No. 1 Oklahoma 13, No. 3 FSU 2

Case closed. The Oklahoma Sooners are more than OK, they're national champions. <br><br>A smothering defense shut down Florida State and Josh Heupel generated enough offense to give No. 1 Oklahoma

Thursday, January 4th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Case closed. The Oklahoma Sooners are more than OK, they're national champions.

A smothering defense shut down Florida State and Josh Heupel generated enough offense to give No. 1 Oklahoma a startling 13-2 victory in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday night and its first national title in 15 years.

Oklahoma (13-0) completed a perfect season and made the issue of a split title a moot point.

Finishing as the nation's only unbeaten team, the Sooners were automatically crowned national champs in the coaches' poll under the Bowl Championship Series format.

Oklahoma awaited The Associated Press media poll's release early Thursday, confirming the Sooners as undisputed champs.

No. 3 Florida State (11-2) came into the game as 10 1/2-point favorites and were hoping to become the first team to repeat as national champions since Nebraska in 1994-95. Had the Seminoles won, No. 2 Miami (11-1) would have staked a claim to a share of the title.

Heupel more than made up for his runner-up finish to Florida State's Chris Weinke in the Heisman Trophy race by outplaying him in the biggest game of his life.

The left-hander from Aberdeen, S.D., completed 25 of 39 passes for 214 yards and kept the Seminoles' defense off balance all night.

Tim Duncan kicked two field goals and Quentin Griffin scored the clinching touchdown on a 10-yard run up the middle with 8:30 left in the game. Florida State avoided its first shutout in 12 seasons when Stanford Samuels tackled Oklahoma punter Jeff Ferguson in the end zone for a safety with 55 seconds remaining.

Florida State got the ball back on the ensuing free kick, but Weinke's 29-yard pass into the end zone was intercepted by Dontei Jones with 16 seconds left and the celebration began.

After Heupel took a knee and the clock ran down, The Pride of Oklahoma Band broke out in yet another rendition of ``Boomer Sooner'' and the players and fans converged on the field to celebrate.

For a flustered Florida State, the loss added another chapter to its list of blown title opportunities. Three times in the last five years, the Seminoles lost a bowl game that could have given them a championship.

The Seminoles offense was a mess. Without All-American receiver Snoop Minnis, suspended for failing grades, and offensive coordinator Mark Richt perhaps preoccupied with his new job as Georgia's new coach, Florida State generated just 301 total yards 248 under its average.

For the 28-year-old Weinke, this may have been the poorest performance of his record-setting season. He was 25-of-51 for 274 yards and two interceptions and a fumble. He did not throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season.

Oklahoma's ferocious defense was the reason. Led by Orange Bowl MVP Torrance Marshall, the Sooners time and again forced Weinke into bad decisions. At least a half dozen passes were in the hands of Sooner defenders but dropped.

Marshall finished with 11 tackles, one interception and one batted ball. With Oklahoma ahead by only 6-0 in the fourth quarter, All-American linebacker Rocky Calmus made his presence felt. He knocked the ball out of Weinke's hands, safety Roy Williams recovered and two plays later, Griffin ran for his touchdown.

RICHARD ROSENBLATT AP News Miami