It's not a stretch to draw a parallel between this season and 1999, the year before Miami's final No. 2 ranking, and a win over Wisconsin tonight in the Champs Sports Bowl could help the Canes get a head start on the 2010 polls.
In 1999, Miami lost close games at eventual national champion Florida State, Penn State (in the final minutes), at East Carolina (squandered a fourth-quarter lead) and then was blown out at Virginia Tech (which played for the national title).
This season, Miami lost by 24 at Virginia Tech, then dropped an overtime game to Clemson (ahem, throwing away that famous fourth-quarter lead again) and lost a close game at North Carolina. A win in the bowl game would give Miami 10 wins, and with potentially 16 or 17 returning starters (and 34 of the top 44 on the two-deep), it could mean a top 5 or top 10 preseason ranking in 2010.
Miami was ranked No. 5 in the 2000 preseason AP poll and finished No. 2 in country.
Could this be the same set up? First, the Canes have to beat Wisconsin for it to matter, but check out this comparison of 1999 vs. 2009, thanks to ESPN Stats & Information department:
In 1999, Miami lost close games at eventual national champion Florida State, Penn State (in the final minutes), at East Carolina (squandered a fourth-quarter lead) and then was blown out at Virginia Tech (which played for the national title).
This season, Miami lost by 24 at Virginia Tech, then dropped an overtime game to Clemson (ahem, throwing away that famous fourth-quarter lead again) and lost a close game at North Carolina. A win in the bowl game would give Miami 10 wins, and with potentially 16 or 17 returning starters (and 34 of the top 44 on the two-deep), it could mean a top 5 or top 10 preseason ranking in 2010.
Miami was ranked No. 5 in the 2000 preseason AP poll and finished No. 2 in country.
Could this be the same set up? First, the Canes have to beat Wisconsin for it to matter, but check out this comparison of 1999 vs. 2009, thanks to ESPN Stats & Information department:
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
ACC SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 12/17
Final Temple 37 Wyoming 15 Final Ohio 24 Utah State 23 Final San Diego State 30 Louisiana-Lafayette 32
Tuesday, 12/20
Wednesday, 12/21
Final 18 TCU 31 Louisiana Tech 24
Thursday, 12/22
Saturday, 12/24
Final Nevada 17 21 Southern Miss 24
Monday, 12/26
Tuesday, 12/27
Final Western Michigan 32 Purdue 37 Final Louisville 24 North Carolina State 31
Wednesday, 12/28
Final Toledo 42 Air Force 41 Final California 10 24 Texas 21
Thursday, 12/29
Final Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14 Final Washington 56 12 Baylor 67
Friday, 12/30
Final Brigham Young 24 Tulsa 21 Final Rutgers 27 Iowa State 13 Final Mississippi State 23 Wake Forest 17 Final Iowa 14 14 Oklahoma 31
Saturday, 12/31
Final Texas A&M 33 Northwestern 22 Final/OT Georgia Tech 27 Utah 30 Final Illinois 20 UCLA 14 Final Cincinnati 31 Vanderbilt 24 Final Virginia 24 25 Auburn 43
Monday, 1/2
Final 19 Houston 30 22 Penn State 14 Final Ohio State 17 Florida 24 Final/3OT 17 Michigan State 33 16 Georgia 30 Final 20 Nebraska 13 9 South Carolina 30 Final 10 Wisconsin 38 5 Oregon 45 Final/OT 4 Stanford 38 3 Oklahoma State 41
Tuesday, 1/3
Final/OT 13 Michigan 23 11 Virginia Tech 20
Wednesday, 1/4
Final 23 West Virginia 70 15 Clemson 33
Friday, 1/6
Final 8 Kansas State 16 6 Arkansas 29
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