Football Looks To Keep Rolling At Wake Forest
Nov. 7, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
(#4 Coaches/#3 Harris/#3 AP) MIAMI HURRICANES (7-1, 4-1 ACC)at WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS (4-6, 3-4 ACC)
When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, November 12, 2005
Where: Groves Stadium (natural grass; 31,500) in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Television: The game will be televised on ABC with Mike Tirico (play by play), TimBrandt (analysis) and Suzy Shuster (field reporter).
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki(play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).
National Radio: The game will also be carried live on XM Satellite Radio.
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WWFE 670 AM with Roly Martin (play byplay) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 9, with FrankForte (play by play) and Lamar Thomas (analyst).
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Wake Forest (www.wakeforestsports.com)
THIS WEEK’S GAME:
The Miami Hurricanes are back in the national title hunt, and they’re in the driver’s seat to play in thefirst ACC Championship Game next month in Jacksonville.
Coming off a convincing 27-7 victory over Virginia Tech last Saturday night in Blacksburg, Va., theHurricanes are have moved up to fourth in the USA Today coaches poll, third in the Harris poll, third inthe AP poll and fourth in the BCS standings. Miami has won seven consecutive games, and next on theagenda is Wake Forest. The Hurricanes will travel to North Carolina to play the Demon Deacons at 3:30p.m. Saturday at Groves Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest.
Miami is still ranked No. 1 in the country in total defense, and the Hurricanes dominated againstVirginia Tech, holding the Hokies to seven points and only 167 yards. It marked the fifth consecutivegame the UM defense has held an opponent to fewer than 200 yards on offense. Miami stymied Hokiesquarterback Marcus Vick, holding him to 8 of 22 passing for 90 yards and just seven yards rushing on17 carries. The vaunted Miami defense also forced six turnovers. UM now ranks No. 1 in scoringdefense, allowing only 10.38 points per game, just behind Alabama (8.22 points per game).
Miami alsoranks No. 1 in pass defense (117.38 yards per game), No. 1 in pass efficiency defense (73.09) and No.10 in run defense (97.38 yards per game). That puts this year’s Miami defense on par with any of thegreat UM defense of past years, and statistically better than some of the national championship defenses.The UM offense ranks 65th overall, 72nd in passing, 52nd rushing and 39th in scoring.
Miami needs to win its final three games of the season to earn a berth in the ACC ChampionshipGame on December 3 in Jacksonville. After Wake Forest, the Hurricanes will return home to the OrangeBowl and host Georgia Tech and Virginia in the final two regular-season games. Even after beatingVirginia Tech, the Hurricanes trail the Hokies by half a game in the ACC Coastal Division standings. VTis 5-1 and Miami is 4-1, but if both teams are tied at 7-1, Miami would win the division based upon thehead-to-head matchup.
Three victories will not only put Miami in the ACC title game, but it would have the Hurricanes on theedge of the BCS national championship game. Should either Southern Cal or Texas lose in the nextfew weeks, Miami could move up to No. 2 in the BCS standings and play for its 11th national championshipgame in the last 23 years.
The Wake Forest game was moved up five days because of Hurricane Wilma and was originallyscheduled to be played on Thursday night, November 17. This season, Wake Forest is 4-6, havingbeaten East Carolina, Clemson, North Carolina State and Duke. This is the final game of the year forthe Demon Deacons. This will be the eighth meeting between Miami and Wake Forest, with Miamiholding a 4-3 lead in the series. Last season, Miami defeated the Demon Deacons 52-7 at the OrangeBowl.
Miami will be without star running back Tyrone Moss, who suffered a torn ACL in his left knee againstVirginia Tech. Taking over for Moss will be sophomore Charlie Jones, who rushed for 97 yards and onetouchdown in the victory.
The UM defense has allowed only one score in five of the last six games (and six times in eightgames this year). In the last six games, Miami has outscored its opponents 197-43.”Don’t ever doubt the Canes,” head coach Larry Coker said after the victory over Virginia Tech. ThenCoker immediately focused on the road ahead. “If we lose to Wake Forest, what does it mean to beatVirginia Tech? We have to finish strong. We have to finish strong. We can’t slip up.”
