After dispatching of Boston College in the season opener last week in Chestnut Hill, MA your Miami Hurricanes will travel well outside the footprint of the Atlantic Coast Conference and take their road game to Manhattan, Kansas to face the #21 ranked Kansas State Wildcats in the second game of the 2012 season.
Not to be confused with its big brother in New York State, the "Little Apple" is not known for its big business, bright lights and broadway stars but for its small, college town appeal and its consistent, steady and successful brand of football under long time head coach Bill Snyder (160-83-1).
Snyder has been doing Manhattan way before Manhattan was cool. And, after 20 years at the helm of the Wildcats program there is no doubt that the old, sly, silver fox knows a thing or two about coaching college football. Miami will face a disciplined, well-coached team that executes a solid game plan.
That means that second year Hurricane head coach Al Golden (along with coordinators Jedd Fisch and Mark D'Onofrio) really has his work cut out for him today. Golden lost last year's head-to-head match-up with Snyder 28-24 in the Orange Bowl in a game the hinged on two big plays.
Late in the fourth quarter Wildcat RB John Hubert busted loose for a 47-yard run on third-and-1, catching UM in a goal-line defense with just about everyone on the line of scrimmage. After that momentum building burst Kansas State went the full 80 yards on eight plays capped by Hubert's score from 2 yards out and putting Miami in need of late game heroics.
Miami did manage to drive the distance of the field with little time left in the game but Kansas State's defense rose up and stopped UM QB Jacory Harris at the goal line on fourth down with :49 seconds left in the game to seal the victory for the Wildcats.
This year Golden and company are hoping for a much different outcome in Kansas. This year's Hurricane football team, although much younger and less experienced than last year's team, are bigger, stronger and faster thanks to another year of the "UTough" conditioning program instituted by Golden and managed by long-time UM strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey.
This UM team is much more dangerous and has more weapons, some of them even top secret, to work with (seen below). We have reason to believe that the term "Wildcat" does not just refer to a team from Kansas, but of course that is just be wild speculation on our part.
The question still remains: Will that be enough to get the 'Canes across the goal line late in the fourth quarter when needed? Only time will tell, but we have reason to believe that it will.
This year we expect to see OL Seantrel Henderson lined up at fullback (yeah I said it!) in front of hard-charging RB Mike James carrying the ball and not lanky QB Jacory Harris trying to desperately nose the ball across the goal line.
In a line from a song titled "I Know A Little" performed by legendary Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd there is a line that goes a little something like this:
"The bigger the city well the brighter the lights,
The bigger the dog well the harder it bites."
As everyone knows Miami, FL is by far much bigger and much brighter than Manhattan, KA. So we say: LET THE BIG DOG EAT!
Canespace Prediction: Big Dog Canes 34, Little Kitty Cats 31
First?
Posted by: Meast | September 08, 2012 at 09:07 AM
Game time!
Posted by: usagainsttheworld | September 08, 2012 at 09:08 AM
Que pasa Canespace? It's been a while.
Posted by: LatinCane | September 08, 2012 at 09:12 AM
Oye, Sopa de Pinchon, que te pasa? Hay mucho tiempo ya pasaron que no lo vistes?
Posted by: 86Cane | September 08, 2012 at 09:13 AM
That military picture with the U is DOPE!!
Posted by: CGNC | September 08, 2012 at 09:13 AM
Let's go Canes
Posted by: Tsully76 | September 08, 2012 at 09:14 AM
Play action and Wildcat.
That is all.
Posted by: 86Cane | September 08, 2012 at 09:22 AM
Sancocho-
I pop in every once in a while. Happy to see the site is still going strong. Thanks for all you do! I still owe you for giving us a jump (dead car battery) at the UCF game a few years back. We owe you some beers.
Posted by: LatinCane | September 08, 2012 at 09:23 AM
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat[4] of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County.
As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281.[1] It is the principal city of the Manhattan, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area – with an estimated population of 113,629, the Manhattan MSA is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state.[5]
Nicknamed "The Little Apple" as a play on New York City's "Big Apple", it is best known as being the home of Kansas State University and has a college town atmosphere. Eight miles (13 km) west of the city is Fort Riley, a United States Army post.
Posted by: 86Cane | September 08, 2012 at 09:23 AM
We owe you some beers.
Posted by: LatinCane | September 08, 2012 at 09:23 AM
I gladly accept your offer!
Posted by: 86Cane | September 08, 2012 at 09:24 AM
Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium is a stadium in Manhattan, Kansas. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Kansas State University Wildcats football team. It is named after head coach Bill Snyder and his family. Since 1990, K-State is 113-26-1 (.807) at home.
Before the final game of the 2005 season, Kansas State offered to name the stadium after retiring head coach Bill Snyder. In 17 years, Snyder had turned the Wildcats, once the definition of college football futility, into a frequent championship contender in the Big 12 Conference. When he was asked about renaming the stadium, Snyder told school officials, "If you are going to do it, name it after the people that I care about the most."[6] Hence, the Regents renamed the stadium to honor the family of the coach who had led the team for 17 years.[7]
Starting in the 2009 season, Snyder returned to coach the team again, becoming one of only three coaches in division I FBS history to coach in a stadium that bears his name, joining Bear Bryant at Alabama and Shug Jordan at Auburn.
Posted by: 86Cane | September 08, 2012 at 09:26 AM
D'No defense is poop. Its a passive defense thats wait on what the other team does to make a move. Its a culture clash with the type of players that are usually in South Florida and particularly on the DL.
In saying that, we win this game by forcing KSU to kick FGs if they reach the red zone and getting turnovers. As we saw at BC thats the formula for winning. Over the past 3 years we have outgained plenty of teams and lost, including FSU last year and Ohio State the year before due to Turnovers. Am looking forward to our guys punishing Klein as a GROUP and trying to rip the ball out of his hands. I love the way we tackled at BC and i know it will continue!
Posted by: Jiggafras | September 08, 2012 at 10:20 AM
GAMEDAY Y'ALL!!!!
GO CANES BEAT KSTATE!!!
Posted by: IraqiCane | September 08, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Cane commit Alex Collins- 18 carries 239 yrds 2 td's last nite. Can U say 5 star boyz & girlz?
Posted by: 4-Real | September 08, 2012 at 10:24 AM
CGNC,
Not as DOPE as COCANE. Lol ;-)
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 10:29 AM
4-Real,
As Mike Irvin showed u. Lauderdale breeds PLAYMAKERS
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Uh oh, Herbstreit picked Canes to win...
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | September 08, 2012 at 10:40 AM
Until last year, Alex Collins hadn't played football since little league. WOW! He's just scratching the surface. L's UP BIATCHES! Ha ha
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 10:42 AM
Going to get this on the blog early for those of you looking for a stream come time for kickoff:
http://www.justin.tv/pbc2222
If it gets taken down the guy will just restart with a similar channel name so screw the DCMA and go Canes.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | September 08, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Ohio, Robert Smith picked the U earlier this week. That's a definite UH OH!!
Posted by: 4-Real | September 08, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Ohio,
Herb just jinxed us. Lol
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Then again, K State opened as 2 td favorites. Now they're only favored by 6. Someone knows something that the Legion knows. That da "U" is being slept on...
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 10:50 AM
Miami players walked off the busses holding yard sticks to remind them thats how far they were from victory last year. That's awesome. I don't know if the players did it or coaches made them but either way it shows that this team will not forget.
Posted by: Panamacitycane | September 08, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Panama...LOVE that idea with the yardsticks!
I'm gonna be in your neighborhood in October. Email me if U wanna hook up:
canespace86@aol.com
Posted by: 86Cane | September 08, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Kevin Olsen out for the year with a broken foot. Ouch.
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | September 08, 2012 at 11:20 AM
Damn sux for Olsen, hope he recovers well. Atleast its not his arm, to look on the bright side
Posted by: Jiggafras | September 08, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Solar ........Thanks for the stickers....
I picked up the mail just in time for todays game. They will be on both vehicles before game time.
Thanks again
Fran & Jean
Posted by: fran | September 08, 2012 at 11:27 AM
can't see a canes win today. young team on the road against a ranked team. we'll score but i think ksu wins going away.
KSU win 37-24
Posted by: USAFCane | September 08, 2012 at 11:30 AM
I'm hopeful on this one. Canes 30, K State 28
Posted by: j.w. | September 08, 2012 at 11:34 AM
I don't envy Jedd today, he's in a situation where he basically has to score every time except once a half thanks to the fact that D'No has showed the ability to stop a decent multi-dimensional offensive team exactly once in just over a year. This is the type of game Al Golden is simply not good at but it's still winnable, however, I don't think they get this one despite keeping it relatively close. If Robinson was in the lineup I'd like UM in a close one but without him, it's going to be a in the face punch fest from KSU's run game. Enjoy the post game presser guys because the journey there won't be nearly as fun.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | September 08, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Herbie just said KSU never beat a team like Miami at home out of conference? They beat Southern Cal in Manhattan in 2002 Kirk!
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | September 08, 2012 at 11:57 AM
the game is on FX channel 248 in direct TV.
Posted by: 27ave Cane | September 08, 2012 at 12:02 PM
22 years ago today, i got married......22 years ago tonight after the weedding and did what all couples do, I turned on the TV and watched Miami play Arizona out west.
22 years later, it is my anniversary today and I have a cold drink in my hand and about to watch Miami again. I have the best wife ever......
GO CANES....
Posted by: raizecane | September 08, 2012 at 12:02 PM
Odds we get a flashback highlight of Crouch getting killed in the Rose Bowl today? 65% likely, more?
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | September 08, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Sheesh first play dline was confused as to what was going on. :x
Posted by: Felipe | September 08, 2012 at 12:07 PM
EJ looking good then runs himself out of the slant passing lane...
I do like how good we look in short yardage. Olsen Pierre is decent
Posted by: Felipe | September 08, 2012 at 12:16 PM
We need a new dc. Anybody says different is just plain stupid & I don't care if this is the opening drive!
Posted by: 4-Real | September 08, 2012 at 12:17 PM
Listening to the radio. Defense is sucking azz so far...
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 12:18 PM
Par for the D'No course. First drive TD for opponent.
Posted by: Felipe | September 08, 2012 at 12:18 PM
4-Real,
U may be right
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Classic Golden on defense at UM opening, between the idiotic angling of the kickoff out of bounds to the defense getting used in the air by a primarily running team in between QB sneaks for key first downs, this garbage is beyond old now. Should have used those yard sticks to spank D'No out of the coaching office he occupies.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | September 08, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Like I said par for the D'No course, but would be a double bogey for any other Miami defense since 2001.
Posted by: Felipe | September 08, 2012 at 12:21 PM
No'D on the sideline writing up his post game excuse. Whta is so hard about blitzing the run gaps and manning up on the outside on first and second down? I have zero clue about coaching a college football D, atleast me and No'D are the same. OMG
Posted by: Jiggafras | September 08, 2012 at 12:21 PM
It's tough to win games if you're going to spot every opponent a TD on their 1st drive. Ijs
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 12:21 PM
It's tough to win games if you're going to spot every opponent a TD on their 1st drive. Ijs
Posted by: CoCane | September 08, 2012 at 12:21 PM
There it is.
Posted by: Felipe | September 08, 2012 at 12:23 PM
I agree to whoever said our defense is bad....we are not a there yet.
Posted by: raizecane | September 08, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Damn! I just learned that we don't get FX, and that channelsurfing.net has been closed down due to its history of ongoing copyright violations. Not a good way to start my day...
Posted by: dj moonbat | September 08, 2012 at 12:24 PM
Move Mike James to FB and give the majority of the carries to Duke and Clements already please.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | September 08, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Allen Hurns is more fragile than Fragile Fred Taylor at this point. Great effort though, he needs to bulk up big time.
Posted by: Felipe | September 08, 2012 at 12:25 PM
Hurns hurt his tacos
Posted by: 4-Real | September 08, 2012 at 12:26 PM