Hungry Hurricanes Look To Upset Florida State
Oct. 7, 1999
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – George Bush was president the last time avisitingteam won a football game at Florida State.
The top-ranked Seminoles (5-0) have gone 44 straight games withoutlosing athome since Miami’s 17-16 victory in 1991. The game wasn’t decided untilFloridaState’s Gerry Thomas missed a 34-yard field goal by inches with only 25secondsleft.
Miami’s 1991 come-from-behind win was the third time in five years theHurricanes ruined Florida State’s national championship aspirations.
“Miami has beaten us when everything was riding on it,” Florida Statecoach Bobby Bowden said. “They won the national championship when we couldhave won it.”
Miami also derailed the Seminoles’ title hopes in 1992.
Bowden is hoping it doesn’t happen again.
Miami (2-2) hasn’t beaten the Seminoles since 1994 when Warren Sappterrorized Danny Kanell in the Orange Bowl.
Bowden thinks Miami coach Butch Davis has returned the Hurricanes totheirold form.
“They’re back,” Bowden said. “To me, Miami is a 4-0 club. They are soclose to being undefeated.”
Miami opened the season with victories over Ohio State and Florida A&Mbefore losing to No. 2 Penn State 27-23 and by the same score to EastCarolina.
“It’s not fun to play a wounded team,” said Bowden, noting Miami also hashad an extra week to prepare for the game.
“It gives them two weeks to study us and be more familiar with what we’redoing and an extra week to practice for us. Our kids will have to … overcomethat. We’re expecting a very tough game.”
Bowden has had some distractions trying to get ready for the Hurricanes.
Wide receiver Laveranues Coles missed practice all week because of apoliceinvestigation into a retail theft incident at a local mall and will not playSaturday.
Teammate Peter Warrick, a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy,who alsomade the shopping trip with Coles, will not play, either.
“I told the kids no matter what distractions are out there, we want ourfull concentration on the University of Miami,” Bowden said.
“It’s probably as distracting to me and some of the coaches more thaneverybody else because we’re faced with decisions. You’re sitting therelookingat film and all that time something inside of you tells you that you don’tfeelgood.”
Florida State won last year’s game 26-14 at Miami, the closest of thelastfour games during a span in which the Seminoles have averaged 37 points to theHurricanes’ 11.7.
In the last two games at Tallahassee, the Seminoles won 47-0 and 41-17.
“People expect us to lose this game, so we have nothing to lose,” Miamidefensive tackle Matt Sweeney said. “People aren’t giving us a chance, butthat gives us extra motivation.”
By BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press Writer
