Miami’s loss to V-Tech means what?
On a Saturday full of drama, with big upsets and wild finishes, a dud and a thud hit Blacksburg, Va. Miami’s meteoric rise back to college football prominence crashed with a thoroughly uninspiring 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech.
So what does that mean for Oklahoma, which plays at Miami on Saturday? Several things.
1. Miami is not yet back as a juggernaut. The U’s victory at Florida State was impressive, though the Seminoles are perhaps the weirdest team to come down the pike in a decade. And Miami’s waxing of Georgia Tech was solid, though that’s a bad matchup for the YellowJackets.
2. Don’t dismiss Miami as a fraud. It was a terrible spot for the Hurricanes. Coming off two huge games, with another next week, Miami was bound to have a letdown. I don’t know why sports teams can’t find the magic level week after week, but there is a century of evidence that they can’t.
Plus, in the same way Georgia Tech was a great matchup for Miami — trying to run option against Miami’s speed — Virginia Tech was a horrible matchup for Miami. A doberman defense, like always in Blacksburg, that could get after quarterback Jacory Harris. An offense that isn’t flashy but generally doesn’t beat itself. A home crowd that makes for a tough place to play.
And finally, the rain. It rained all day, and few teams are better mudders than Virginia Tech.
Miami picked a bad time to have a bad day. The Hurricanes have flaws, and Virginia Tech exposed them. But don’t count out Miami against Oklahoma. The Hurricanes will be back at home, they will be licking their wounds and they will be seeking redemption.
Should the Sooners win, the verdict won’t be quite the prize it would have been had Miami been undefeated. But that prize still won’t be easy to obtain.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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