HURRICANES HOST VIRGINIA IN ORANGE BOWL FINALE
Nov. 6, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MIAMI HURRICANES
vs. (21) VIRGINIA CAVALIERS
When: Saturday, November 10, 2007, at 7:15 p.m. ET
Where: Orange Bowl (natural grass, 72,319) in Miami
TV: The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 with Mark Jones (play by play), Bob Davie (analyst) and Stacey Dales (field reporter).
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 13, with announcers Jason Solodkin and K.C. Jones.
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 be broadcast live on XM Radio.
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WWWK 105.5 FM and WPIK 102.5 FM with Joe Pujala (play by play) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Student Radio: WVUM 90.5 FM will broadcast the game live with Alex Kushel and Jay Dryburgh.
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Virginia (www.virginiasports.com)
THIS WEEK’S GAME
The Miami Hurricanes will play their final game in the Orange Bowl on Saturday night when they host the Virginia Cavaliers. Kickoff for the nationally televised game is at 7:15 p.m.
It will be the 468th and final game for the Hurricanes in the historic stadium. Starting next year, the University of Miami will play in Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens. UM has an overall record of 318-142-7 in the Orange Bowl for a winning percentage of .688. This season the Hurricanes are 4-2 at home and hope to close out their 71 seasons in the Orange Bowl with a win over the 21st-ranked Cavaliers who are 8-2. A victory will also give the Hurricanes a bowl berth for the 10th consecutive season.
Miami is coming off a 19-16 overtime loss to North Carolina State last Saturday and is now 5-4 for the season. The Hurricanes rushed for 314 yards, but they completed only one pass the entire game against NC State.
Virginia, meanwhile, defeated Wake Forest 17-16 last Saturday and has won eight of its last nine games since an opening day loss. Ironically, Virginia’s only loss was to NC State two weeks ago. Virginia’s last three wins have all been by one point and two other victories this season have been by two points. The Cavaliers are led by All-America candidate DT Chris Long, who has 12 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and 65 total tackles. Quarterback Jameel Sewell has thrown for 1,689 yards and 10 touchdowns, and the top running back is Cedric Peerman, who has 585 yards and five touchdowns, with a 5.1-yard average. For the season, the Cavaliers rank 101st in total offense, 86th in rushing and 84th in passing. Defensively, Virginia is 25th overall, 23rd vs. the run and 49th vs. the pass.
Through nine games, Miami ranks 91st in the nation in total offense, 39th in rushing and 108th in passing. Defensively, Miami is 23rd overall, 44th against the run and 19th against the pass.
Miami expects to have quarterback Kyle Wright back for its last game in the Orange Bowl. Wright suffered a sprained ankle against Florida State three weeks ago and missed the NC State game (the team had a bye week the previous weekend). The Hurricanes are led by running backs sophomore Javarris James (519 yards, 4.0 average) and true freshman Graig Cooper (624 yards, 5.5 average). The defense is paced by two players who had 12 tackles in the last game: Thorpe Award candidate Kenny Phillips at safety, and sophomore Colin McCarthy at strongside linebacker.
THE OPPONENT
Virginia is is 8-2 this season. The Cavaliers are assured of playing in a bowl game for the sixth time in the last seven years, and a win would tie them for their most wins in a season since they won 10 games in 1989.
THE SERIES
This will be only the fifth game between the two schools and the fourth consecutive year in which they have played. Miami leads the series 3-1. UM’s only loss was 17-7 last year in Charlottesville, and the wonly other time they played in the Orange Bowl was in 2005, a 25-17 Miami victory.
THE COACHES
Randy Shannon is 5-4 in his first season at Miami. Virginia’s Al Groh is 50-35 in seven seasons at Virginia and 76-75 in 13 seasons overall.
A HURRICANES VICTORY OVER THE CAVALIERS WOULD
Give Miami their sixth victory of the season and guarantee a 10th consecutive bowl berth. It would also give them a 3-3 mark in the ACC and give them a 4-1 lead in the series with Virginia. Finally, it would close out their 71 seasons in the Orange Bowl with a victory and a 319-142-7 record.
Orange Bowl Facts
First game: 40-0 victory over Georgia Southern on Oct. 1, 1937
Games played in the Orange Bowl: 467
Record: 318-142-7
Winning percentage at home:.688
Record in the 1930s: 15-8
Record in the 1940s: 44-35-2
Record in the 1950s: 49-23-3
Record in the 1960s: 39-24-2
Record in the 1970s: 27-28
Record in the 1980s: 52-6
Record in the 1990s: 50-10
Record in the 2000s: 42-8
Largest crowd: 81,927 vs. Florida State in 2002
Largest average attendance for a season: 69,539 in 2002
Won-loss record on Homecoming: 45-24
Record in Orange Bowl Classic: 6-3
Most points scored in a game by the Hurricanes: 75 vs. Fordham in 1954
Most points scored in a game by an opponent: 70 by Texas A&M in 1944
Most points scored in a game by both teams: 94 (Miami 49, UCLA 45 in 1998
Lowest scoring game: 0-0 vs. Notre Dame in 1965, vs. North Carolina State in 1957, vs. South Carolina in 1944
Most touchdowns scored: 6 by Willis McGahee vs. Virginia Tech in 2002
Most yards rushing in a game: 299 yards by Edgerrin James vs. UCLA in 1998
Most yards passing in a game: 485 yards by Gino Terretta vs. San Diego State in 1991
Most receiving yards in a game: 220 yards by Eddie Brown vs. Boston College in 1984
Most receptions in a game: 12 by Willie Smith, 12 vs. Maryland in 1984
Most TD passes thrown in a game: 5 by Bernie Kosar vs. Cincinnati in 1984, Steve Walsh vs. Cincinnati in 1988, and Ken Dorsey vs. Boston College in 2000
Most field goals: 5 by Jon Peattie vs. West Virginia in 2003
Longest pass play: 88 yards, Gino Torretta to Wesley Carroll in 1989
Longest rushing play: 90 yards, Jack Losch vs. Bucknell in 1955
Longest field goal: 55 yards by Danny Miller vs. Florida in 1981 and Jon Peattie vs. Virginia Tech in 2006
Longest punt: 77 yards by Harry Ghaul vs. Florida in 1947
Longest punt return: 92 yards by Devin Hester vs. Louisiana Tech in 2004
Longest kickoff return: 100 yards by Tim Morgan vs. Houston in 1975 and Ottis Anderson vs. Utah State in 1978
Longest interception return: 98 yards by Paul Hefti vs. Fordham in 1954
THE FINAL GAME CELEBRATION
A number of exciting activities are planned, including the appearance of former players and celebrities. Fans will also be treated to special halftime and postgame shows, and everyone in attendance will receive a color poster honoring the 71 years of Hurricanes football at the Orange Bowl.
– All former players in attendance will be brought down onto the field to form the tunnel when the team enters the field.
– ACC Commissioner John Swofford will participate in the coin toss.- Grammy award winning singer/songwriter Jon Secada will perform the national anthem. He is a UM graduate.
– Players and families of former coaches and administrators, representing the different eras of Hurricanes football at the Orange Bowl, have been invited back and will be honored during a special halftime celebration.
(Man others were invited back, though some were unable to attend for various reasons). Among those confirmed are:
Bowman Foster Ashe (deceased) – UM’s first President who served in that capacity from 1926 to 1952. He will be represented by his grandchildren, Gary Dunn, Bo Dunn and Linda Brown.
Jack Harding (deceased) – Head Football Coach from 1937-42 and 1945-47 and member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He will be represented by his children, Betty Ann Parker and Barbara Hoffman.
Jim Dooley (physically unable to attend) – Halfback from 1949-51. Named first-team All-American in 1951. Later played for and was the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Inducted into the UM Ring of Honor in 1997. His number 42 is retired. He will be represented by his children Lisa Trace and Jim Jr.
Harry Mallios – Fullback from 1950-52 and Director of Athletics from 1979-83.
Don Bosseler – Running back from 1953-56. Named a first-team All-American in 1956. Later played for the Washington Redskins. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990. Elected to the UM Ring of Honor in 1999.
George Mira Sr. – Played quarterback from 1961-63. Named All-America in 1962 and 1963. Played for several professional football teams. Was elected to the UM Ring of Honor and had his number 10 retired in 1997.
Pete Banaczak – Running back from 1963-65. Went on to play professionally for the Oakland Raiders from 1966-78.
Ray Bellamy – Star wide receiver from 1968-69. The first African American student-athlete at the University of Miami.
Burgess Owens – Defensive back from 1970-72. Named All-America after his senior season. Went on to have a long professional career. Inducted into the UM Ring of Honor in 1999.
Ottis Anderson – UM’s all-time leading rusher from 1975-78. Played for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants in the NFL from 1979-92. Named MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991. Inducted into the UM Ring of Honor in 1999.
Bennie Blades – Played safety from 1985-87 and was named All-America in 1986 and 1987. 1987 winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s best defensive back. Had a long pro career with the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Bernie Kosar – Quarterback from 1982-84. Passed for nearly 6,000 yards and was the starting quarterback on UM’s first championship team. Went on to a stellar pro career. Inducted into the UM Ring of Honor in 1999.
Michael Irvin – Wide receiver from 1985-87. Played 12 years for the Dallas Cowboys, where he was a member of three Super Bowl champions. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
Russell Maryland – Played nose tackle from 1986-90. Named All-America in 1990 and was the NFL’s No. 1 overall draft choice in 1991. Was UM’s first recipient of the Outland Trophy, honoring college football’s best interior lineman, that same year. Had a 10-year pro career with the Cowboys, Raiders and Packers.
Darren Smith – Linebacker from 1989-92. Named an All-American in 1991 and 1992. UM’s first National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholarship recipient. Played 12 seasons in the NFL.
Gino Torretta – Quarterback from 1989-92. Was the quarterback of the 1991 national champion Hurricanes. Became UM’s second Heisman Trophy winner (along with Vinny Testaverde) following his senior season. That year also won the Maxwell Award (best overall college football player), the Davey O’Brien Award (top quarterback), the Unitas Award (top senior quarterback), was a consensus All-American and won every Player of the Year Award. Played professionally for several NFL teams between 1993 and 1997.
Andre Johnson – Wide receiver from 1999 to 2002. Co-MVP of the 2002 Rose Bowl victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He caught seven passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns in that game as UM claimed its fifth national title. Currently plays for the Houston Texans.4All fans in attendance will receive a commemorative poster courtesy of Ocean Bank.
– UM students are having a T-shirt design contest. The winner’s design will be put on shirts given to all students in attendance.
Tickets, priced at $47, are still available and can be purchased at the UM Box Office in the Hecht Athletic Building, online at hurricanesports.com or by calling 1-800-GO-CANES.
