Hurricanes Are Runnin' For The Roses
Dec 1, 2001
Get Your Rose Bowl Gear Online!Miami Clinches Spot In Title Game
By RICHARD ROSENBLATT
AP Football Writer
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Miami players gathered near the 10-yard line at thesouth end of Lane Stadium, jumping up and down in unison. Some raised helmetsskyward, others held long-stemmed roses.
“We’re going to the ‘ship! We’re going to the ‘ship!” they chanted.
Indeed they are going to the national championship game in the Rose Bowl onJan. 3. But they had to withstand another close call on the road to hold offNo. 14 Virginia Tech 26-24 on Saturday.
“I’m happy we won,” cornerback Phillip Buchanon said, “but walking offthe field I didn’t have that feeling you should for a team going to the RoseBowl.”
Thanks to a dropped 2-point conversion pass by Tech’s Ernest Wilford with6:03 left and a stifling defense that sacked Grant Noel five times, interceptedfour passes and recovered his fumble, Miami completed a perfect regular seasonand extended its nation-best winning streak to 21 games.
“Our team didn’t flinch,” Miami rookie coach Larry Coker said. “Itcertainly didn’t look good for us at times, but I’m extremely proud of the waywe played.”
It was far from a picture pretty performance by the Hurricanes (11-0, 7-0Big East), who barely beat Boston College 18-7 in their last road game on Nov.10. In two home games since, Miami outscored Top 25 foes Syracuse andWashington by a combined 124-7.
With the Hurricanes ahead 26-18, Virginia Tech pulled off its signature play- a blocked punt – and Brandon Manning returned Eric Green’s block 22 yards fora TD to pull the Hokies within two points.
On the 2-point conversion try, Noel dropped back and, with a sellout crowdof 53,622 roaring, his 2-point conversion pass attempt dropped through the armsof a wide open Wilford in the end zone, and the ‘Canes held on.
Buchanon, who had an interception, was on the coverage but slipped. SafetyEd Reed, who had two interceptions, saw the play.
“I saw him drop it, and I was just waiting for the signal,” Reed said.
Miami’s Ken Dorsey was unimpressive in his final bid to win the HeismanTrophy, completing just 21 of 44 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown. Noel hadmore turnovers than completions – he was 4 of 16 for 81 yards.
Dorsey is just happy to be playing for the title.
“It’s great to have that feeling that you don’t have to depend on anyoneelse to get there,” Dorsey said. “It’s a great feeling, and we have that.”
Clinton Portis carried 34 times for 124 yards and a second-quarter score asMiami built a 20-3 halftime lead. Todd Sievers had four field goals – two ineach half – as the Hokies held Miami without a touchdown over the final 30minutes.
Virginia Tech freshman Kevin Jones reeled off two big runs in the secondhalf, and finished with 160 yards on 24 carries.
Even after the 2-point conversion miss, Miami still had to stop the Hokies.With 4:18 left, Reed picked off an overthrown pass by Noel at the Hurricanes31. The ‘Canes ran the clock down to 31 seconds, and punter Freddie Capshawpinned the Hokies down at their own 4 with 20 seconds left.
“Ask me if I was a little nervous on the last punt, you bet,” Coker said.
Noel, a horrendous 4-of-16 for 81 yards, was sacked on the final play of thegame. The Hokies (8-3, 4-3) will play Florida State in the Gator Bowl.
“The team played with great heart. I played terrible,” Noel said. “I puta little too much pressure on myself. Things didn’t go well, and I lostconfidence.”
Miami is certain to remain first in the Bowl Championship Series standingsno matter how the one-loss teams rated second through sixth fare later Saturdayand next week.
In the locker room, two Rose Bowl officials extended an invitation to Miamito play in Pasadena.
The only question the Hurricanes need answered? Their opponent, and thatwill be decided when the final BCS standings are released Dec. 9. The BCSratings use a formula that incorporates the AP media and coaches’ polls, eightcomputers, strength of schedule, won-lost record and bonus points for big wins.
Miami came up with the perfect plan to beat the computer this season – win’em all. Last year, the Hurricanes finished 10-1 but lost out on a berth in theOrange Bowl to Florida State, a team Miami had already beaten.
By completing the sixth undefeated regular season in school history, theHurricanes get to play for the their fifth national title. Miami will be makingits first appearance in the Rose Bowl, which will feature a non BigTen-Pacific-10 matchup for the first time since 1946.
Miami led 26-10 lead with 11:32 left on Sievers’ final goal, but JarrettFerguson’s second 1-yard TD run and a 2-point conversion pass from Noel toTerrell Parham with 8:33 left pulled the Hokies within eight points.
Then, Green raced in untouched from the right side and smothered Capshaw’spunt. Manning picked up the ball and scored to give the Hokies a chance to tie.
Playing under sunny skies with the temperature reaching 65 degrees on thefirst day in December, the Hurricanes started slowly before moving to a 20-3halftime lead.
The Hokies closed to 20-10 in the third quarter on Ferguson’s first TDbefore Sievers kicked field goals of 42 and 39 yards to put Miami ahead 26-10.
“Our players hung in there when things didn’t look so good and kept comingback,” Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “I’m disappointed we turned the ballover so many times. It’s hard to come back when you do that.”
Dorsey had a second-quarter TD pass of 14 yards to Jeremy Shockey, andPortis, who lost two fumbles, scored on a 7-yard run.
Miami received a gift near the end of the half. After Dorsey’s third-downpass fell incomplete, Tech’s Cols Colas ran into the quarterback and was calledfor a personal foul, leading to a 43-yard field goal by Sievers with 16 secondsleft.
