The U: Virginia-bound with forty-eight reasons to win

Randy Shannon can talk all he wants about how this is just another game and Miami isn’t thinking ‘payback’ heading into this weekend’s contest against Virginia.

The freshman on this team were in high school last year, this is a different team… blah, blah, blah.

This is Miami and this is the type of game a once-proud and dominant program lived for. Someone comes into your house, trashes the place, spits in your face and you’re not going to do something about it? C’mon now.

Don’t be fooled by the lack of hype. These players are revenge-minded and for the youngins who missed last year’s 48-0 beatdown in the Orange Bowl finale, they’ve had a full week for their older teammates to bring them up to speed.

That being the case, ‘wanting revenge’ and ‘getting revenge’ are two different beasts entirely. Miami may have the desire to stick it to Virginia, but do they have the game plan and ability to execute?

All the pregame huffing and puffing goes out the window once that ball is snapped. The U isn’t going to will itself to a “W” simply because the Cavs showed them up a year ago.

For those who braved the storm November 10th last year, 48-0 was as bad as this program had seen since 47-0 in Tallahassee back in 1997. Difference there, was a #1 Florida State team taking it to an unranked Miami bunch reeling from probation, en route to a 5-6 season.

This time around it was a ho-hum Virginia bunch, sitting at 8-2 and barely in the top 20, handing Miami it’s worst home beatdown since 1973.

Hardly the way it was drawn up when planning the OB’s adios, complete with post-game confetti and laser-light snoozer for a half-full stadium and dejected, worked over team. 

When the day started, dozens of former players were in attendance and the pre-game atmosphere was electric. The evening had that old school, big game feel. The fans were rowdy, the stadium was rockin’ and if there was ever a night you felt the football gods would will the Canes to a ‘W’, this should’ve been in.

Instead, another message was sent; Miami had hit rock bottom and the old girl was officially of magic. 48-0 wasn’t a farewell party. It was a funeral and the Cavs spit on the casket.

A 21-9 advantage in first downs. 418 yards to Miami’s 189. Five forced turnovers and a scoring onslaught, with six touchdowns and two field goals.

Even more frustrating that Miami’s inability to get anything going offensively (Kyle Wright went 9-of-21 for 94 yards, O touchdowns, 3 interceptions), the Canes defense was a shell of it’s former self.

For sixty minutes, Tim Walton’s defense looked lifeless. At times Virginia would call the same play back-to-back an Miami still wouldn’t have an answer. A team knows for it’s collective speed looked stuck in the muck, chasing down slow, pasty tight end (John Phillips) who led the Hoos in receptions and yards.

Last year’s loss to Virginia was a page straight out of bizarro world. Losing the Orange Bowl was surreal in itself, but watching Miami unravel against the type of team it used to feast on – for a night, it was as if nothing was right in the world.

A year later, the Canes and Cavs are somewhere closer to a middle ground.

Virginia didn’t start out like the 9-4 squad they were in 2007. 1-3 out the gate, suffering beatdowns at the hands of Southern Cal (52-7), Connecticut (45-10) and Duke (31-3).

Then, as inexplicable as their early losses, a four-game win streak. The Cavs took out Maryland (31-0), East Carolina (35-20), North Carolina (16-13, OT) and Georgia Tech (24-17).

Ice cold at 1-3 and at one point a ‘sure win’ for Miami, Virginia now sports the same identical record as their south Florida rival; 5-3.

The Canes path, a little more murky their their counterpart. After hanging tough with a solid Florida team, Miami thumped Texas A&M on the road and dropped back-to-back home heartbreakers against North Carolina and Florida State. 2-3 and at a crossroads, the Canes responded.

Three straight wins are the story, with victories over Central Florida, Duke and Wake Forest, though it’s hardly as impressive as Virginia’s road to five wins.

Credit to the Canes, a hard-fought win over the Demon Deacons helped put this season back on the right track – but how does that carry over to a road game at UVA?

Whether it’s revenge-fueled or simply the desire to stay on a roll while getting better each week, Miami faces another statement game this weekend. This final stretch of football will provide some serious challenges. There are no ‘gimmies’ left on the schedule and Virginia might be one of UM’s toughest remaining foes.

Last year 5-3 resulted in 5-7. 0-fer in the final four contests, Miami imploded and missed their first bowl game in a decade. Coach Shannon has oft stated that was then and this is now. New team. New players. New attitude. Tomorrow the Canes have a chance to walk Shannon’s talk.

Miami is on the mend. It’s blatantly obvious. You see the talent returning and there’s a competitive fire in these youngsters that’s been missing for a few seasons. Once a few more big time classes are reeled in, the Canes will truly be ‘back’.

Until then, buckle up because it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Each week, a new mission and slew of challenges to overcome.

While this squad is showing promise, they’re unproven; writing their history one game at a time. A comeback against a Wake Forest could be followed up with a faceplant this week or somewhere down the road. This isn’t a veteran team. At some point there will be some backsliding as this team is due to play down to their age.

That being the case, the Canes need to play with a purpose this weekend. Seven teams may have beaten Miami last season, but not in the manner that Virginia did and none on such a momentous evening.

Randy doesn’t want to talk revenge, but deep down everyone is thinking it. For the sake of the program, Miami needs to respond tomorrow.

Allow last year’s humiliation to fuel this year’s fire.

Make another statement. One at a time.

Take another step forward in a rebuilding year.

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