Football Rolls Over BC, 52-6
Nov. 25, 2000
By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI — All the Miami Hurricanes can do now is wait.
Ken Dorsey threw a career-high five touchdown passes and Santana Moss brokeMiami’s career all-purpose yardage record, leading the No. 2 Hurricanes to a52-6 victory over Boston College on Saturday and their first Big East titlesince 1996.
More importantly, Miami strengthened its chances of claiming a fifthnational championship.
“I don’t see what else we could have done,” Dorsey said. “That’s probablythe most we could do.”
The ‘Canes – third in the Bowl Championship Series rankings – still mightneed help. Even after the strong outing against the Eagles (6-5, 3-4), it maynot be enough for them to jump Florida State, which leads Miami by a littlemore than half a point in the BCS rankings.
The top two teams in the BCS will play in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3.
Miami, which has won nine in a row, beat then-No. 1 Florida State last monthand also beat then-No. 2 Virginia Tech four weeks later.
“There’s no doubt in my mind we should play for the nationalchampionship,” linebacker Dan Morgan said. “It’s plain and simple: we deserveit.”
With No. 1 Oklahoma’s 12-7 win over Oklahoma State, Miami’s best chance atmaking the championship game would be if the Sooners lose next week to KansasState in the Big 12 title game. If not, the ‘Canes probably will have to hopefor a split national championship.
“Go Wildcats!” receiver Reggie Wayne shouted. “Hopefully, they can pullit out for us. We’ll be watching.”
And waiting. In the meantime, the Hurricanes (10-1, 7-0) can revel in theirfirst conference title in four years and first undefeated run through the BigEast since 1994.
“This has been the goal since my freshman year, and each year it’s slippedaway from us,” Morgan said. “To finally get it, it’s sweet.”
Dorsey was sharp, completing 17 of 26 passes for 252 yards. His five TDpasses also tied the school record held by Bernie Kosar (1984) and Steve Walsh(1988). Dorsey also fumbled twice, though both were recovered by Miami, andthrew an interception.
Moss also set a school record. He had 235 all-purpose yards against theEagles (6-5, 3-4), breaking Ottis Anderson’s career record set in 1978. Mosshas 4,402 total yards.
Dorsey and Moss hooked up twice for scores. The first one covered 23 yardsand gave Miami’s its first lead of the game, 10-6 in the second quarter. Theyadded a 13-yarder in the third on a perfectly thrown pass to the corner of theend zone.
Moss wasn’t finished, though. He took a punt return 85 yards untouched for ascore to give Miami a 44-6 lead in the third. Even after a pair ofunsportsmanlike conduct penalties, Todd Sievers added a 50-yard extra point.
Boston College punted on the ensuing possession, and Daryl Jones – subbingfor Moss – used a spin move to escape two tacklers and scampered 87 yards foranother score.
“I haven’t seen a team like this since I was in the (Atlantic CoastConference) and we played Florida State,” said Boston College coach TomO’Brien, a longtime offensive coordinator at Virginia. “They have such speedon both sides of the ball.
“When you play a team like this, you have no room for error. You have to beperfect. They had something to play for, the BCS. We had to stand up and stopthem and we didn’t do that.”
Everything seemed to go right for Miami. Well, everything except Oklahomalosing.
“Being a senior, I’d be disappointed if we didn’t play for thechampionship,” said running back James Jackson, who had 66 yards and becamethe fourth player in school history to run for 1,000 yards in a season. “Idon’t have another chance. I want to go out with a bang.”
Not even coach Butch Davis, who has refused to run up the score all season,could do much to stop the onslaught. He did, however, pull most of his startersafter the final touchdown.
“We’ve got big-play guys, and when they make big plays the score can getout of hand,” Davis said. “I don’t think I’ve been around an offense thatcould strike from anywhere on the field.”
Tim Hasselbeck, returning to the lineup after sitting out Boston College’slast game with a sprained right knee, drove the Eagles 80 yards to take a 6-0lead on the opening possession. But his interception three drives later turnedthe game in Miami’s favor.
The Hurricanes scored 52 straight points.
“We were suffocating on defense, Ken Dorsey was sharp and special teamsjust lit it up,” Davis said.
