Mark Blaudschun
By Mark Blaudschun
We are here today to praise the Miami Hurricanes, not to bury them.
A strange statement coming from a Miami guy who has followed the Canes with varying degrees of passion, anger, joy and disgust for more than 60 years, dating back to the fall of 1966 when I was a freshman at Miami and the U was the u, nondscript football program whose home field (the Orange Bowl) was better known than the program.
In recent years (this century) the U, which won five national championships over 28 years, hasn't won a CONFERENCE championship in the last 23 years.
Miami has been the classic underachiever with twists. Lots of talent, enough to keep it in the less than dominant Atlantic Coast Conference contender list, but has come up short every season, often self-destructing with bad coaching decisions, foolish player penalties and enough mistakes in the football 101 handbook to crumble it up and start over.
That changed on New Year's Eve in Arlington, Tex. It actually happened and I saw it up close and personal with a mixture of shock and awe.
In perhaps its best overall football game in this century, Miami--a 9.5-point underdog (more about that later)- posted a 24-14 victory over defending national champion Ohio State in a CFP quarterfinal Cotton Bowl matchup.
They punished the Buckeyes in the first half with a 14-0 effort which was more impressive than the score would suggest.
And then remarkably and--knowing their past history-stunningly in the second half they withstood a Buckeye comeback which set coach Mario Cristobal's team into Thursday night's CFP semifinals in the Fiesta Bowl against Ole Miss, this season's Cinderella entry.
Win that game--Miami is a field goal favorite--and Miami gets to go back to South Florida with its season still active and a spot in the national championship game against either Indiana or Oregon.
There is also a degree of irony involved here which makes me think it might actually happen.
Miami's win over Ohio State was fitting since it was Ohio State which was awarded the victory over the Canes in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, costing the Canes their sixth national championship.
Even neutral observers will concede Miami won the game after knocking down a fourth down Buckeye pass in overtime in a game in which the Hurricanes held a 24-17 lead.
"I remember it well,'' said former Big East commissioner Mike Trangese, watching the Canes (then a Big East team) add to their trophy case. "I was standing in the opposite end zone with (former Big Ten commissioner) Jim Delany. The pass gets knocked down, Jim shakes my hand and says, 'Congratulations, Mike'.''
Tranghese and Delany were walking up the field, when field judge Terry Porter dropped his flag.
First down Ohio State, which won the game in a second overtime.
Miami hasn't been back to that dance since that game.
Now. the Hurricanes go back to Arizona and the Fiesta Bowl for another chance.
Miami with an overpowering defense, a veteran in Carson Beck at QB and yes Mario Cristobal who called a flawless game against Ohio State is as good or better than any of the semifinal teams.
And if they best Ole Miss they will play for the national championship on their home field.
It's all set up for the u to become the U again.
Will it happen?
That one I haven't a clue.
This is a Miami coached by Cristobal which had a victory and a continued unbeaten season locked up against Georgia Tech with a simple kneel down.
Instead, Miami ran the ball, fumbled, lost a game and a season.This season it is a Miami which lost a home game against Louisville and a road game at SMU in the fourth quarter.
But it is also a Miami which is 6-0 against ranked teams this season, with Indiana, Oregon and Ole Miss currently ranked.
You make the call.
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