Miami Bowl Preview

This game is the oddest of circumstances. I am not sure if a fired coach has ever led a team in a postseason game with his replacement on the staff in a subservient role. That is the mess Paul Dee and Donna Shalala made by letting a fired Larry Coker coach the Bowl Game before they had named a replacement which turned out to be Defensive Coordinator Randy Shannon.

An awkward situation becomes even more troublesome because Miami unlike USF and FSU is actually playing a very capable and successful team. Nevada finished second in the WAC, ahead of San Jose State and Hawaii both of whom have already won Bowl games against stronger opposition than Miami presents. (New Mexico and Arizona State respectively.) The media in justifying Randy Shannon's hiring has consistently brought up the ranking of Miami's defense. I do not dispute the ranking, but would be quick to point out Miami has no playmakers or ball hawks on defense, ala Tony Carter, Buster Davis or Lawrence Timmons. Miami has no way to manufacture points from defense or special teams and that puts a heavier burden on an already inept offense.

Quite frankly, this will be a mismatch. While people like me hope that Miami can make some due of an otherwise lost season in the game, the reality is that this is one of the biggest mismatches in any bowl game. The Wolfpack led by Jeff Rowe are capable of scoring more points in a half, than Miami scored combined in a 3 game stretch of ACC games in early November. So capable is Rowe, that many expect him to be an outstanding NFL QB. The Packs' Robert Hubbard is about as good a tailback the WAC has to offer as well. He is similar in his running style to Tashard Choice, who of course had a field day in the second half versus Miami.

The Hurricanes will offer little resistance to Nevada's offense. The team in transition is either totally disinterested in the bowl game or are making plans for the future. (Jon Beason, Greg Olsen, etc.) Miami's offense will be little match for a defense that has been tested by the best and is looking to breakthrough. Nevada beat Northwestern of the Big 10 this season, and gave PAC 10 giant Arizona State about all they could handle in an early season matchup. Miami has checked out on the season, and football fans would be well advised to spend New Year's Eve watching the renewal of the great Packers-Bears rivalry on NBC rather than watching this one sided game. LSU(1988), Texas (1990), and Florida State (2001) all lost blowout games to Miami and took years to return to the past glory they once experienced. Miami's 2005 Peach Bowl blowout loss to LSU was actually karma in a way (though as a Canes fan I wish it weren't so) for what Miami did to LSU almost two decades earlier. Miami is in a long period of mediocrity which just began last December. This game will confirm it.

NEVADA 54 MIAMI 14