Canes Come Up Short Against No. 18 Vols
Nov 8, 2003
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By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer
MIAMI – Tennessee knocked Miami out of the national championshippicture Saturday for the first time in four years.
Derrick Tinsley scored on fourth down and the No. 18 Volunteers upset thesixth-ranked Hurricanes 10-6, ending the nation’s longest home-winning streakat 26 games.
Brock Berlin threw two interceptions and fumbled once. The Hurricanes also had 12penalties for 121 yards, including a key one that helped Tennessee score itsonly touchdown.
On second-and-goal from the 9, defensive back Mark Jones blitzed up themiddle and hit Berlin just as he released the ball. His fluttering pass wasintercepted by Gilbril Wilson. The Volunteers (7-2) tried to run out theremaining 4:11, but were forced to punt with 1:55 to play.
Sean Taylor fumbled the punt – Miami’s fourth turnover of the game – and theVols ran out the clock from there.
The victory helped Tennessee’s chances of playing in a BCS bowl.
Tennessee is tied with Georgia and Florida in the Southeastern ConferenceEast division. If all three still have two conference losses at the end of theseason, the division champion will be decided by the team ranked highest in theBCS.
Beating the Hurricanes could vault Tennessee past the Bulldogs in the BCSstandings. The Vols are 13th in the BCS, four spots ahead of Florida and threebehind Georgia.
The Hurricanes played in back-to-back national title games and had anoutside shot at getting a share of the national championship in 2000.
Now, Miami has its first two-game losing streak since 1999.
The Hurricanes can still win the Big East if Pittsburgh beats Virginia Techlater Saturday, and Miami can knock off the Panthers on Nov. 29.
Tennessee capitalized on just about all of the Hurricanes’ mistakes – muchlike Virginia Tech did last week in snapping the Hurricanes’ 39-gameregular-season winning streak.
Kevin Simon intercepted a pass from Berlin on the first play of the secondquarter, and James Wilhoit kicked a 41-yard field goal five plays later to tiethe game at 3.
The interception was Berlin’s 13th of the season, one more than Ken Dorseythrew in any of his three seasons as the starter.
The Volunteers made it 10-3 just before the half with a 15-play drive thattook more than nine minutes. Casey Clausen worked the clock well, snapping theball every down with the play clock in single digits. But Tennessee got somethe drive wasn’t all Tennessee.
Miami was penalized 15 yards for roughing the punter to keep the drive alive.Tennessee picked up another 15 yards on a personal foul after an incompletepass on second-and-12.
Instead of facing third down, the Vols were in field-goal range. On theensuing play, Vince Wilfork jumped off sides for the second time in the game.After five consecutive runs and then a timeout, coach Phillip Fulmer decided togo for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2.
Receiver Derrick Tinsley scored on an end around, and the Vols led 10-3.
The Hurricanes nearly tied it on a the final play of the first half, butBerlin’s pass to Kellen Winslow dropped out of the tight end’s hands in the endzone.
