Miami resides in ESPN’s "House Of Pain"

ESPN spent the last week breaking down the fifty biggest heartbreaks in college football and as expected, the Miami Hurricanes made the list on more than one occasion.

Anyone who’s followed the Canes last few decades remembers both some incredible highs and lows. An era where Miami Football defined the game, followed by a time where a depleted roster equated in some embarrassing losses.

Five national championships are in the record books – 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001 – while several were left on the field.

A win over Tennessee in the 1986 Sugar Bowl would’ve crowned Miami the 1985 National Champs (as the Canes knocked off eventual champ Oklahoma during the regular season) and the 1987 Fiesta Bowl loss to No. 2 Penn State, cost the Canes the 1986 crown.

A regular season loss in 1988 at Notre Dame (on a bogus call) kept Miami from having a shot at repeating and even though UM took home trophies in 1989 and 1991, the 1993 Sugar Bowl loss to No. 2 Alabama ruined a would-be perfect season in 1992, forcing many to quickly forget how good things had been.

The post-probation era Canes also had their share of heartache. The 2000 version of Miami went 10-1 in the regular season, but was snubbed of a title shot, watching the Florida State team they beat months back waltz into the championship game … in Miami. (More salt in the wound came when the Noles fell to the Sooners, 13-2, killing any shot at a split title.)

Two years later, a thug named Terry Porter threw a flag that killed Miami’s shot at back-to-back crowns and a 35-game win streak.

When you’re a fan of a program, you only see things from your perspective … which is understandable, yet biased and unrealistic.

For years Miami Faithful has appreciated the golden years, but spent so much time lamenting the ones that got away. We’re all quick to dismiss the pain another program feels when on the losing end.

Peruse ESPN’s list of college football heartbreaks and you’ll see fifty winners and fifty losers. Every time you hear the announcer yell, “the band is on the field” – a whole different range of emotions depending which northern California Pac-10 school has your alliance.

For every big Miami win we’ve absorbed as fans, there’s a program out there who felt as low as the Canes did after Tennessee, Penn State, Notre Dame, Alabama or Ohio State made UM feel.

The 1984 Orange Bowl is celebrated by Miami faithful as the Decade of Dominance began he minute Turner Gill’s two-point conversion attempt was batted away by the flick of Kenny Calhoun’s wrist. Two fingertips started the Canes dynasty while the Husker waited another eleven years before finally winning another title. (ESPN listed this the 7th biggest heartbreak.)

“Wide Right” is synonymous with laughter and high fives for Canes fans, but in Tallahassee there are no two dirty words strung together. Florida State could’ve just as easily have played for the 1991 and 1992 national championships as Miami did, had that ball sailed inside the uprights instead of out. (ESPN listed this the 13th biggest heartbreak.)

What about that miracle comeback in 1987? Miami is down 19-3, rallies and wins 26-25 after a two-point conversion attempt is batted down. The Canes went on to beat the Sooners for the program’s second national title. (ESPN ranked this the 28th biggest heartbreak.)

As much as Canes refuse to let go of ’88 in South Bend or ’03 in Tempe, how does UCLA feel after their ’98 heartbreak in a half-full Orange Bowl? Riding a twenty-game win streak. Headed east for a make up game, postponed by a hurricane (allowing a young Miami team to jell as the year went on.)

The Canes were throttled the week before at Syracuse, so they played the Bruins loose as there was truly nothing to lose. This was the return game in a home/home series where Miami went went in 1995 for the inaugural game in the Butch Davis era, losing 31-8.

Win and UCLA is headed to the national title game against Tennessee. Instead, Miami erases a 17-point fourth quarter deficit – helped out by a bad call on a bang-bang play. Delvin Brown recovered a “fumble” by Brad Melsby, after a 30-yard gain and it was Miami ball. Replay showed his knee down, but this was the pre-Instant Replay era of college football.

Up 45-42 and driving, it looked like the Canes were done – but after being awarded this second chance, capitalized, went ahead and held on to win 49-45, after a Cade McNown hail mary fell dead in the back corner of the end zone.

Burned by a long bomb fourteen years prior, when that little gnat Doug Flutie scrambled free – this time the Canes got the break and the legendary win … and to date, Bruin fans want to see that highlight as much as Miamians want to see Gerald Phelan falling to the ground with Flutie’s pass in his mitts.

The lesson is simple; you win some and you lose some. As a fan you get to rejoice, but you’ll also feel tremendous heartache. That’s the name of the game and a big reason you can’t cry “what if?” Every team can say “what if”. There are a million “what if” moments in every game which define the outcome.

In the end all you can hope is that your team is on the winning end more than it’s on the losing end.

As far as ESPN’s fifty “House Of Pain” games went down, Miami showed up six times and amassed a 4-2 record. Both losses hurt the Canes in the national championship race (the latter more than the former), but three of the four big wins led to three of Miami’s first four titles. Hard to complain with that result.

October 15th, 1988: The game was billed as “Catholics vs. Convicts” and became an instant classic. Defending national champion Miami had a 36-game winning streak in regular-season games, and both teams were undefeated. The Fighting Irish had a 31-24 lead late in the fourth quarter. The Hurricanes scored a touchdown with 45 seconds left, and coach Jimmy Johnson chose to go for two points and the win. But Notre Dame’s Pat Terrell knocked down Steve Walsh’s pass in the end zone, giving the Irish one of their biggest victories.

December 5th, 1998: The game was postponed more than two months because of the threat of hurricanes on its original date. The No. 3 Bruins had won 20 consecutive games and were one victory from playing Tennessee for the national championship. But the Hurricanes spoiled UCLA’s dream, as Edgerrin James scored the winning touchdown with 50 seconds left in a wild 49-45 victory. James ran for 299 yards and three touchdowns as the Hurricanes piled up 689 yards of offense.

October 3rd, 1987: Eight times at Florida State, Bobby Bowden had a one-loss season. Half of those times, the Seminoles’ one loss was to their nemesis, Miami. This was the first. It was a brilliant game, with a plethora of future pros on both sides. Florida State led 19-3, but the Canes responded with 23 unanswered points. Still, the Seminoles answered with a late 75-yard scoring drive. With 42 seconds left, Bowden went for two and the win. Danny McManus’ pass was broken up, and FSU got to watch Miami win another national title.

November 16th, 1991: Wide Right I, the first of Bobby Bowden’s field goal agonies at the hands of the Hurricanes. The Seminoles spent all season ranked No. 1 and led their hated rivals 16-7 in the fourth quarter, but a Miami rally left FSU behind with three minutes left. The Noles marched to the Miami 17 in the final minute, and Bowden sent in Gerry Thomas. Thomas’ 34-yard attempt fluttered barely outside the right upright, leaving Bowden stunned. The devilish detail: That season, the NCAA had narrowed the goal posts by 4 feet, 10 inches.

January 2nd, 1984: The Huskers had been anointed the greatest college football team ever before they played the Orange Bowl. Bowl or not, No. 5 Miami had the home field. Nebraska rebounded from a 17-0 deficit to tie and from a 31-17 deficit to pull within one with :48 to play. Coach Tom Osborne knew a tie would mean a national title. He endeared himself to American sports fans by going for the win. All the backslapping failed to soothe the pain of missing the two-point conversion.

January 3rd, 2003: The fireworks exploded over Sun Devil Stadium. Miami corner Glenn Sharpe had broken up a pass from Craig Krenzel to Chris Gamble. The Hurricanes had won their second consecutive national championship, their 35th consecutive game, beating Ohio State 24-17 in overtime in the Fiesta Bowl. But no — back judge Terry Porter called pass interference. The fireworks stopped. The game restarted. The Buckeyes won 31-24 in the second overtime. Miami has not soared nearly so high again.

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