Hurricanes Try To Keep Solid BCS Standing Against Eagles
Nov 6, 2001
From the Associated Press
Miami has gained one of the two spots needed to play in the nationalchampionship game. Now the Hurricanes try to keep it as their stretch runbegins with a Big East Conference game against Boston College on Saturday.
Despite being the top-ranked team in the country, the Hurricanes (7-0, 4-0Big East) did not move into second place in the Bowl Championship Seriesstandings until this week. They are a distant second to Nebraska in the mostrecent rankings and more than one full point ahead of Oklahoma.
“Our team understands that we can only accomplish our goals as long as wewin. It serves no purpose for us to worry about anything else,” Hurricanescoach Larry Coker said. “The polls will take care of themselves. If wecontinue to win, we’ll get the chance to play for a national championship.”
Miami’s biggest weakness in the BCS rankings is its strength of schedule,which is 72nd. The Hurricanes, however, will get a chance to gain qualitypoints with their Nov. 24 game against the Washington Huskies, who are rankedeighth.
The ‘Canes are coming off a 38-0 thrashing of the Temple Owls on Saturday.Ken Dorsey threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns as he became the firstquarterback in school history to throw for 50 TDs in his career.
“It was amazing how much easier the game was after that,” Dorsey said ofhis two TD tosses. “You try not to think about those things, but it’s tough,especially when you’re going for records of guys that are friends of mine.”
Miami, which has the nation’s longest active winning streak at 17 games, haspounded Big East opponents this season. The Hurricanes have outscored theirfour conference foes by a combined 184-24 margin and recorded two shutouts.
Boston College (6-2, 3-1) made itself eligible for a bowl game following its21-17 triumph over Notre Dame on Oct. 27. William Green had 198 rushing yards,including a 71-yard scoring dash and a 70-yard touchdown reception, but theEagles needed to make two stands in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory.
“He’s a difference maker,” Eagles coach Tom O’Brien said. “William toldme before the game that he was going to have the game of his life.”
Dorsey had 252 yards and five touchdowns as the Hurricanes pounded theEagles 52-6 at the Orange Bowl last season. Miami leads the all-time series19-3 and has won the last 10 games between the schools since Doug Flutie’sfamous “Hail Mary” pass lifted Boston College to a 47-45 victory Nov. 23,1984.
