Much Riding on Saturday's Game in Death Valley
Oct. 1, 2010
By: Rob Dunning
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Saturday’s game in South Carolina has seemingly flown under the radar on the national stage this week. With multiple games on Saturday featuring a Top 10 versus a Top 10 team, it’s not all that unexpected. That doesn’t mean this game isn’t one of – if not the most – meaningful to the college football landscape.
Miami and Clemson are arguably the ACC’s top two contenders for the ACC Championship game and the BCS this year. Sure there are a few others, but these two teams are widely thought of as the most talented and capable teams in the league.
Both teams possess speed, strength and pure athletic ability that few can match. Clemson showed it two weeks back in a tough, physical loss at Auburn. The Hurricanes’ talent was on full display last week in a blowout win at Pitt. Obviously something has to give Saturday.
A win for Miami would mean a 3-1 start after its highly-publicized road gauntlet at Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Clemson. It would also mean the `Canes are right where they want to be, with five of their last eight games to be played at Sun Life Stadium.
A win likely won’t be easy though. The last three meetings between the Tigers and `Canes have gone to overtime, with the last two resulting in four overtime periods and a combined 143 points.
“It’s the way you want college football games to be with [the games] coming down to the end with somebody making a big play,” head coach Randy Shannon said. “It’s great for college football and for TV.”
Speaking of TV, the `Canes will be making their third straight appearance on national television with Saturday’s game being televised on ESPN2 and ESPN 3D. The same can be said for next weekend’s home game against FSU, which was tabbed an 8 p.m. game on ABC a few days ago.
It’s a place Randy Shannon and his players have embraced.
“This is another opportunity to be on national television which is really good for the University of Miami, our program, and our football players to go out and perform out at a high level,” Shannon added.
Performing on a high level on the national stage is something the Hurricanes have an impressive track record of doing.
It won’t come easy though. Death Valley is waiting.
OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE
A `CANES WIN OVER THE TIGERS WOULD…
– Give Miami its fourth win in an ACC season opener since joining the league in 2004.
– Give Miami a 3-1 record in ACC season openers under head coach Randy Shannon.
– Give Miami a 3-1 record for the second straight year and third time under head cocah Randy Shannon.
MIAMI LEADS THE NATION IN TACKLES FOR LOSSES
– Through the first month of college football, No. 16 Miami’s defense leads the country in tackles for a loss per game with an 11.3 average. The `Canes recorded 14 tackles for a loss in their opener against Florida A&M before another strong performance with 11 more at No. 2 Ohio State. Miami then tallied nine tackles for loss at Pittsburgh.
– Sean Spence leads the `Canes with 6.5 tackles for a loss, while Olivier Vernon has 5.0, Marcus Forston, Adewale Ojomo, Colin McCarthy and Andrew Smith have 3.0. Spence leads the team with 24 tackles overall.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
– Head coach Randy Shannon’s 977 lifetime Academic Progress Report average leads all head coaches in Bowl Championship Series conferences and trails only Troy Calhoun of Air Force (983) and Ken Niumatalolo of Navy (978) on the national stage.
– The University of Miami was recognized in May as the only school in the FBS to post a multi-year APR score in the top-10 percent as well as finish 2009 ranked in both the Coaches and the AP polls.
