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 Monday, December 3, 2001
Who can catch the Hurricanes?
By Terry Bowden
Special to ABC Sports Online
Bowden's Weekly Chat Show
I said a long time ago it would be Miami versus somebody, and that is exactly what it has come down to. Although these somebodies are not what we expected them to be a few weeks ago. It has been an unbelievable finish to the season.
I don't think anyone in their right mind would have suggested that the three finalists to play against Miami in the Rose Bowl would be Tennessee, Oregon and a Nebraska team that didn't even win its own Big 12 division. Yet, that is where we stand.
Lets take a look at this past weekend to see where we stand.
Miami 26, Virginia Tech 24
This turned out to be the classic matchup that we thought it would be. Although Virginia Tech had five turnovers, the Hokies could have tied it late in the fourth quarter. Ernest Wilford will probably have a few sleepless nights after he dropped the wide-open two-point conversion pass in the end zone that allowed Miami to hold its two-point lead.
Miami did not play at the same level it did the previous two weeks against Syracuse and Washington. But, as usual, the Hurricanes did what they needed to win the game. Defensively, they gave up three times as many points as usual, but when the outcome was on the line, they stepped it up with Ed Reed intercepting the ball on Virginia Tech's last drive. Meanwhile, Ken Dorsey continues to lead a Miami offense that remains as balanced as ever.
Other than having a couple of kicks blocked -- which can be expected against Virginia Tech -- Miami looks primed for a Rose Bowl appearance. A month off should get Bryant McKinnie and others healthy for the show.
My hat's off to Larry Coker for doing what has seldom been done in college football -- going undefeated in his first season of coaching.
Tennessee 36, Florida 34
It had been so long since Tennessee beat the Gators in The Swamp that I don't think many people saw this one coming. Phil Fulmer lives in the SEC shadows of Florida coach Steve Spurrier. He has to suffer constant criticism from fans who feel his run-dominated offensive style is inferior to Spurrier's "Fun and Gun". All this in spite of the fact that Fulmer is the winningest active coach in major college football (.832).
Tennessee ran the ball down the throat of Florida's vaunted defense, and in doing that, ran away with an SEC Eastern Division championship. Travis Stephens ran for 226 yards, and, to quote coach Spurrier, "The Volunteer running game looked better than the Taliban."
Rex Grossman had another big night throwing the football. But because he was under constant pressure from the Tennessee defensive front, more often than not Florida was forced to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. Ultimately, that proved to be the difference as Florida, like Virginia Tech earlier in the day, lost a chance to tie the game by failing to convert a two-point conversion.
Tennessee now must beat a much-improved LSU team for the second time this season in the SEC championship game if it is to make it to the Rose Bowl Presented by AT&T. With a win, the Vols' strength-of-schedule would be the prime choice to match up with Miami on Jan. 3.
Colorado 39, Texas 37
As Florida was losing to Tennessee, the Texas players were hearing the good news before their game against Colorado. I can only imagine the excitement that must have been felt throughout that room, with them knowing that a victory over Colorado would likely send them to Pasadena.
You would think with that kind of motivation, every Texas player would go out and play the best game of his life. Well, everyone did except for maybe the most important one -- Chris Simms. After a solid first couple of series, Simms threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in easily the worst quarter and a half of his career.
It was such a disastrous performance that coach Mack Brown was forced to go back to Major Applewhite. Applewhite then went out and completed his first pass for a 79-yard touchdown. And in the second half, he led the Longhorns back into contention. But in the end, Colorado refused to roll over and give the game back to Texas.
For the second week in a row, Colorado's running game -- led by Chris Brown, who rushed for 180 yards and 3 TDs -- proved unstoppable, this time to the nation's second-best defense. The Buffaloes are probably the hottest team in America right now, and if not for their two-point loss to Fresno State at the beginning of the year, they would also have a chance to be playing for the national championship on Jan. 3. Much of the credit has to go to Gary Barnett, who takes back to Boulder the Big 12 championship trophy and the conference's coach of the year award.
Oregon 17, Oregon State 14
Although nothing changed in the big picture, I know that Oregon is glad to win the Civil War and secure itself the Pac-10 Conference championship. In a game that was played in a torrential downpour, credit has to be given to the Ducks for avoiding the upset. Oregon State led in the second half before Oregon pulled off one of its patented fourth-quarter comebacks.
Joey Harrington had a solid afternoon but did nothing to sway undecided Heisman voters. In fact, the Heisman Trophy is still up in the air. Not only do I not know who is going to win, but as a voter I don't know who I am going to vote for. I am hoping I have some kind of vision by Friday.
Notre Dame
I would be remiss if I didn't say at least something about the firing of Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie. I will make myself clear.
Bob Davie is a fine person, and in another situation may very well prove himself to be a successful head football coach. But Davie did not win enough games over a five-year period to remain as the head coach at Notre Dame. Athletics director Kevin White made the right decision that it was time to take another direction. And Notre Dame had honored its contract with Davie by paying him the remaining value of his five-year contract.
The bottom line here is that Notre Dame and Bob Davie just didn't work out, and it's time to move on.
Terry Bowden was the head coach at Salem College, Samford University and Auburn University. He is ABC's college football studio analyst and contributes regularly for ABC Sports Online.
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