Another day, another "Classic"

Sucked into another ESPN Classic gem today. Couldn’t help myself, yet again. Miami v. Florida State 2002? C’mon now. One of my all time favorites, right up there with the 2000 edition of this rivalry – both of which are neck and neck, earning the title “hottest sporting event I ever witnessed in person”.

Canes/Noles is always a battle, though occasionally the rivalry gets either one-sided or one team is a bit better than the other. Miami and Florida State were pretty evenly matched up from the mid 80s to early 90s. Probation hit the Canes pretty hard, making the mid to late 90s a completely one-sided rivalry, with the Noles winning five straight. By 2000, The U was back and Miami rattled off six in a row, none with more overall excitement than the 2002 contest.

Nothing will touch “The Drive” in 2000, when Ken Dorsey went 6-of-7 in the final two minutes, leading Miami to a 27-24 win – official only after a third game-defining field goal sailed ‘wide right’ for the third time in ten years. As cathartic and much needed as that ’00 win, the Canes weren’t down 27-14 early in the fourth quarter. Leading most of the game, you never really entertained the fact Miami might lose they way many did watching the second half of the ’02 game.

Miami also wasn’t the underdog they were two years prior when knocking off the top-ranked, defending national champions. In ’02 the Canes were a year removed from their fifth title and No. 1 in the land, riding a 27-game win streak. As a program Miami needed that ’00 victory to prove they were “back”. One could argue that was the Canes’ biggest win this decade, outside the Rose Bowl thumping of Nebraska.

When riding a win streak and defending a title, teams let their guard down. Hunger can’t be fabricated and a ‘fat and happy’ mentality is almost unavoidable. Southern Cal has seen it at times this decade, as did Florida State, Nebraska and Miami in the 90s. Staying a top the mountain is almost harder than the initial climb. Of course that’s something difficult for college kids to comprehend when ‘in the moment’. You usually don’t “get it” until you’ve lost what you had.

Miami started the 2002 campaign with a bang, throttling FAMU, 63-13 in the opener and rolling No. 6 Florida a week later at the Swamp, 41-16. After whooping Temple. Boston College and Connecticut by a combined score of 130-41, the Canes were 5-0 with the Noles headed to town.

Florida State looked like they’d roll into the Orange Bowl ranked fourth, but a Thursday night overtime loss at Louisville turned this into a No. 1 vs. No. 14 match up, instead of a Sunshine State showdown between two top five heavyweights.

Maybe the Canes were looking ahead, or the Noles had something to prove but the early goings of Miami/Florida State 2002 was all FSU and it remained that way for the majority of the game.

Miami struck first on the opening possession, a balanced seven-minute drive where Dorsey spread the ball all around effortlessly. Ethenic Sands, Andre Johnson, Kevin Beard and Kellen Winslow II all got in on the action, while Willis McGahee churned out 22 yards and the game’s first score.

The Canes had a shot to add to the lead after the Noles fumbled a punt. Set up on the Noles’ 16-yard line, Miami fumbled the first down snap, giving the ball back. Six plays and 86 yards later Nick Maddox tied it up, tearing off a 30-yard touchdown run.. Two possessions later, Xavier Beitia drilled a 45-yarder and it was 10-7, Noles.

Miami went three and out on their next possession, gave Florida State the ball at midfield, gave away ten yards in penalties and within minutes found itself in a 17-7 hole. The Canes responded with an 80-yard drive and five-yard strike to Winslow, cutting the halftime deficit to 17-14.

Early in third, again the Miami offense sputtered. As the ground game started opening up, Dorsey threw an ill-advised pick. The Canes defense forced a three and out, but again offensively two dropped passes sent Roscoe Parrish’s way proved to be drive killers. Florida State took over on their four-yard line and rode their ground game to a 42-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 20-14.

Parrish atoned for his earlier drops, reeling in a 53-yard strike on 1st and 10, but an illegal (bogus) chop block made it 1st and 25. Momentum lost, the Canes would go three and out and the Noles would push it to 27-14 on the ensuing drive; only a thirteen-point lead as Bobby Bowden foolishly missed an opportunity for a two-point conversion.

With 9:32 left in the game, a win streak on the line and an Orange Bowl lulled to sleep by sub par play, the defending champs somehow flipped a switch and finally came to life. (Something you can do with depth and superior talent.) Dorsey to Johnson for 37 yards. A McGahee scamper for 11 more. Back to Johnson for 19 yards, a one-yard McGahee run and on 2nd and goal, Dorsey fired one to Kevin Beard in the back of the end zone, cutting the deficit to 27-21.

Again the defense held and at the 5:36 mark, one of a few plays that preserved an undefeated regular season was on deck. Dorsey found McGahee on the screen and a few blocks later, the power back rumbled 68 yards to the FSU 11-yard line. Jason Geathers finished the job, prancing to paydirt and putting Miami ahead for good, 28-27.

The final five scoreless minutes were not without drama, though. A signature Sean Taylor hit, where the late safety flew in like a missile, decleating P.K. Sam for what should’ve been a fumble (called incomplete.) A three-yard Freddie Capshaw punt, giving Florida State possession on their 46-yard line with just over two minutes to play. A few desperation passes from Chris Rix that resulted in miracle first down pick ups. A game clock that appeared to expire, yet wound up at 0:01, giving Beitia a shot at a game-winning 43-yard field goal which sailed wide, sucked left by the swirling winds in the open end zone.

Watching this vintage game brought up a slew of different emotions. Nostalgia for “the way we were” as well as my personal ability to recall how carefree live was at 28, as opposed to 35. It was a great era and the fact that Miami was in the midst of what would become a 34-game win streak? Unfathomable as this program sits at 18-16 in its last thirty-four games.

The saving grace for me is the fact that the talent is returning, by staying home. Randy Shannon is keeping the Miami kids in Miami and the depth gets deeper each passing off season. Miami’s ’02 comeback over Florida State was more about talent, depth, heart and leadership more than it was superior coaching. It wasn’t the genius of Rob Chudzinski’s play calling that won the game. It was the effort and ability of the players.

In 2002, a screen pass to a running back turned into a 68-yard pick up – thanks to a top flight running back, a solid offensive line and a few key blocks that made the difference Without the back, the line or the blocks, the same play loses three yards these last few seasons.

As brilliant as Dorsey looked at times, how does he fare behind the Miami offensive lines of 2004-2007? What’s his overall record with the recent running game and receiving corps the Canes have sported? Certainly not 38-2.

Old will be new again and Miami will return to glory, as long as the talent in Coral Gables continues to improve. As depressed as some Cane fans might be watching these epic games of yesteryear, see the common theme — when you’re loaded with playmakers, you have a better chance at “out-talenting” the competition. Give it another year and those days will return.

As bright as the Canes future looks, for all the money in the world I truly couldn’t stomach being a Florida State fan. If I were, my hatred for all things Miami would consume my every thought. I completely understand why the whackos on Warchant.com ban smack-talking Cane fans left and right. The thought of The U or the site of anything orange and green would eat me alive.

As painful as the 2002 loss was, I don’t even know where to rank it if I’m a Nole. With a game winning kick on the line, it was fait accompli that the kick would wind up anywhere but straight through the uprights. As I watched from my sweat-covered seat in Section X that Saturday, just north of the West End Zone, I’ll never forget the moment of silence before the teams lined up for the kick.

Out of nowhere, one of Miami’s finest — a shirtless, loud, liquored up patron — screamed at the top of his lungs, “They’ve never beaten us with a f’n kick and they’re not gonna do it today. No WAY this kick is good!” Within seconds, I shared a warm embrace with this rogue individual, wishing for a moment I was him solely for his confidence and Nostradamus-like prediction.

How many times has Miami’s elation come at the hands of Florida State’s pain? How many new ways can the Noles get so close, only to have their heart smashed in such dramatic fashion? Should Capshaw actually kick a man-sized punt, there’s a good chance FSU never get’s in field goal position. If Talman Gardner doesn’t reel in two miracle grabs, the Noles possibly end with a fourth down incomplete, sparing the football world the legacy of “Wide Left” and keeping this epic game from every being replayed on ESPN Classic.

A similar story in 2000 after Miami retook the 27-24 lead with under a minute to play. Florida State manages to move the chains a few times, putting them in position for Matt Munyon to miss his 49-yard attempt, giving the world “Wide Right III”.

Ironically enough, the Noles kicking game flourished in the late 90s with Sebastian Janikowski… when Miami was on probation and the rivalry’s closest game was a ten-point contest in 1999. Where was Janakegger in the early 90s when Florida State couldn’t buy a legit kicker?

Between 1983-1994, Miami took 9 of 12 against Florida State. From 2000-2008, the Canes have taken 7 of 10. The only time the Noles owned the rivalry, the Canes were suiting up a JV team thanks to probation. Florida State finally fields the best teams their program has ever seen and they don’t even get the satisfaction of beating on a fully loaded Miami bunch. Classic.

If you’re a Nole, the majority of the past twenty years will make you puke. A 19-3 deficit in 1987 resulted in a 26-25, Miami win. The No. 3 Canes took out the No. 4 Noles and weeks later rose to No. 2 and took out No. 1 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, securing the program’s second national title.

Florida State wrapped up the season 10-1, ranked third in the country and with revenge on the brain eight months later, faced No. 6 Miami in the season opener – rolling is at the top ranked team, before losing 31-0 on national television. The fact they filmed an off-season rap video which NBC played during the beat down… nothing more than insult to injury.

The Noles got some revenge in 1989, thumping Miami 24-10 in Tallahassee… but Miami won out and went on to claim their third national championship. The Noles went 9-2 and finished ranked sixth.

All that said, no bigger heartbreak than the early 90s. In 1991, a 17-16 loss to No. 2 Miami when Gerry Thomas sent the game winner “Wide Right”.

No. 1 Florida State fell from their perch and the Canes went on to win their fourth national championship and second in three seasons. A year later, No. 2 Miami staves off defeat when Dan Mowery sends his kick right. The Orange Bowl goes nuts and No. 3 Florida State falls in dramatic fashion… again. You honestly couldn’t script a better ending for a half dozen of Miami’s wins over Florida State the past three decades.

Floridian by birth, but a Cane by the grace of God. It’s an old shirt we had back in the day at All Sports and all these years later it makes even more sense. We don’t choose the teams we root for; they choose us. I have a family full of Florida State and Notre Dame fans. I look at my the cousins from generation and realize I could just as easily have become a Nole or Irish puke. It was all luck of the draw.

I put myself in a Nole’s shoes watching this comeback and again I’m reminded how truly great it is to be a Miami Hurricane. Don’t believe me? Just ask Mr. “Oh-for-Six” Rix.

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