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Greatest plays that never were.

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January 1987, The Fiesta Bowl - 3rd and Goal, and we are about to beat Penn State for the national championship.

Gary Stevens decides to let Vinny throw the ball.

If Vinny simply turns around and hands the ball to Alonzo, it's game over. Highsmith put the offense on his back in the second half and played like a man possessed. He would have flown into the end zone from the 4 yard line. Instead, Vinny gets sacked on the play and it's 4th and impossible from 14 yards away.

Without a doubt, Gary Stevens owns the dumbest and most tragic call in the history of UM football
 
SFbayCane said:
(working from memory, which can be dangerous at my age)

If Frank Costa hits whoever the wide receiver was (can't remember) on that go route from like the 10 yard line, I believe the Canes win that game against Nebraska and win the national championship in 1994. ('95 Orange Bowl game)
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Penn State was undefeated that year and it was before the B1G and PAC 12 were in the BCS. Miami had a loss in the regular season so doubtful they get the NC votes, but who knows?
 
Something I thought about a lot a few years ago: In 2021, we were beating Michigan State at home. One thing was that our offense was going fast and the refs kept slowing us down. But there was a play, I believe late in the first half, where Will Mallory was standing in the end zone, D'Eriq King hit him right in the chest with the ball, and he dropped it. If he had caught it, that TD would have given us a really formidable lead. His drop seemed to swing the momentum. The game, the season, and the Manny era all spiraled away from there.
 
CaneBear0207 said:
Something I thought about a lot a few years ago: In 2021, we were beating Michigan State at home. One thing was that our offense was going fast and the refs kept slowing us down. But there was a play, I believe late in the first half, where Will Mallory was standing in the end zone, D'Eriq King hit him right in the chest with the ball, and he dropped it. If he had caught it, that TD would have given us a really formidable lead. His drop seemed to swing the momentum. The game, the season, and the Manny era all spiraled away from there.
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Perfect example.
 
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I may not be remembering correctly but wasn't there two Hester punt returns against Duke for tds only one was wiped by a penalty? But the one that didn't count was even more spectacular than the one did count.
 
firstandcanes said:
I may not be remembering correctly but wasn't there two Hester punt returns against Duke for tds only one was wiped by a penalty? But the one that didn't count was even more spectacular than the one did count.
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That's how I remember it too. My freshman year.
 
Honorable mention: Richard Gordon taking a kickoff and rumbling through the entire defense for a 100 yard touchdown (in my imagination)
 
Shooter McGavin said:
What about Baxa missing a shorty, the OL giving up 87.3 sacks, the offense capitalizing on two short fields after 2 Florida turnovers in the 4th, the defense learning how to tackle on the long td run first quarter, or not giving up a fake punt? Jeff Thomas was not the reason Miami lost the 2019 opener.
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Turns out Kosi found that shorty Baxa was missing, no?
 
Forgot the year, but if Jalen nvr stripped the tigh end from Edna Carr. Was big momentum swing. Jalen was every where .
 
SFbayCane said:
(working from memory, which can be dangerous at my age)

If Frank Costa hits whoever the wide receiver was (can't remember) on that go route from like the 10 yard line, I believe the Canes win that game against Nebraska and win the national championship in 1994. ('95 Orange Bowl game)
Click to expand...
Didn't Miami need Penn State to lose in order to stake a claim at the title? They were undefeated, while we had a loss to Washington.
 
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YankeesCane said:
Shouldnt it have been Miami ball anyway as ST and Clarett had equal possession and ST was now an offensive player?
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Perhaps. I’d have to see the play again and I really don’t wanna watch it. ST never should’ve let himself get stripped, or nearly stripped, depending on your perspective.
 
Also in the Fiesta Bowl on the last drive, I think, Dorsey took a helmet right to the sternum that should been a personal file and given Miami first and goal at the one. I know targeting rules weren’t affected the time, but it was spearing, which I believe was still a penalty. Dorsey had to come out for one play.

Not saying we would’ve tied the game anyway, but I think the next play Dorsey had was his bad pass to wide open Eric Winston on the goal line. That play would’ve tied the game at 31 with the extra point.

The real culprit of that game was the Miami offensive line. For all their accolades they got worked over by a very good Ohio State defense. A few of the Buckeyes DL went to the NFL, including the late Will Smith.

Andre Johnson was also a no-show, except for a pass that bounced off his hands for an interception and set the tone in the second quarter. Dorsey fumbled on a blind side sack plus the interception led to short fields and two OSU touchdowns and their 14-7 lead at the half.
 
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