2007 Miami Hurricanes football team
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Miami Hurricanes football
team was Randy Shannon
's first as head coach of his alma mater. It also marked the last year that Miami played its home games in the Miami Orange Bowl
. Miami was 5-7 for the season.
was fired, after continuous regression following a national championship his first season in 2001. Following a brief coaching search, UM decided on Randy Shannon, previously the team's defensive coordinator.
Since his hiring, Shannon has made several reforms. He has banned firearms, declaring any player carrying one will be dismissed from the team and the school. He also banned the use of cell phones during class, and anyone caught with them will lose them for two weeks. Further, he requires players maintain a 2.5 grade point average in order to live off campus, and any player who skips class faces extra conditioning as well as demotion on the depth chart. On July 24, Shannon announced to the press that the Hurricanes were stripping the names on the back of their jerseys for the 2007 season, which is highly unusual in Division I football. The Miami Herald
then somewhat labeled Miami a "no name offense and defense," but the label has become more applicable as Miami progressed through an unimpressive 2007 season.
Shannon has also cleaned house with his coaching staff, with six new assistants in the program, headlined by offensive coordinator Patrick Nix
, who held the same position in 2006 with Georgia Tech.
During meetings with the ACC media, Shannon boldly stated he believes Miami can bounce back and win the ACC, saying "I don't expect anything less."
listed incoming running back Graig Cooper
as one of the top-10 impact freshman for 2007.
{| border="0" width="100%"
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%"
!bgcolor="#006600"| Player
!bgcolor="#006600"| Position
!bgcolor="#006600"| Height
!bgcolor="#006600"| Weight
!bgcolor="#006600"| 40-time
!bgcolor="#006600"| Hometown
|- align="center"
| Daniel Adderley || WR || 6'6" || 215 || 4.59 || Simpsonville, SC
|- align="center"
| Allen Bailey
|| DE || 6'3" || 265 || 4.8 || Darien, GA
|- align="center"
| Damien Berry || DB || 5'11" || 197 || 4.46 || Belle Glade, FL
|- align="center"
| Jared Campbell || DB || 6'0" || 195 || 4.5 || Aurora, CO
|- align="center"
| Lee Chambers || RB || 5'10.5" || 189 || 4.56 || Coffeeville, MS
|- align="center"
| Graig Cooper
|| RB || 5'11" || 185 || 4.65 || Memphis, TN
|- align="center"
| Kayne Farquharson || WR || 6'2" || 185 || 4.4 || Homestead, FL
|- align="center"
| Orlando Franklin
|| OL || 6'6" || 300 || 5.47 || Delray Beach, FL
|- align="center"
| Harland Gunn || OL || 6'2" || 300 || 5.2 || Omaha, NE
|- align="center"
| Leonard Hankerson || WR || 6'2" || 185 || 4.4 || Fort Lauderdale, FL
|- align="center"
| Tyler Horn || OL || 6'5" || 290 || 5.3 || Memphis, TN
|- align="center"
| Robert Marve
|| QB || 6'1" || 189 || 4.65 || Tampa, FL
|- align="center"
| Jermaine McKenzie || WR || 6'1" || 164 || 4.41 || Bradenton, FL
|- align="center"
| Shawnbrey McNeal || RB || 5'9" || 181 || 4.45 || Dallas, TX
|- align="center"
| Joseph Nicolas || S || 6'2" || 195 || 4.5 || Homestead, FL
|- align="center"
| Adewale Ojomo || DE || 6'3" || 217 || 4.6 || Hialeah, FL
|- align="center"
| Chris Perry || DT || 6'3" || 319 || 5.1 || Keller, TX
|- align="center"
| DeMarcus Van Dyke
|| DB || 6'1.5" || 157 || 4.35 || Miami, FL
|- align="center"
| Doug Wiggins || DB || 5'11" || 180 || 4.5 || Miami, FL
|-align="center"
| colspan=3 | Total commitments
| colspan=3 | 19
|}
! Position
! Name
! Yrs. in Current Pos.
|- align="center"
| Head Coach
| Randy Shannon
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Offensive Coordinator
| Patrick Nix
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Defensive Coordinator
| Tim Walton
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Special Teams / TEs
| Joe Pannunzio
| 2nd
|- align="center"
| Quarterbacks
| Patrick Nix
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Running Backs
| Tommie Robinson
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Wide Receivers
| Marques Mosley
| 2nd
|- align="center"
| Offensive Line
| Jeff Stoutland
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Defensive Line
| Clint Hurtt
| 2nd
|- align="center"
| Linebackers
| Micheal Barrow
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Defensive Backs
| Wesley McGriff
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Strength & Conditioning
| Andreu Swasey
| 7th
|-
|}
Three Hurricanes were selected to the ACC Pre-Season team: Senior G Derrick Morse
, Junior DE
Calais Campbell
, and Junior S
Kenny Phillips
.
On August 28, 2007, Head Coach Randy Shannon
named Kirby Freeman
the starting quarterback over Kyle Wright
for the season-opening game against Marshall
.
After this season, the Hurricanes moved their home games from Orange Bowl Stadium to nearby Miami Gardens
and Dolphin Stadium
. The Orange Bowl had served seven decades as the home of Miami (Florida) football.
Miami easily defeated Marshall in Randy Shannon's debut game, which was also the first-ever meeting of the two teams.
The running backs provided the majority of the Hurricanes' offense, as sophomore Javarris James
and true freshman Graig Cooper
combined for 215 yards on the ground with James scoring two touchdowns. Starting quarterback Kirby Freeman
completed only 9 of 21 passes for 86 yards, but was praised by Shannon for "controlling the game." Also, wide receiver Sam Shields
sat out the game for violating team rules.
Defensively, Miami made four interceptions, six sacks, and held Marshall to only 51 rushing yards.
Following the win, James said, "We started off this year with a bang and hopefully we can continue."
#6 Oklahoma
Pregame Line: Miami +11.5
The last time the Sooners and the Hurricanes met was in the 1987 Orange Bowl. Miami won 20-14 and earned its second national championship. The Sooners are 27-5 against current ACC members with three of those losses to the Hurricanes. The Sooners entered the game favored by between 10 to 11 points.
The Hurricanes were within one score halfway into the third quarter, before the game, nationally televised on ABC
, became a blowout for the Sooners. The Oklahoma defense was able to limit James and Cooper to a combined 54 yards. Freeman went 3 of 9 for only 17 yards before being benched in favor of former starter Kyle Wright, who led the Hurricanes on their only touchdown drive and completed 7 of 14 for 65 yards. Miami's defense was able to contain the Sooners, going into halftime with a 21-10 deficit, and scoring a field goal early in the third quarter to pull as close as 21-13, but Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford
launched an aerial attack that couldn't be stopped, going 19 of 25 for 205 yards and 5 touchdowns. The loss was Miami's most lopsided since 1998, when they were routed by Syracuse 66-13.
Florida International
Pregame Line: Miami -31.5
Last season was the first-ever football game between the two cross-town schools. Miami won 35-0, but the game was most notable for its on-field brawl
. Both teams hired new head coaches in the off-season; FIU was led by Mario Cristobal
, who was previously Miami's offensive line coach.
The Hurricanes made some changes following the Oklahoma defeat for the FIU game, the most noticeable of which was Shannon's decision to rename Kyle Wright
, who was the starter last season before falling to injury, the starting quarterback. Wright went 10 of 19 for 224 yards, while Javarris James rushed for 92 yards as the Hurricanes won 23-9, extending FIU's losing streak to 15.
#16 Texas A&M
Pregame Line: Miami -3
This was the second-ever meeting between the Aggies and the Hurricanes, the Aggies having won the 1944 game. The game was the final nonconference game of the season for both teams.
Despite being unranked, Miami entered the game three-point favorites over the undefeated 16th-ranked Aggies.
Played before a near-capacity crowd in the Orange Bowl and a national television audience on ESPN
, Miami dominated the Aggies for much of the game, as the Hurricane offense exploded. By the time Aggies kicker Matt Szymanski put the first Texas A&M points on the board by way of a field goal in the fourth quarter, Miami had already scored 31 and the romp was well underway. Kyle Wright led an effective passing attack, finishing 21-26 for 275 yards, and showing an ability to lead the Hurricane offense, which wrapped up a total 402 yards to A&M's 240, down the field in a reversal of their early season woes. Defensively, Miami shut down the Aggie's leading rushers Stephen McGee, Mike Goodson, and Jorvorskie Lane to 38 combined rushing yards in the first half and 98 yards overall - well under their previous combined game average of 235 yards. Miami DE Calais Campbell, whose fumble recovery in the second quarter lead to a field goal that put Miami up 24-0 going into halftime, said of the statement victory: "Knowing this is the last year in the Orange Bowl, we want to make history here."
Duke
Pregame Line: Miami -24
Duke entered the game with the 47th ranked pass offense in the nation, led by former Miami-area quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. Lewis threw for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions against Miami, getting within a field goal in the fourth quarter. However, Miami's defense sacked Lewis nine times, helping Miami win the game 24-14.
Calais Campbell
was named ACC
Defensive Lineman of the Week as he totaled 16 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles against Duke. He now places seventh in the conference in sacks, fourth in tackles for loss, and is tied for third in fumbles forced. Graig Cooper
ran for 101 yards and a touchdown in only twelve carries. He also caught a pass for 25 yards, in an effort that earned him ACC Rookie of the Week honors. Miami leads the overall series 4 to 1.
North Carolina
Pregame Line: Miami -7
The first meeting between North Carolina head coach Butch Davis
and his former team turned out to be a tale of two halves. Miami began the day clumsily; the first half included two Kyle Wright interceptions, six plays allowed for 18 yards or more, and a short missed field goal attempt. The Tar Heels' first half domination even included a blocked punt that eventually led to a touchdown, and added to the 27-0 score at halftime. The second half was mostly controlled by Miami, who scored 27 points of their own - including a 97-yard touchdown catch by senior Darnell Jenkins. However, two North Carolina field goals in the fourth quarter and an errant Wright pass intercepted at the North Carolina 3-yard line (his fourth interception of the game) were too much for the 'Canes to overcome.
Georgia Tech
Pregame Line: Miami -2.5
The Hurricanes struck first with a 39-yard run by freshman Shawnbrey McNeal and took a 7-0 lead into halftime. The second half, however, was mostly controlled by the Yellow Jackets, who outgained Miami 244-79 in the half. Georgia Tech was led by running back Tashard Choice
, who ran for a career-high 204 yards on 37 carries. A fourth quarter touchdown pass from Kyle Wright to Sam Shields tied the game, but it was Travis Bell's 39-yard field goal with 7:34 left that gave Georgia Tech the win.
Georgia Tech became only the third team in the last 25 years to beat Miami in three consecutive seasons, joining Virginia Tech and Florida State (both of whom accumulated the wins during the Hurricanes' probation years). All three Georgia Tech wins came by a touchdown or less.
Florida State
Pregame Line: Miami +4.5
Florida State and Miami both entered this game unranked for the first time since 1977. The teams exchanged turnovers (nine total, five by FSU) and scores, keeping things close for most of the game. With 5:29 left in the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes, trailing 29-24, appeared to have lost their best chance to win when Kirby Freeman was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 at the Florida State 1. But Freeman, who replaced injured Kyle Wright in the first half, drove Miami 83 yards in under two minutes to take the lead 30-29 on a 13-yard pass to Dedrick Epps
with 1:15 left. FSU quarterback Xavier Lee
, who was intercepted twice, then fumbled after being hit by Miami's Teraz McCray, and Colin McCarthy
ran it in for the clincher. This was the first game since 2001 that was decided by more than a touchdown.
Miami now leads the all-time series of the storied rivalry, 30-22.
NC State
Pregame Line: Miami -11
Coming into this game, Miami held its destiny in its own hands. With Virginia and Virginia Tech both losing the week before, Miami was in a position to advance to the ACC Championship game. All it needed to do was win out. A win would also make Miami bowl eligible. Miami opened the game with a 22 yard field goal to give it a 3-0 lead. Then Miami took a 10-0 lead when quarterback Kirby Freeman completed his only pass of the game, an 84 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darnell Jenkins. NC State then became the first visiting team this season to score in the first half against the Hurricanes when with 2:04 left until halftime, running back Daniel Evans took the ball in from one yard out to make the score 10-7 at the half.
There was just one score in the 3rd quarter which was a 33 yard field goal by Miami. The score was then 13-7 going into the fourth quarter. In the 4th quarter NC State scored 3 field-goals on their first three fourth quarter drives to make it a 16-13 game. Miami got the ball with 6:55 left in the game and drove down to the NC State 10 yard line, all on 15 running plays. With 33 seconds left Miami then tried two pass plays to wide receiver Sam Shields, both of which were broken up in the endzone. Miami was then forced to kick a 27 yard field goal to send it into overtime.
Miami got the ball first in overtime and chose 6 run plays to open. Miami then attempted another 27 yard field goal which sailed wide left. NC State then got the ball and kicker Steven Hauschka kicked a 42 yard field goal to win the game.
This was NC State coach Tom O'Brien's first ever win at the Orange Bowl. Miami quarterback Kirby Freeman
, who was in for injured starter Kyle Wright, went just 1-14 with 84 yards and 3 interceptions. Miami rushed 60 times for 314 yards against the ACC's worst rush defense. Halfback Javarris James rushed for 103 yards. The loss dropped Miami to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC.
#21 Virginia
Pregame Line: Miami -3.5
The Miami Hurricanes lose to the Virginia Cavaliers
48-0 in the worst shutout in Orange Bowl history on the Hurricanes' last game at the Miami Orange Bowl
.
This loss dropped the Hurricanes to 2-4 in the ACC and 5-5 total.
Virginia Tech
Boston College
Not only did Miami lose to Boston College for the 1st time since 1984, they do not make a bowl game for the 1st time since 1997. While the Miami defense slipped from previous years to finish 33rd in the nation, the offense finished 110th in the nation, their worst ranking for total offense in the modern era.
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
team was Randy Shannon
Randy Shannon
Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL....
's first as head coach of his alma mater. It also marked the last year that Miami played its home games in the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
. Miami was 5-7 for the season.
Changes
The 2006 season saw Miami finish with a 7-6 record, their worst since 1997's 5-6 campaign. Former head coach Larry CokerLarry Coker
Larry Edward Coker is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose Roadrunners football team begins play in 2011. From 2001 to 2006, Coker served as the head coach at the University of Miami...
was fired, after continuous regression following a national championship his first season in 2001. Following a brief coaching search, UM decided on Randy Shannon, previously the team's defensive coordinator.
Since his hiring, Shannon has made several reforms. He has banned firearms, declaring any player carrying one will be dismissed from the team and the school. He also banned the use of cell phones during class, and anyone caught with them will lose them for two weeks. Further, he requires players maintain a 2.5 grade point average in order to live off campus, and any player who skips class faces extra conditioning as well as demotion on the depth chart. On July 24, Shannon announced to the press that the Hurricanes were stripping the names on the back of their jerseys for the 2007 season, which is highly unusual in Division I football. The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
then somewhat labeled Miami a "no name offense and defense," but the label has become more applicable as Miami progressed through an unimpressive 2007 season.
Shannon has also cleaned house with his coaching staff, with six new assistants in the program, headlined by offensive coordinator Patrick Nix
Patrick Nix
Patrick Nix is a college football coach and former player in the United States.-Player:Patrick Nix began his career at Etowah High School in Attalla, Alabama. Nix was a standout quarterback at Auburn University, where he came in for an injured Stan White vs. Alabama to help lead the Tigers to a...
, who held the same position in 2006 with Georgia Tech.
During meetings with the ACC media, Shannon boldly stated he believes Miami can bounce back and win the ACC, saying "I don't expect anything less."
Recruiting Class of 2007
In the pre-season, ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
listed incoming running back Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Miami.-Early years:...
as one of the top-10 impact freshman for 2007.
{| border="0" width="100%"
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%"
!bgcolor="#006600"| Player
!bgcolor="#006600"| Position
!bgcolor="#006600"| Height
!bgcolor="#006600"| Weight
!bgcolor="#006600"| 40-time
!bgcolor="#006600"| Hometown
|- align="center"
| Daniel Adderley || WR || 6'6" || 215 || 4.59 || Simpsonville, SC
|- align="center"
| Allen Bailey
Allen Bailey
Allen Bailey is an American football defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs. Prior to being drafted by Kansas City, Bailey played college football for the University of Miami.-Early years:...
|| DE || 6'3" || 265 || 4.8 || Darien, GA
|- align="center"
| Damien Berry || DB || 5'11" || 197 || 4.46 || Belle Glade, FL
|- align="center"
| Jared Campbell || DB || 6'0" || 195 || 4.5 || Aurora, CO
|- align="center"
| Lee Chambers || RB || 5'10.5" || 189 || 4.56 || Coffeeville, MS
|- align="center"
| Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Miami.-Early years:...
|| RB || 5'11" || 185 || 4.65 || Memphis, TN
|- align="center"
| Kayne Farquharson || WR || 6'2" || 185 || 4.4 || Homestead, FL
|- align="center"
| Orlando Franklin
Orlando Franklin
-Denver Broncos:Franklin was selected 14th in the 2nd round, 46th overall, by the Denver Broncos in the 2011 NFL Draft. Franklin was assigned the number 74 for the Broncos in 2011 training camp.-External links:*...
|| OL || 6'6" || 300 || 5.47 || Delray Beach, FL
|- align="center"
| Harland Gunn || OL || 6'2" || 300 || 5.2 || Omaha, NE
|- align="center"
| Leonard Hankerson || WR || 6'2" || 185 || 4.4 || Fort Lauderdale, FL
|- align="center"
| Tyler Horn || OL || 6'5" || 290 || 5.3 || Memphis, TN
|- align="center"
| Robert Marve
Robert Marve
Robert Edward Marve is a quarterback for the Purdue Boilermakers. He was previously a member of the Miami Hurricanes football team from 2007 to 2008.-Early years:...
|| QB || 6'1" || 189 || 4.65 || Tampa, FL
|- align="center"
| Jermaine McKenzie || WR || 6'1" || 164 || 4.41 || Bradenton, FL
|- align="center"
| Shawnbrey McNeal || RB || 5'9" || 181 || 4.45 || Dallas, TX
|- align="center"
| Joseph Nicolas || S || 6'2" || 195 || 4.5 || Homestead, FL
|- align="center"
| Adewale Ojomo || DE || 6'3" || 217 || 4.6 || Hialeah, FL
|- align="center"
| Chris Perry || DT || 6'3" || 319 || 5.1 || Keller, TX
|- align="center"
| DeMarcus Van Dyke
DeMarcus Van Dyke
-Professional career:DeMarcus Van Dyke was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 3rd round 81st overall in the 2011 NFL draft.-External links:*....
|| DB || 6'1.5" || 157 || 4.35 || Miami, FL
|- align="center"
| Doug Wiggins || DB || 5'11" || 180 || 4.5 || Miami, FL
|-align="center"
| colspan=3 | Total commitments
| colspan=3 | 19
|}
Personnel
{| class="wikitable"! Position
! Name
! Yrs. in Current Pos.
|- align="center"
| Head Coach
| Randy Shannon
Randy Shannon
Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL....
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Offensive Coordinator
| Patrick Nix
Patrick Nix
Patrick Nix is a college football coach and former player in the United States.-Player:Patrick Nix began his career at Etowah High School in Attalla, Alabama. Nix was a standout quarterback at Auburn University, where he came in for an injured Stan White vs. Alabama to help lead the Tigers to a...
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Defensive Coordinator
| Tim Walton
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Special Teams / TEs
| Joe Pannunzio
| 2nd
|- align="center"
| Quarterbacks
| Patrick Nix
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Running Backs
| Tommie Robinson
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Wide Receivers
| Marques Mosley
| 2nd
|- align="center"
| Offensive Line
| Jeff Stoutland
Jeff Stoutland
Jeff Stoutland is the offensive line coach for the University of Alabama. He served as the interim head football coach for the University of Miami in 2010.-Playing career:...
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Defensive Line
| Clint Hurtt
| 2nd
|- align="center"
| Linebackers
| Micheal Barrow
Micheal Barrow
Micheal Christian Barrow is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Oilers in the second round of the 1993 NFL Draft...
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Defensive Backs
| Wesley McGriff
| 1st
|- align="center"
| Strength & Conditioning
| Andreu Swasey
| 7th
|-
|}
Pre-season
Miami began the 2007 season unranked for the first time since 1998.Three Hurricanes were selected to the ACC Pre-Season team: Senior G Derrick Morse
Derrick Morse
Derrick Morse is an American football player who plays for the Jacksonville Sharks. He played as a guard for the University of Miami. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Sharks in 2010.-External links:*...
, Junior DE
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell is an American football defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
, and Junior S
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
Kenny Phillips
Kenny Phillips
-New York Giants:Phillips was expected to compete for the vacant free safety position left by Gibril Wilson, who left for free agency to the Oakland Raiders in the 2008 offseason...
.
On August 28, 2007, Head Coach Randy Shannon
Randy Shannon
Randy Lennard Shannon is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Miami from 2007 to 2010. Shannon played football at Miami and then with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL....
named Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
the starting quarterback over Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
for the season-opening game against Marshall
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
.
Schedule
The schedule was ranked as the #7 toughest road schedule.After this season, the Hurricanes moved their home games from Orange Bowl Stadium to nearby Miami Gardens
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...
and Dolphin Stadium
Dolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
. The Orange Bowl had served seven decades as the home of Miami (Florida) football.
Marshall (0-0)
Pregame Line: Miami -18.5Miami easily defeated Marshall in Randy Shannon's debut game, which was also the first-ever meeting of the two teams.
The running backs provided the majority of the Hurricanes' offense, as sophomore Javarris James
Javarris James
Javarris James is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was signed by the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at the University of Miami....
and true freshman Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Miami.-Early years:...
combined for 215 yards on the ground with James scoring two touchdowns. Starting quarterback Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
completed only 9 of 21 passes for 86 yards, but was praised by Shannon for "controlling the game." Also, wide receiver Sam Shields
Sam Shields
Samuel George Shields III is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
sat out the game for violating team rules.
Defensively, Miami made four interceptions, six sacks, and held Marshall to only 51 rushing yards.
Following the win, James said, "We started off this year with a bang and hopefully we can continue."
#6 Oklahoma2007 Oklahoma Sooners football teamThe 2007 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2007-2008, winning the Big 12 Conference Championship for the fifth time in eight years. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops...
(1-0)
Pregame Line: Miami +11.5The last time the Sooners and the Hurricanes met was in the 1987 Orange Bowl. Miami won 20-14 and earned its second national championship. The Sooners are 27-5 against current ACC members with three of those losses to the Hurricanes. The Sooners entered the game favored by between 10 to 11 points.
The Hurricanes were within one score halfway into the third quarter, before the game, nationally televised on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, became a blowout for the Sooners. The Oklahoma defense was able to limit James and Cooper to a combined 54 yards. Freeman went 3 of 9 for only 17 yards before being benched in favor of former starter Kyle Wright, who led the Hurricanes on their only touchdown drive and completed 7 of 14 for 65 yards. Miami's defense was able to contain the Sooners, going into halftime with a 21-10 deficit, and scoring a field goal early in the third quarter to pull as close as 21-13, but Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
launched an aerial attack that couldn't be stopped, going 19 of 25 for 205 yards and 5 touchdowns. The loss was Miami's most lopsided since 1998, when they were routed by Syracuse 66-13.
Florida InternationalFIU Golden Panthers footballThe FIU Golden Panthers football team represent Florida International University in Miami, Florida in the sport of college football. The FIU Panthers are a mid-major NCAA FBS college football team in the Sun Belt Conference led by Mario Cristobal and play at the on-campus FIU Stadium.-History:On...
(0-2)
Pregame Line: Miami -31.5Last season was the first-ever football game between the two cross-town schools. Miami won 35-0, but the game was most notable for its on-field brawl
Miami-FIU brawl
The Florida International University – University of Miami was a bench-clearing brawl that occurred on October 14, 2006 in a college football game between the University of Miami Hurricanes and the at the Orange Bowl stadium in Miami, Florida....
. Both teams hired new head coaches in the off-season; FIU was led by Mario Cristobal
Mario Cristobal
-External links:*...
, who was previously Miami's offensive line coach.
The Hurricanes made some changes following the Oklahoma defeat for the FIU game, the most noticeable of which was Shannon's decision to rename Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright
Kyle Wright is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
, who was the starter last season before falling to injury, the starting quarterback. Wright went 10 of 19 for 224 yards, while Javarris James rushed for 92 yards as the Hurricanes won 23-9, extending FIU's losing streak to 15.
#16 Texas A&M2007 Texas A&M Aggies football teamThe 2007 Texas A&M Aggies football team represented Texas A&M University in the 2007-2008 college football season. The team was coached by Dennis Franchione, who had coached at A&M since the 2003 season, but resigned at the conclusion of the annual game with the University of Texas...
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Pregame Line: Miami -3This was the second-ever meeting between the Aggies and the Hurricanes, the Aggies having won the 1944 game. The game was the final nonconference game of the season for both teams.
Despite being unranked, Miami entered the game three-point favorites over the undefeated 16th-ranked Aggies.
Played before a near-capacity crowd in the Orange Bowl and a national television audience on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Miami dominated the Aggies for much of the game, as the Hurricane offense exploded. By the time Aggies kicker Matt Szymanski put the first Texas A&M points on the board by way of a field goal in the fourth quarter, Miami had already scored 31 and the romp was well underway. Kyle Wright led an effective passing attack, finishing 21-26 for 275 yards, and showing an ability to lead the Hurricane offense, which wrapped up a total 402 yards to A&M's 240, down the field in a reversal of their early season woes. Defensively, Miami shut down the Aggie's leading rushers Stephen McGee, Mike Goodson, and Jorvorskie Lane to 38 combined rushing yards in the first half and 98 yards overall - well under their previous combined game average of 235 yards. Miami DE Calais Campbell, whose fumble recovery in the second quarter lead to a field goal that put Miami up 24-0 going into halftime, said of the statement victory: "Knowing this is the last year in the Orange Bowl, we want to make history here."
DukeDuke Blue DevilsDuke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
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Pregame Line: Miami -24Duke entered the game with the 47th ranked pass offense in the nation, led by former Miami-area quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. Lewis threw for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions against Miami, getting within a field goal in the fourth quarter. However, Miami's defense sacked Lewis nine times, helping Miami win the game 24-14.
Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell is an American football defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
was named ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Defensive Lineman of the Week as he totaled 16 tackles, including 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles against Duke. He now places seventh in the conference in sacks, fourth in tackles for loss, and is tied for third in fumbles forced. Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper
Graig Cooper is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Miami.-Early years:...
ran for 101 yards and a touchdown in only twelve carries. He also caught a pass for 25 yards, in an effort that earned him ACC Rookie of the Week honors. Miami leads the overall series 4 to 1.
North Carolina2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football teamThe 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina in the 2007 college football season. The team was led by first year coach Butch Davis.-Previous season:...
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Pregame Line: Miami -7The first meeting between North Carolina head coach Butch Davis
Butch Davis
Paul Hilton "Butch" Davis, Jr. is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He was the head coach at the University of Miami from 1995 to 2000, the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 2001 to 2004, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2007 to 2011.-Early...
and his former team turned out to be a tale of two halves. Miami began the day clumsily; the first half included two Kyle Wright interceptions, six plays allowed for 18 yards or more, and a short missed field goal attempt. The Tar Heels' first half domination even included a blocked punt that eventually led to a touchdown, and added to the 27-0 score at halftime. The second half was mostly controlled by Miami, who scored 27 points of their own - including a 97-yard touchdown catch by senior Darnell Jenkins. However, two North Carolina field goals in the fourth quarter and an errant Wright pass intercepted at the North Carolina 3-yard line (his fourth interception of the game) were too much for the 'Canes to overcome.
Georgia Tech2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football teamThe 2007 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the college football season of 2007–2008. The team's coach was former Dallas Cowboys, Samford Bulldogs, and Troy Trojans coach Chan Gailey...
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Pregame Line: Miami -2.5The Hurricanes struck first with a 39-yard run by freshman Shawnbrey McNeal and took a 7-0 lead into halftime. The second half, however, was mostly controlled by the Yellow Jackets, who outgained Miami 244-79 in the half. Georgia Tech was led by running back Tashard Choice
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice , is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He played collegiately at Georgia Tech. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.Choice began his collegiate career at The University of Oklahoma but...
, who ran for a career-high 204 yards on 37 carries. A fourth quarter touchdown pass from Kyle Wright to Sam Shields tied the game, but it was Travis Bell's 39-yard field goal with 7:34 left that gave Georgia Tech the win.
Georgia Tech became only the third team in the last 25 years to beat Miami in three consecutive seasons, joining Virginia Tech and Florida State (both of whom accumulated the wins during the Hurricanes' probation years). All three Georgia Tech wins came by a touchdown or less.
Florida State2007 Florida State Seminoles football teamThe 2007 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2007 college football season. Florida State entered the 2007 season coming off a 2006 that ended with an overall record of 7-6, which was head coach Bobby Bowden's worst record since going 6-5 in 1981,...
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Pregame Line: Miami +4.5Florida State and Miami both entered this game unranked for the first time since 1977. The teams exchanged turnovers (nine total, five by FSU) and scores, keeping things close for most of the game. With 5:29 left in the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes, trailing 29-24, appeared to have lost their best chance to win when Kirby Freeman was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 at the Florida State 1. But Freeman, who replaced injured Kyle Wright in the first half, drove Miami 83 yards in under two minutes to take the lead 30-29 on a 13-yard pass to Dedrick Epps
Dedrick Epps
Dedrick Epps is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round, 253rd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft...
with 1:15 left. FSU quarterback Xavier Lee
Xavier Lee
Xavier Tyree Lee is an American football quarterback and wide receiver for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Florida State.-Early years:Lee attended Seabreeze High School...
, who was intercepted twice, then fumbled after being hit by Miami's Teraz McCray, and Colin McCarthy
Colin McCarthy
Colin McCarthy is an American football linebacker for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami after graduating from Clearwater Central Catholic High School...
ran it in for the clincher. This was the first game since 2001 that was decided by more than a touchdown.
Miami now leads the all-time series of the storied rivalry, 30-22.
NC StateNC State WolfpackThe athletic teams of the North Carolina State University, known as the Wolfpack, compete in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles...
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Pregame Line: Miami -11Coming into this game, Miami held its destiny in its own hands. With Virginia and Virginia Tech both losing the week before, Miami was in a position to advance to the ACC Championship game. All it needed to do was win out. A win would also make Miami bowl eligible. Miami opened the game with a 22 yard field goal to give it a 3-0 lead. Then Miami took a 10-0 lead when quarterback Kirby Freeman completed his only pass of the game, an 84 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darnell Jenkins. NC State then became the first visiting team this season to score in the first half against the Hurricanes when with 2:04 left until halftime, running back Daniel Evans took the ball in from one yard out to make the score 10-7 at the half.
There was just one score in the 3rd quarter which was a 33 yard field goal by Miami. The score was then 13-7 going into the fourth quarter. In the 4th quarter NC State scored 3 field-goals on their first three fourth quarter drives to make it a 16-13 game. Miami got the ball with 6:55 left in the game and drove down to the NC State 10 yard line, all on 15 running plays. With 33 seconds left Miami then tried two pass plays to wide receiver Sam Shields, both of which were broken up in the endzone. Miami was then forced to kick a 27 yard field goal to send it into overtime.
Miami got the ball first in overtime and chose 6 run plays to open. Miami then attempted another 27 yard field goal which sailed wide left. NC State then got the ball and kicker Steven Hauschka kicked a 42 yard field goal to win the game.
This was NC State coach Tom O'Brien's first ever win at the Orange Bowl. Miami quarterback Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman
Kirby Freeman is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, who was in for injured starter Kyle Wright, went just 1-14 with 84 yards and 3 interceptions. Miami rushed 60 times for 314 yards against the ACC's worst rush defense. Halfback Javarris James rushed for 103 yards. The loss dropped Miami to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in the ACC.
#21 Virginia2007 Virginia Cavaliers football teamThe 2007 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's coach is coach Al Groh. They played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.- Preseason :...
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Pregame Line: Miami -3.5The Miami Hurricanes lose to the Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
48-0 in the worst shutout in Orange Bowl history on the Hurricanes' last game at the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
.
This loss dropped the Hurricanes to 2-4 in the ACC and 5-5 total.