Extra MustardSI On CampusFantasyPhoto GalleriesSwimsuitVideoFanNationSI KidsTNT
Updated: Saturday, November 30, 2002 8:43 AM EST
NCAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Recap | Box Score | Scorecast | Today's Scoreboard
No. 1 Miami Fla (10-0) at Syracuse (4-7)
MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES
Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Related Links:
SYRACUSE ORANGEMEN
Syracuse Orangemen
Related Links:

SYRACUSE, New York (Ticker) -- Ten down, two to go.

After surviving a scare against Pittsburgh, top-ranked Miami looks to move one step closer to the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday when it visits Syracuse in a Big East Conference game.

The defending national champions stretched their winning streak to 32 games last Thursday with a 28-21 victory over Pittsburgh, but it was not easy as the Panthers reached the Miami 25 with under a minute remaining.

It was the closest call for Miami since a 28-27 victory over Florida State on October 12, when the Seminoles' Xavier Beitia missed a field goal on the final play of the game.

The Hurricanes (10-0, 6-0) posted their 22nd straight Big East win, while coach Larry Coker improved to 22-0 in his two years at Miami.

The Hurricanes, who have won 16 straight on the road, will clinch a berth in the Fiesta by winning their final two games against Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

Ohio State already has earned a trip to Tempe after beating Michigan to complete a 13-0 regular season. Miami and Ohio State are 1-2 in the BCS standings.

Miami's winning streak is the seventh-longest in college football history and the longest since Toledo won 35 in a row from 1969-71. The Rockets never were ranked in the national polls.

The winning streak is the third-longest in the modern era (post-1950), topped only by Oklahoma, which reeled of an all-time record 47 straight victories from 1953-57, and Toledo.

Saturday also marks another chance for Willis McGahee and Ken Dorsey of Miami to impress the Heisman Trophy voters. McGahee has rushed for 1,347 yards and a school record 19 touchdowns.

Dorsey has thrown 22 TD passes, but has been intercepted nine times. He also will be without receiver Kevin Beard, who tore an ACL against Pittsburgh.

While Syracuse (4-7) is assured of its first losing record since 1986, the Orangemen can make their season by ending Miami's impressive run.

However, Miami has won the last three games against Syracuse by a combined score of 130-13 and leads the all-time series, 13-7.

In addition, the Hurricanes have posted shutouts in the last two meetings, 26-0 at the Carrier Dome in 2000 and 59-0 last year at the Orange Bowl.

Syracuse has been off since a 41-20 loss at Boston College on November 16 that snapped a three-game winning streak.


© 2005 STATS, Inc
Search