Bill Curry, College Football 20y

'Canes have been magic against 'Noles

So, I was thinking, maybe the University of Miami would want to change its nickname, and soon. I know, I know, this is not funny to anyone in the state of Florida. But isn't Mother Nature trying to tell us something about football? And how many "Game of the Century" contests have we already endured in this brand new century?

Who on earth thought the most recent meeting between Florida State and Miami was a good idea in the first place? Weather permitting, the Seminoles and Bobby Bowden are going to play the Hurricanes and Larry Coker, again. Now? For the third time in 11 months?

If you think it ain't getting to Ole Bobby consider the fact that he confides his tombstone will read: "And he had to play Miami."

I wondered why the most successful Division I-A football coach of all time would joke that way, so I looked up the numbers. They are astounding. In 29 encounters in the Bowden era, Miami has beaten the Seminoles 18 times and lost 11. No other team can claim such an edge on Bobby.

But here is the stunner: since 1983 there have been seven games in this series decided by 3 points or less and the Hurricanes have won every single time. They have won the last five in succession.

I cannot recall being more surprised by a statistic than by that 7-0 number. Try to grasp the fact that we are examining the records of two perennial contenders for the national championship who reside in the same state, recruiting the same players. One has had a succession of winning coaches and the other the dominant coach of the last 30 years, the man with the most wins ever.

The only constant in this equation is the latter gentleman, Bobby Bowden. Check his record in close contests and you find, as a rule, that he is very successful. Also consider the fact that five of the seven close losses to Miami have hinged upon a missed field goal in the closing minutes. We could blame the kicker were it not for the fact that the attempts were by four different performers, most of whom were, or are, outstanding kickers.

So why this statistical anomaly?

Both teams have outstanding talent, fine coaches and work with great intensity. Each team plays with confidence. If the Hurricanes enjoy a slight edge in conditioning -- and I think they do -- then Florida State has the edge in consistency on the coaching staff.

The only compelling bit of data comes from the learned and ferocious former middle linebacker for Miami, Jonathan Vilma. Even his tidbit is subjective in the extreme. His words are so simplistic I would not mention them except that he has been in the middle of four of the five consecutive wins. Also, I have watched him and visited with him enough to have detected a superior football intuition.

He simply says, "We have got something on their kickers. I don't know what it is, but we just have something."

One must first deal with the mystique of the Phenom, a kind of aura that distracts regular human beings. It is just enough to provide an advantage to the great ones, and no one can explain it.


Before you hit the "back" button, allow me to explain something about instinctive football players: they "have got something" on everyone, not just kickers. These "Phenoms," as we will call them, know things the rest of us have to wonder about. Lining up to play against Ray Lewis or Peyton Manning is not as simple as carrying out an assignment. One must first deal with the mystique of the Phenom, a kind of aura that distracts regular human beings. It is just enough to provide an advantage to the great ones, and no one can explain it, not even the Lewises or Mannings. They just know that they know.

The reason Florida State has been playing from behind in most of these contests, forced to attempt last-minute field goals, is that Miami has had an inordinate number of Phenoms lately, even more than its usual quota. Add to Vilma the likes of Sean Taylor, Vince Wilfork and Kellen Winslow Jr., and the aura power grows at a geometric progression. Thus, intimidation takes over, even with the mighty Seminoles.

Somebody in orange makes a play, someone in the gold helmet does not, and it comes down to a field-goal try. The cumulative sense of foreboding is pervasive on the field and the sideline. The kicker senses it, tenses up and alters his leg swing ever so slightly, just enough to push it -- dare we say it? -- wide right? Or perhaps, as on one occasion, just to the left of the uprights.

Call it what you will, but it is enough to assure another Hurricane victory if the Seminoles cannot counter with some magic of their own. In games with even talent, it is the dominant players who make the shocking plays, who affect the performances of teammates and opponents alike, especially in big games. The talent in this game will be evenly distributed between the two teams.

Can Miami replace the six No. 1 draft choices lost from last year, refilling both the talent requirements and the Phenom bottle? Probably not. Even if the speed and toughness are there it is unlikely there will be enough of the other stuff to intimidate.

Assuming that to be the case, it then becomes the job of Bowden, his staff and the team leaders to see that the FSU team is prepared to match the powerful wills, habits and assurance of the Miami team as well as its performance.

The only sure thing is that, weather permitting, it will be a great football game. Maybe even a real game of this new century.

ESPN college football analyst Bill Curry was an NFL center for 10 seasons and coached for 17 years in the college ranks. His Center Stage examinations of marquee matchups appear each week during the college football season.

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