000, when they beat Virginia Tech for the national title.

After the game, the Seminoles wore T-shirts that read, "Florida Statement."

"It's not the national championship, but right below," defensive end Bjoern Werner said. "Not a lot of teams can say that."

For 16th-ranked Northern Illinois (12-2), playing in a BCS bowl for the first time, the defeat snapped a 12-game winning streak. The Huskies came in as two-touchdown underdogs and fell to 5-28 all time against ranked teams.

"We knew that they were going to play us tough," Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. "But our kids, it's another step in which we handled the big platform, and I'm very proud of them."

Pryor scored the first touchdown on a career-long 60-yard run, then ran 37 yards for a clinching score with 10 minutes left. They were the longest rushes allowed by Northern Illinois all season.

Manuel went 26-for-38, threw for one score and ran nine yards for another.

The Huskies were widely derided as unworthy of a BCS bowl berth and didn't do enough to silence the doubters. They were outgained 534 yards to 259.

The Huskies' trick plays in the kicking game helped keep them close until the fourth quarter, but when it came to Lynch, not much fooled a Florida State defense ranked second in the nation.

Northern Illinois' last attempt at razzle-dazzle backfired when receiver Da'Ron Brown lost a fumble to Seminoles cornerback Xavier Rhodes on an end around at midfield, setting up the Seminoles' final touchdown.

After the game, Rhodes said he'll skid his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. The converted wide receiver is considered a potential first-round pick.

"Definitely the best defense we played (against) all year," Lynch said. "They were always in the right spot at the right time, it seemed like."

Lynch came into the game leading the nation in rushing and total offense, and he threw or ran on nearly every play for the Huskies. But he completed only 15 of 41 attempts for 176 yards, and carried 23 times for 44 yards.

The junior became the first player in NCAA history to surpass 3,000 yards passing and 1,500 rushing in a season.

After the Huskies' lone touchdown cut their deficit to 17-10 in the third quarter, they recovered an onside kick, and Lynch drove them to the Florida State 23. But he was flushed from the pocket on third down and threw an ill-advised pass that Terrence Brooks intercepted.

"It probably wasn't the smartest thing to force the ball there," Lynch said.

The loss was Rod Carey's debut as the Huskies coach. He was promoted to replace Dave Doeren, who took the North Carolina State job after the regular season.

"I'm upset," Carey said. "Florida State is a well-oiled machine. They beat us, no doubt. That doesn't change the fact I don't like to lose."