Canes Defeat Buckeyes In Kickoff Classic
Aug. 29, 1999
EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. (AP) – Miami’s new guys fared a lot better than OhioState’s in the Kickoff Classic.
And the result has the Hurricanes feeling like champions for the first timein years and the Buckeyes feeling like Arizona after its loss to Penn State inthe Pigskin Classic.
“Now I know how Dick Tomey felt,” Cooper said Sunday, referring to theArizona coach. “I feel the same way today.”
Kenny Kelly’s first start for Miami was a memorable one. He lost two fumblesand threw two interceptions, but passed for one touchdown, ran for another andhit two 2-point conversions as the ‘Canes beat the Buckeyes 23-12 before aGiants Stadium crowd of 73,037.
“We’re good, we’re very good,” Kelly said after completing 17 of 25 passesfor 245 yards and being voted the game’s MVP. “But for us to be in the sameleague as the Miami teams of the late ’80s, we have to finish 13-0.
“If I’m sitting in the Louisiana Superdome with you, and we come out with awin, then I’ll tell you we’re back.”
James Jackson, who moved in at tailback for Edgerrin James, ran 44 yards fora first-quarter TD and finished with 89 yards on 24 carries for Miami.
Ohio State didn’t fare as well in replacing its stars. Austin Moherman,trying to step in for Joe Germaine, was 10-of-22 for 107 yards, one TD and twointerceptions. Reggie Germany had four catches for 56 yards and no TDs movingin for David Boston.
Cornerback Nate Clements, taking Antoine Winfield’s spot, was beaten severaltimes, including on Kelly’s 67-yard TD pass to Santana Moss with eight secondsleft in the half that put Miami ahead 23-9.
Even though it was just the first game of the season, the win could be thebiggest for the Hurricanes since the school was hit with NCAA probation in1995.
The three-year penalty cut a total of 31 football scholarships, and whenDennis Erickson left as coach, Miami brought back former assistant Butch Davis,who has spent the past four years trying to change the bad-boy image andrebuild the program that won four national titles from 1983-91.
“This was a great way to start out the season, and I’m very proud of thekids,” Davis said. “We’re 1-0, but we’re not back yet. It’s been a longrebuilding job and this is a nice step forward.”
Davis said Miami’s 49-45 win over UCLA at the end of last season told himthe program was on the upswing. The win over Ohio State, an annual titlecontender the past four years, is an even bigger step forward.
“It’s too early to say (whether we’re back),” Hurricanes tailback JamesJackson, who ran “We’ll have to see what we do against Penn State and FloridaState.”
In the AP’s first regular-season poll, the Hurricanes moved from No. 12 toNo. 8 – their first top 10 ranking since the fifth game of the 1996 season.Ohio State fell from No. 9 to No. 13.
Miami plays No. 2 Penn State on Sept. 18, and No. 1 Florida State on Oct. 9.
Cooper isn’t used to losing so early in the season. The rare losses duringhis first 11 years in Columbus usually occur at the end of the season, againstMichigan, or in a bowl game.
The loss was the Buckeyes’ first in a season opener since a 16-10 loss toAlabama in the 1986 Kickoff Classic – before Cooper took over.
The game was far from a classic. Each team lost two fumbles and threw twointerceptions, and the teams were called for a total of 17 penalties, and therewere three missed field goals – two by Miami.
In a 3:06 span late in the first half, Kelly ran 7 yards on a nifty bootlegto put Miami ahead for good, and then threw his long TD pass to Moss.
After his TD run, Kelly threw for a 2-point conversion and after his TD passhe ran for 2-pointer as Miami erased Ohio State’s 9-7 first-quarter lead.
“I don’t know if that TD at the end of the half was the turning point ornot,” Kelly said of his hookup with Moss, “but it put us up and it let themdown.”
There was no doubt in Cooper’s mind.
“Their wide receivers made so many big plays against us, but that jump balljust before halftime was the biggest play of the game,” Cooper said.
Ohio State, which averaged 498 yards per game in ’98, had just 220 yards. Itwas the Buckeyes’ lowest point total since a 13-9 loss to Michigan in 1996.
In the second half, the Buckeyes managed only a 24-yard field goal by DanStultz in the third quarter. Miami ran 7:39 off the clock to start the fourthquarter, moving 79 yards on 16 plays before Andy Crosland missed a 26-yardfield goal. Miami’s Leonard Myers then intercepted a pass by Moherman with 6:24left, and the Buckeyes were finished.
Steve Bellisari, Moherman’s backup, played two series in the second quarterand really put his team in a hole. His attempted screen pass was called alateral and went for an 11-yard loss and cost the Buckeyes an easy field-goalattempt. On the next possession, he fumbled the snap, linebacker Dan Morganrecovered and set the stage for Miami’s two-TD barrage at the end of the half.
Moss finished with three catches for 115 yards. Ohio State’s Michael Wiley,who ran 69 yards in the first quarter, ended up with 72 yards on nine carries.
“We know we’re a good team,” Moss said. “We just have to go out and showit each week. Hey man, we just try to make plays and win games.”
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
AP Football Writer
