Nebraska Football: Huskers vs Hurricanes, An Early Look at Miami

The Nebraska football program will be meeting an old foe this year, and taking care of some business with one of their old rivals, the Miami Hurricanes.

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With 1:16 left in the game, Huskers field goal kicker Byron Bennett kicked a 27 yard field goal giving the Huskers the lead over Florida State 16 to 15 in the 1994 Orange Bowl. It appeared to many Husker fans that the Huskers would get the victory they had been longing for since the 1972 Orange Bowl. FSU would bring those hopes crashing down with a 22 yard field goal of their own as the clock read 21 seconds left in the game.

There was still hope! With one second left, Bennett would get a chance for his moment in the sun, all he had to do was make a 45 yard field goal to win the game. Easier said than done; the kick was wide left and FSU won the game and the National Championship 18-16. This loss led to the following season’s team motto of Unfinished Business.

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Unfinished Business brought together the Huskers with their Nemesis, the Miami Hurricanes, for the National Championship. Going into the 80’s, the Huskers led the series 4-1, but in 1984, 1989, and 1992, the Huskers were no match for the speed of Miami, leading to a tie in the series. In 1994, Unfinished Business and a couple of Cory Schlesinger touchdowns gave the first National Championship to Nebraska, since the 1971 season with a victory over Miami in the 1995 Orange Bowl, 24-17.

So why reminisce about Nebraska and Miami when today neither team is playing on the caliber they did in the 1994 season? Because that is what playing a team like Miami does to Nebraska fans, it makes them remember the good ol’days and the heated match-ups between the two teams. The Huskers go back to face Miami this season in their house.

Miami fans are not as loyal as Husker fans, the proof being their dwindling attendance numbers, but I suspect many Miami fans know the history between these two teams leading to a packed house. Don’t worry Miami fans, if you don’t want to go, you can always sell your tickets to a Husker fan, just ask Notre Dame.

Feb 1, 2015; Tallahassee, FL, USA; The Miami Hurricanes fans hold signs expressing his desire for the return of former Hurricanes football head coach Butch Davis (not pictured) in the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at the Donald L. Tucker Center. The Seminoles won 55-54. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

So let’s take a brief look at the 2015 Miami Hurricanes. With last season’s victory, the Huskers lead the series 6-5. Head coach Al Golden’s record at Miami is 28-22 and has not beaten Nebraska.

The Hurricanes have not had a 10 win season since 2003 and have not been ranked in the top 25 since 2009, so it is safe to say when comparing Nebraska and Miami, our struggles do not compare to theirs.

Last season the Hurricanes went 3-5 in conference, 6-7 overall, losing their December 27th bowl game to South Carolina. The Hurricanes lost their starting running back Duke Johnson and left tackle Ereck Flowers. On Defense the canes lost starting defensive end Anthony Chickillo and starting linebacker Denzel Perryman.

The bright side of who they have retuning in sophomore quarterback Brad Kaaya, who last season threw the ball for 3,198 yards and 26 touchdowns, 359 of those yards was in their 41-31 loss to Nebraska last season. Last season, as a true freshman, Kaaya threw 12 interceptions and had a 58.5 completion percentage.

In Miami’s spring game the defense ended up beating the offense 54-47 in front of 3500 fans. You can learn more about their spring game here. Athlon has Miami finishing 4th in the Coastal division of the ACC, so the Hurricanes are not expected to make a big splash. Miami will be in front of the home crowd and last season’s game against Nebraska was certainly not a blow out, but I expect the Huskers to come back to Lincoln victorious. Go Big Red!

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