Miami And Florida Renew Rivalry In Regular Season For First Time Since 1987
Sept. 4, 2002
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP MegaSports Writer
Every year it seems that the road to the national championship comes through the state of Florida.
The top-ranked Miami Hurricanes (1-0) will travel to “the Swamp” to take on sixth-ranked Florida (1-0) in the first regular season matchup between the intrastate rivals since 1987.
“It’s a huge game, obviously,” Miami coach Larry Coker said. “They have great talent. We’re playing at their place. It’s going to be a tremendous challenge for us, but at the same time, it’s what our players are looking for.
“National championships seem to come through the state of Florida, so it’s certainly a very important game for both of us.”
Both teams are coming off easy opening week victories. Miami routed Florida A&M 63-17 and Florida demolished UAB 51-3.
Miami, which has won 23 straight games, may have benefitted from Florida A&M’s pass-happy attack as it should prepare them for the offense that Florida loves to run.
“Against a team like Florida, your secondary’s always going to be a question mark,” said Coker, who expects starting cornerback Kelly Jennings (hand) to return against the Gators.
“If we had Ed Reed and all those guys back (from last year’s championship team), it would still be a question mark. But from what I saw, our matchups were good and they’re playing with excellent effort. If they continue to do that, we’ll be fine.”
Coker didn’t need to see much of Florida’s rout to know that the Gators have many weapons.
“It seems like you better tackle Earnest Graham, you better cover Taylor Jacobs and you better put pressure on Rex Grossman,” he said. “We do know that.”
Jacobs broke the school record with 246 receiving yards, including a 58-yard hookup from Grossman on the game’s opening play.
He also caught two more TDs from Grossman as Florida built a 34-0 halftime lead. Graham ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns. The game marked the first time the Gators have ever had a 150-yard rusher and a 200-yard receiver in the same game.
But if you ask Hurricanes defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, it doesn’t really matter who Florida has.
“It’s not about Florida; it’s not about FAMU,” Wilfork said. “It’s about us. If we go out and play like we practice, there’s no one who can beat us.”
The key to victory for both teams lies in the play of their great quarterbacks, Grossman and Ken Dorsey. The two finished second and third in the Heisman balloting last year and are early favorites to battle it out for the prestigious award this year.
Miami’s Dorsey is 27-1 as a starter and is the school’s all-time leader in career victories. It only took 11 snaps for him to stake Miami out to a 35-0 lead on Saturday.
This series between the state rivals is tied at 25 wins apiece, although the Hurricanes have won the last three meetings, including the 2001 Sugar Bowl. Miami actually holds a 14-12 edge in games played in Gainesville.
“It was a very, very fierce rivalry,” first-year Florida coach Ron Zook said. “And I know people have been talking about it for a long time.”
Hopefully Saturday’s game can live up to all that hype.
