PASADENA, Calif. — Marcus Mariota and Oregon turned an avalanche of Florida State mistakes into a mountain of points and the Ducks rolled past the defending national champions 59-20 Thursday to turn the first College Football Playoff semifinal into a Rose Bowl rout.

Mariota and the second-seeded Ducks (13-1) scored six straight times in the second half, with five of the touchdowns covering at least 21 yards and the last four coming after Florida State turnovers.

In the matchup of Heisman Trophy winners, Jameis Winston matched Mariota’s numbers, but the Seminoles were no match for the Ducks. The Pac-12 champions will play Ohio State on Jan. 12 in Arlington, Texas.

“It’s incredible. I’m so proud of these guys right here,” Mariota said. “We’ve got one more to take care of.”

Third-seeded Florida State’s winning streak ended at 29. In Winston’s first loss as a college starter – maybe his last game in college – he threw for 348 yards and turned the ball over twice.

No Heisman jinx for Mariota. He was mostly brilliant again. The junior passed for 338 yards and two touchdowns and sprinted in for a 23-yard score with 13:56 left in the fourth quarter that made it 52-20 and made the Ducks the first team to reach 50 points in Rose Bowl history.

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“59-20, I did not expect that,” Oregon defensive end Arik Armstead said.

Next stop for the Ducks: The Lone Star state, to try to win the program’s first national title.

The first playoff game at college football’s highest level, the type of postseason game fans have longed for forever, looked like it would be a classic for a little more than two quarters.

Under a cloudless sky, on a chilly day in Pasadena, the Rose Bowl featured the third matchup of Heisman Trophy winners and a couple of quarterbacks who could be vying to be the first overall pick in April’s NFL draft.

Mariota and Winston were both OK in the first half. It was Mariota who threw the only interception. The late pick didn’t hurt the Ducks much because Florida State’s Roberto Aguayo missed a 54-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

For the sixth time this season, Florida State was trailing at the half.

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And then the hole got deeper.

Freshman Dalvin Cook was stripped by Derrick Malone Jr. with Florida State in Oregon territory. The Ducks quickly flipped the field and Freeman scored from 3 yards out to make it 25-13.

Oregon Coach Mark Helfrich had called the Seminoles “unflappable” and they showed it on the next drive.

Winston threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to freshman Travis Rudolph. Midway through the third quarter it was 25-20 Oregon, and then it was Mariota’s turn.

He zipped a pass to Darren Carrington near the sideline and the receiver made one cut and was gone for a 56-yard touchdown that made it 32-20.

Instead of an answer, this time there was another fumble by Cook, and the wave of big plays and points started rumbling.

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Two plays after the turnover, Mariota hit Carrington for a 30-yard score. It was 39-20, and the Rose Bowl, filled mostly with green and yellow, was rumbling, too.

To win the title last season, Florida State erased an 18-point Auburn lead at the Rose Bowl, but that was in the first half.

Coach Jimbo Fisher’s players were comeback kings this season – they came from 17 down against North Carolina State and 21 back against Louisville – but this was the steepest hill to climb yet.

With the sun just about set, Florida State faced a fourth-and-five in Oregon territory. Field goals weren’t going to get it done. The ‘Noles had to go.

Winston had time but couldn’t find a receiver. He was flushed from the pocket and as he loaded to throw, the ball slipped out of his hands.

The fumble bounced into Tony Washington’s arms and the defensive end went 58 yards for a score.

The wave had washed over Florida State. And it just kept coming.

Winston threw a pick on the next possession. By the time Mariota raced into the end zone, day had turned to night in Pasadena and the Seminoles were done.


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