Is the U On Its Way Back?
From 5-7 to 7-6 to 9-4, Randy Shannon has Miami headed in the right direction. After three games in 2010, the Hurricanes are 2-1 with the lone loss coming to #2 Ohio State. Not a bad way to start the season. And, after a 31-3 win on the road against a team – Pittsburgh – many thought would be in the top half of the polls at the end of the season, not a bad way to show you may be on your way back.
As a Florida fan, you are trained to hate all Miami (and FSU) has to offer. You laughed when Virginia ran over the Canes 48-0 in 2007. You celebrated when the Gators got a long due win 26-3 in 2008. You even cracked a smile when Virginia Tech beat Miami by 24 last season. As a Gator, you don’t want the Canes to win. Ever. Or do you?
I don’t pull for Miami. Why should I? A Canes’ fan doesn’t cheer for the Gators. That’s how it works. We all know that. But I do enjoy the “big three.” I like the thought of the state proving time and time again it’s THE state for football.
There was a time when the Florida schools dominated the college football landscape. That time may not be completely gone, but it certainly has a different feeling now than it once did. From 1983 to 2001, the three schools combined for eight national championships. Eight in 19 seasons!
Since then, the Gators have claimed two more titles for the state, bumping that total to 10 in 27 years. Not bad at all, but in that time there have been some ups and downs for all three programs. Florida waded through the Ron Zook years, FSU has only won 10 games in a season once in the last nine years, and Miami dropped as far as a losing season in 2007. Not exactly a period of dominance for the big three.
Once Zook left, the Gators wasted little time climbing back to the ranks of the elite. Since Urban Meyer took over the program, Florida is 60-10 and has recorded three 13-1 seasons. The Seminoles are still a question mark with a new head coach, but talent never stops coming to Tallahassee. Miami, though, looks like they may be ready right now to take the last step in their return.
In the last two games, Canes’ quarterback Jacory Harris has thrown six interceptions, most coming on bad decisions on his part. Despite that, Miami came out of those two games with a 12-point loss to one of the nation’s top teams and a 28-point win over a team many picked to win a BCS conference. If Harris can cut down the turnovers, the Hurricanes might just be one of the better teams in the country.
Sound like a stretch? Why? Miami has nine games remaining. Four are against teams that were ranked at one point or another this season. Three of those four are at home. And not a single one of those nine teams are currently ranked, in either poll.
Last season, the Canes’ schedule had many thinking the same – that a great year was on the way. 9-4 wasn’t what Miami expected, but it was improvement. This season, the defense is better and Harris should improve over the course of the year. Could this be the season for the Canes? And could it be the return of another one of the big three?