forums

What was your most disappointing loss/hardest-to-take loss as a Canes fan?

in 2003, losing to Tennessee at home was just absolutely shocking and the most impacted I've been as a Hurricane fan. It just didn't seem possible.

Close second was East Carolina in 1999 after almost beating #3 Penn State the week prior.

I was at the Ohio State Fiesta Bowl and Indiana game and they definitely hurt but it's tough to say it's the worst when you made the championship game. The real hurt comes from the realization that you're not going to be good when you think you are. In 2003 there was that realization that this all might be over (which was accurate lol) and in 1999 it seemed we'd never make it back to the top.
 
MTSU. Messed me up for weeks afterward. Losing by two scores....at home...to a minor league opponent.
We decided not to show up and I didn't understand how Mario could let it happen.
Would still love to hear a behind-the-scenes account about that game.
 
Felonious Monk said:
You expect the parents one day, but a brother. I'm very sorry for your loss.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I was sitting at lunch one day almost 20 years ago and got the call no one expects. I'm as healed as I think I'll get with it. I know you know this, but I didn't mention my bro to one up you or anything like that. Simply mentioned it because I know the pain same as you do.
 
Applecane said:
MTSU. Messed me up for weeks afterward. Losing by two scores....at home...to a minor league opponent.
We decided not to show up and I didn't understand how Mario could let it happen.
Would still love to hear a behind-the-scenes account about that game.
Click to expand...
lol not gonna lie, I almost jumped ship from Mario after that game. I know it was early, but man that was EMBARRASSING.
 
hurricaneman said:
in 2003, losing to Tennessee at home was just absolutely shocking and the most impacted I've been as a Hurricane fan. It just didn't seem possible.
Click to expand...
Ah, the Kellen Winslow "soldier" game.

Didn't even score a TD in that one. The last time that had happened at home was 1984 vs FSU, if I remember correctly.
 
saturdaysarebetter said:
What was your most disappointing loss/hardest-to-take loss as a Canes fan?
Click to expand...


1. 1987 Fiasco Bowl
2. 2003 Fiasco Bowl
3. 2026 National Championship Game
4. 1996 College World Series
5. 1988 Miami at Notre Dame
6. 1993 Sugar Bowl
7. 1994 Washington at Miami
8. 1995 Orange Bowl
9. 2023 Final Four
10. 2022 Elite Eight
11. 2000 Miami at Washington
12. 1984 BC at Miami
13. 2007 UVa at Miami
14. 2017 ACC-CG
15. 2019 UM-UF in Orlando
 
JohnnyLegume said:
Indiana is up there. (Weird sentence to type).

Yes there have been many brutal losses (MTSU, FIU, USF, Clemson, FSU heart breakers, ND, etc.) But Indiana had a chance to be cathartic. We wandered the desert for a generation. We hired leaders. We turned the corner as a progrum. We made a truly magical playoff run that included 4 espn classic games and a few all-time plays (Tourre goal line stuff, Fitz pick, Fletcher bully ball, Scott pick 6, Beck scramble TD, Mali and Mali and Mali and Mali).

And then Indiana. A fairy tale opportunity to reclaim the summit in our own stadium in front of our own families. To tie the loop back to where it started in ‘83 so elegantly.

It never felt like we were in command of that as we had been in the previous games. Yet in spite of ourselves we kept ourselves squarely in the game with an opportunity to win until the very end.

Blocked punt. Under thrown pass. Mendoza. Devastating.

I still am unable to rewatch that game. This season we have the opportunity to erase some of that pain. But until we win it all again, this loss hangs the heaviest.
Click to expand...
I've rewatched it about 3 times. It actually gets more difficult to watch each time.

Watching their Safeties and LBs move like molasses toward Fletcher in the Outside Zone run just really turns your stomach. And, just when you explain that away to make yourself feel better, you realize that there wasn't an IU offensive lineman who wanted to see another snap in the second half. They simply couldn't block our DL and got by with a nice pick play on a key 3rd down and multiple jump balls.

I hope the real lesson was learned: we spent half of last year leaning tight until we were desperate and "let it rip" or whatever. Then we followed the season's format in the national championship game. Come out every single play for this entire season as if we need to prove something to a committee.

Maybe I'll watch it again to ensure I'm properly ****ed off for the upcoming season.
 
TheOriginalCane said:
1. 1987 Fiasco Bowl
2. 2003 Fiasco Bowl
3. 2026 National Championship Game
4. 1996 College World Series
5. 1988 Miami at Notre Dame
6. 1993 Sugar Bowl
7. 1994 Washington at Miami
8. 1995 Orange Bowl
9. 2023 Final Four
10. 2022 Elite Eight
11. 2000 Miami at Washington
12. 1984 BC at Miami
13. 2007 UVa at Miami
14. 2017 ACC-CG
15. 2019 UM-UF in Orlando
Click to expand...
2018 first round against Loyola. If Miami wins that game, they easily go to the final four. That bracket was so easy after the first round.
 
JohnnyLegume said:
Indiana is up there. (Weird sentence to type).

Yes there have been many brutal losses (MTSU, FIU, USF, Clemson, FSU heart breakers, ND, etc.) But Indiana had a chance to be cathartic. We wandered the desert for a generation. We hired leaders. We turned the corner as a progrum. We made a truly magical playoff run that included 4 espn classic games and a few all-time plays (Tourre goal line stuff, Fitz pick, Fletcher bully ball, Scott pick 6, Beck scramble TD, Mali and Mali and Mali and Mali).

And then Indiana. A fairy tale opportunity to reclaim the summit in our own stadium in front of our own families. To tie the loop back to where it started in ‘83 so elegantly.

It never felt like we were in command of that as we had been in the previous games. Yet in spite of ourselves we kept ourselves squarely in the game with an opportunity to win until the very end.

Blocked punt. Under thrown pass. Mendoza. Devastating.

I still am unable to rewatch that game. This season we have the opportunity to erase some of that pain. But until we win it all again, this loss hangs the heaviest.
Click to expand...

I want to say the natty but I realize now it was out of our hands, and it’s brought me a small measure of closure. The football gods were punishing Miami for our hubris. For two decades we mocked the “Columbus Mafia” as playing a central role in Miamis inevitable mediocrity. They were always scheming to benefit themselves at the expense of the team. And then after 20 years , somehow the scheming laid the foundation for a championship run. We got Cristobal. Wealthy Columbus grads were helping us build a championship roster. We just needed a QB.

Across the country (yet still somehow in the ACC), a highly productive, Miami-born Cuban QB who was a Columbus grad was looking to get closer to home. His dad played football with Mario Cristobal and Mario was close to the family. Well, we obviously have our QB.

Not so fast my friends, instead Miami prioritizes landing Carson Beck, discarded by UGA and coming off a bum shoulder. Now Im not saying Beck was a garbage QB, for the most part he did exactly what we asked him to do- manage the game (except for 3 occasions when Dawson foolishly put the game in his hands and trusted that Beck wouldn’t try to be a hero and just distribute the ball to the playmakers).

Still the irony isn’t lost on me- the Columbus grad, cuban QB from Miami goes on to win the Heisman and national championship in our stadium ( and his hometown). The football gods will overlook many things, but not being mocked.
 
Last edited:
Our 2019 season losing to FIU and then losing 14-0 to LA Tech in Shreveport for our bowl game. I was in the stands for both those games and that **** was rough. This year was tough to not beat Indiana but I was happy to get the chance to watch us play and win meaningful games in the post season. I still haven't watched it over again though.
 
In no particular order but these are 5 that stand out to me. 2003 title game, 2023 Ga Tech, 2005 Ga Tech, 2026 title game, and 2017 against Pitt.
 
My list is a bit different than the rest not going to include Fiesta Bowl and the obvious ones but:

(1) 2024 Syracuse - on the cusp of being back and making the CFP. Blew a 3 TD lead and wasted Cam Ward’s year.

(2) 2014 FSU - we weren’t good but we’re on the cusp of breaking a 4 game losing streak to a Top 5 ranked FSU. Blew a huge lead. Literally needed one more play to seal it and couldn’t get it done.

(3) 2017 Pitt - we win and we clinch a CFP bid and first undefeated regular season since ‘03. Completely laid an egg, exposed as frauds and began a losing streak.

(4) 2010 FSU - we were ranked, favored, and looked to be heading in the right direction in year 4 of Randy. We proceeded to get blown tf out. Wheels fall off and we skid to 7-6 after starting 5-1.

(5) 2003 VT - need I say more? 31-7 beat down that killed this team’s natty hopes for the year.

(6) 2016 FSU - Again, at this point we were on a 6 year losing streak. Were the better team, played terribly and missed the XP at end of regulation. Brutal.

(7) 2022 MTSU - probably one of the worst losses in program history. Blown out by a G5 school. Inexcusable.
 
FL Cane said:
My list is a bit different than the rest not going to include Fiesta Bowl and the obvious ones but:

(1) 2024 Syracuse - on the cusp of being back and making the CFP. Blew a 3 TD lead and wasted Cam Ward’s year.

(2) 2014 FSU - we weren’t good but we’re on the cusp of breaking a 4 game losing streak to a Top 5 ranked FSU. Blew a huge lead. Literally needed one more play to seal it and couldn’t get it done.

(3) 2017 Pitt - we win and we clinch a CFP bid and first undefeated regular season since ‘03. Completely laid an egg, exposed as frauds and began a losing streak.

(4) 2010 FSU - we were ranked, favored, and looked to be heading in the right direction in year 4 of Randy. We proceeded to get blown tf out. Wheels fall off and we skid to 7-6 after starting 5-1.

(5) 2003 VT - need I say more? 31-7 beat down that killed this team’s natty hopes for the year.

(6) 2016 FSU - Again, at this point we were on a 6 year losing streak. Were the better team, played terribly and missed the XP at end of regulation. Brutal.

(7) 2022 MTSU - probably one of the worst losses in program history. Blown out by a G5 school. Inexcusable.
Click to expand...
2019 FIU and 2019 La Tech too
 
This is probably recency bias but the whole 2022 season. I attended almost every home game during the Shannon, Golden, Richt and Diaz years and I might have walked out of the stadium early maybe three times. I think I left every home game in 2022 early including some at half time. I don’t think I was ever more embarrassed to have paid for football tickets than I was at the Middle Tennessee game
 
Last edited:
Painful was the 1987 Fiesta Bowl against Penn State (if we do nothing but run the ball we win by two scores). But most disappointing as a dark horse was 2005 (I think) against Georgia Tech. We throttled VT at night at their place, got up to number 3 in the nation and could not stop the option at all. Brutal.
 
Back
Top