Hey remember when we were 4-1? That was pretty cool. November can't get here fast enough as the Cane's lose at home to FSU for the 4th straight time. Miami has gone 0 for the month of October with these last 3 losses and is now 4-4 on the season. Time for some much needed rest for Virginia tech in 10 days.
Highlights:
[video=youtube;i14a8fjW6K8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i14a8fjW6K8[/video]
Here's what I said were the keys to victory in the gameday post:
1. Sorta. He deserves all the credit in the world for playing through the injury. Having said that, he wasn't effective at all. Part of that was FSU's defense. The rest was his injury. Almost all of his completions were to running backs. How bad must Ryan Williams be to not get the nod tonight?
2. They held strong and forced a couple of turnovers. Based on what I will call, "The Dorito Curve", they did ok. Just not good enough.
The offense's failures hung them out to dry. It's not like we were capable of shutting them out or anything. They stiffened up in the red zone and forced a ton of FG's. FSU also did everything they could to give us the game with all the turnovers and penalties. It wasn't enough.
3. James had about 100 all-purpose yards. No running game whatsoever. FSU's front 7 carried the play all night. The team only had like 27 yards rushing.
4. Nope, but it wasn't entirely their fault. We needed a big play but, Morris couldn't get into any kind of rhythm. It was Checkdown City all night long. Scott had two opportunities that I remember, dropped one that he dove for, the other one just over his fingertips. We don't have any dependable playmakers at wide receiver.
Lets Recap.
1st Quarter:
Miami won the coin toss and received. Morris looked jittery early on, overthrowing two receivers on the drive. Miami has to punt.
Nick LOLeary tried to make a play by hurdling Brandon McGee. Perryman was having none of it and lit him up, forcing a fumble. Gaines jumps on it and we're in business. UM gets a quick first down on dump off to Mike James. James takes it 9 yards off the left tackle on the next play. 7-0 UM.
FSU goes 3 and out on their next series and the punter shanks it. Miami takes over at the 35 yardline. Another Morris dump off to James sets up 1st and goal. Miami stalls and is forced to kick a field goal from the 2. 10-0 Miami.
FSU is driving. Manuel hits Kenny Shaw over the middle and Deon Bush blows him up and the ball squirts free. It's ruled an incomplete catch but Golden challenges. Play stands as called. Shaw took 2 steps but it was determined he never made a football move. The next play was the highlight of the night as some dip**** runs onto the field in the middle of a play:
Unreal.
FSU is now in UM territory. The Noles get cute and try to run some jet sweep nonsense with Haggins, who fumbles the ball. McCord jumps on it and Miami is back on offense.
Penalties, turnovers, and great field position...these are the breaks you need to win games against a superior team. Now all Miami had to do is capitalize. Too bad Morris gave the ball right back when he was stripped trying to evade a pass rush.
FSU gets the ball in the redzone. Manuel throws into the endzone on 3rd down, and Benjamin makes a big time grab over Gunter for the touchdown. However, Benjamin is flagged for offensive pass interference. Noles settle for a field goal, 10-3 Miami after the first quarter.
2nd Quarter:
After a Miami punt, FSU starts driving. Chris Thompson makes a big catch and takes a swing pass 32 yards down to the UM 45 yardline. He hurts his knee on the play and was done for the game. Based on his reaction and the help he needed to get off the field it might be an ACL. No clue if it was or not. UM can't tackle, so it really didn't seem to matter, and James Wilder started running all over UM. Wilder got the edge and ran 17 yards up the sideline to tie the game at 10.
'Ol half-jersey wearing *** *****.
Morris got picked off in FSU territory on Miami's next possesion, but the defense stepped up and forced a 3 and out. The teams traded punts on the next few possessions. Then FSU gets into their 2 minute offense before the half. Miami has them in 3rd and long, and Golden uses a timeout to hopefully get a stop and force a punt. I hated the call. Not because he stopped the clock for FSU, but because I knew the defense wouldn't get off the field on 3rd down. I've seen this movie before.
The next sequence of events was bizarre as ****. FSU gets into field goal range and one of their offensive lineman jumps, drawing a flag. There was 7 seconds left, and since the clock was running, the refs say that the running clock rule will be enforced and they call the half over. Problem is, FSU had a timeout left, negating said running clock. Jimbo had to correct the horrible ACC refs. Everyone had to call the entire Miami team back onto the field.
Then, Golden called a timeout to ice the kicker, but the ref never gave it to them. The kick was good making it 13-10 Noles at the half. Golden wasn't impressed.
3rd Quarter:
UM elects to go with an onside kick to start the half. It might of worked but the ball hopped out of bounds before it could be recovered. Don't know about you guys, but I liked the call. I even predicted it to myself at half-time.
/Pats self on back.
The defense steps up and forces a 4th and 1. The refs measured for the 1st down and during the measurement I noticed how loud the crowd was "Whoa- Oh-ing" while the speakers blasted Seven Nation Army (which is the only thing more played out than Gangam Style). When FSU lined up for the field goal attempt, the music stopped...along with all the crowd noise. Tuns out UM's SunLife stadium operations are piping in crowd noise during the game.
WEAK SAUCE UM. I felt like I was watching Vince Russo era WCW. Which, and this is depressing, is actually an accurate description of UM athletics at this point in time. Anyway, Hopkins missed the kick wide left.
After UM punts again, the Noles are driving to mid-field. Devonta Freeman busts a long run down to the 15 yardline. Benjamin caught another touchdown 3 plays later, but again, was flagged for offensive pass interference. Hopkins hits the field goal and it's 16-10 FSU.
Rashawn Scott dives for a long pass from Morris, but can't hang on to it on the way to the ground. Miami once again goes 3 and out.
FSU punts it right back to Miami after McCord rag-dolled Manuel on 3rd down. Miami finally starts moving the ball and Morris hits James on another check down for a gain of 24 yards. After another pass interference call on FSU, Miami is in the redzone. Miami gets desperate and calls a reverse to Dorsett who throws it back to Morris for a gain of 8. UM has to settle for another Wieclaw field goal. That's twice now that UM got deep into FSU territory and had to settle for 3. Can't have that in a game like this. 16-13 FSU after 3 quarters. If I told you that would be the score yesterday morning, you'd take it no questions asked.
4th Quarter:
On the first play, Manuel spots Benjamin running down the sideline and lofts a jump ball his way. Kacy Rodgers gonna Kacy Rodgers. He had no clue where the ball was. Benjamin had time to do his taxes before catching it. FSU is now in the redzone. 4 plays later Freeman stretches the ball over the goal line. 23-13 FSU.
Duke is now being treated on the sideline. Eventually he leaves the field and doesn't return. After the game Golden said Duke got an X-ray, but wouldn't divulge any specifics of his injury. I hope #DukeWatch next week is alot more interesting than #MorrisWatch was. UM goes 3 and out again.
FSU is running all over UM at this point and bleeding what's left of the clock. FSU has to kick another field goal though and it's 26-13 FSU.
There's about 6 minutes left now and Miami is in total desperation mode now. They convert a 4th down attempt with another check down to James. Before you can blink it's 4th down again. Morris gets sacked by Dietr from Sprockets and basically ends the game.
[video=youtube;09s-c2JVI40]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09s-c2JVI40[/video]
I swear, that clip is so awesome it almost feels like winning. Makes you feel so excited about failing.
The Noles and Canes traded meaningless touchdowns in garbage time making the final score 33-20.
Miami has a bye week and then it's Virginia Tech on a Thursday night. All that's riding on the game is the Coastal division. No big deal.
Morris needs to get healthy. Chew on this nugget:
