Better To Be Lucky Than Good

Fifth ranked Missouri was pretty good, but they lost to #21 South Carolina on an unlucky bounce off the crossbar in double overtime at home.

Tenth ranked Texas Tech was undefeated and looking pretty good going into their game against Oklahoma before they lost to Big Game Bob and his 15th ranked Sooners. So then another one had bitten the dust.

Virginia Tech was ranked 14th and playing at home in beautiful Blacksburg against the basketball school known as Duke and Beamer's boys lost by an unlucky 13 points. So VT is clearly not lucky or good.

Miami was playing at Sun Life Stadium on a picture perfect day when lowly Wake Forest showed up and tried to ruin it for the Hurricanes. Luckily for Miami they would get lucky even when they were not good.

Miami certainly did not play well but apparently it is better to be lucky than good and on this Saturday in October the luck was on Miami's side and the Hurricanes pulled off another last minute win to be Wake 24-21.

Now with a little more luck, the Hurricanes could move as high as #5 or #6 in the BCS standings come Sunday or Monday. Better to be lucky than good?

Unfortunately, Miami's luck may run out when they have to travel to Tallahassee to take on the really good and really lucky second ranked Florida State Seminoles next Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Until then we will ride this nice little wave of luck that has surged Miami by UNC last week on the road and Wake this week at home right into next week's game against the Hurricane's most intense ACC rival.

As you already know, in rivalry game anything can, and likely will, happen.

Comments

[BEERicane]

First

[Hassan]

1st

[BEERicane]

Jon Jay

[Hassan]

Beercane dammit

lol was going to be my 1st first of the season lol

[BEERicane]

Ohhh, so close Hassan. So close. Just like wake!

[Terrance Sullivan]

Great article and great pics Soup. Go Canes! Beat the Noles!

[SOUP]

Tie goes to the runner?

[Ohio_Cane]

AWFUL way to lose a game in the World Series. Wow. An obstruction call in bottom 9 with the runner headed home. OUCH!

[CalgaryCane]

They should be starting Williams now for next year but they not, jus like they'll do next year

Posted by: Willie Will in Nashville | October 26, 2013 at 11:27 PM

WWiN, if you were head coach, no QB would sign on your team. Just saying.

[SOUP]

TSully...be glad U were NOT there. It looked really bad from the upper deck. I can only imagine what it would look like for the lower bowl.

Everybody asked about U and Dee said she has some special somethin-somethin for U when show up for the VT game.

Mrs. Feleciano, who showed up for the party on the patio, says hi and the reg crew knows how U do. See U in Tally!

[SOUP]

Gary...just so U know, WWIN is RIGHT!

[Sarasota 'cane]

I've been watching football and baseball since noon! I bought the fixins for Cuban sanwiches and soup at 11am at Publix and I've been chilling ever since! I did go running for 40 minutes after the Miami game, but since then I've been on the couch! What a day!!

[SOUP]

For the seventh time in series history, Miami-Florida State will be the site of ESPN’s College GameDay. The Nov. 2nd showdown between undefeated in-state and ACC rivals was announced as the upcoming GameDay site Saturday night by ESPN.

Saturday’s ACC showdown will kick at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and is expected to feature Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Heather Cox (sideline reporter) as the on-air talent.

College GameDay Built by the Home Depot, which will originate from the Florida State campus from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., is hosted by Chris Fowler and features analysts Lee Corso, Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and contributors David Pollack and Samantha Ponder.

It will mark the Miami Hurricanes’ 18th appearance as either visiting or home team at the College GameDay site and Miami’s first appearance since Sept. 6, 2008. Miami is 12-5 all-time on College GameDay.

Miami (7-0, 3-0 ACC) extended its winning streak to nine games and is 7-0 for the first time since 2003 following a 24-21 win Saturday over Wake Forest at Sun Life Stadium.

[DeeCane]

Good win by the Canes...I Tivoed the game I had gate guard duty...but I knew they would struggle, I called that bout a week or so ago...it had been a very emotional week with the NCAA stuff..I'm proud, but we got to tighten up cause if we fall behind against FSU, its goin to be a long night....

[SOUP]

MIAMI HEAD COACH AL GOLDEN:

On an eventful week leading up to Saturday’s game…

“Clearly emotional. I’m not going to lie to you. Just an emotional week. Now we can breathe and move forward. I was more worried than ever this week, just because nobody was really talking about Wake. Everybody was talking about the NCAA and obviously future scheduling. I just tried to keep them going all week. I was hoping we would have enough in the tank, just because of how emotional it was to have that ordeal over. We didn’t really address it, but you guys gave it ample play, and I’m sure they were listening to you guys all week. I’m just glad we had a chance to come out here and find a way to win.”

On the distractions of the week taking a toll on his team…

“Again, I give Wake Forest a lot of credit. It sounds like you’re downplaying the effort the Wake Forest kids and coaches did. I think they did a great job. That’s one of the best coaches around - period. It wasn’t like we were sloppy with the football. We just didn’t convert when we needed to convert, we didn’t stop them enough on third down. But we finished. We’re learning how to finish, and that’s something I’m really proud of – the mental toughness. I was just worried about how much we had in the tank. I can sit up here and say we were focused all week. I promise you I have never worked harder in my life the last 72 hours to get them focused for a game. Obviously we have a chance to regroup tonight and move forward.”

On the stress related to NCAA investigation closure as it relates to on-field performance…

“I was looking for the Athletic Director [Blake James] Tuesday morning. To me, they’re all one-game deals. The other ones, we had a lot of turnovers and in many respects we were fortunate to be in that position. I didn’t feel that way about this one – we weren’t sloppy with the football. They made some plays, we didn’t make some plays. Give them a lot of credit - they played tough. Our kids responded. At midnight tonight, this one is over. There is no carry-over. We all know who we’re playing next week, and it’s time to get ready for that.”

On his concerns about slow starts…

“It’s all a concern. It’s just one big [concern]. They’re all just one-game weeks. They’re just one-game seasons. Every game is its own chess board, and you have to make adjustments. I thought we made adjustments, but obviously we were disappointed in the tackling on the long play. I thought the defensive staff and defense made adjustments. It was a long period before they scored after they scored early in the game. We certainly found some surfaces to run the ball on late in the game, so I was proud of that. We all know what this week is about coming up. We’ll regroup here tonight, tomorrow get healed up and get ready to go. I don’t think there will be any carry-over.”

On the performance of senior quarterback Stephen Morris…

“I thought he did a good job with protecting the football. I thought he did a good job with his decisions. To be honest with you, this is the best he has looked physically. Is there an element in that still? No. We’re blessed to have a 12 o’clock game, it’s not like we’re on the road and we’re going to get back at 2 o’clock or 3 o’clock in the morning. And we really don’t have to practice him again until Tuesday. I’m really hoping that will be the last little 10 percent or whatever we need to get him over the hump. He came out of it good, came out of it healthy. Obviously another two-minute drive at the end of the game speaks a lot about his leadership and the belief they have in him. I think we’ll make progress here over the next 72 hours with him.

[SOUP]

On if his team is prepared for media frenzy regarding Miami-Florida State rivalry…

“With all respect, there has been more national exposure over the last 28 months than any of us can handle. If it’s about football, we’re all in. We’re all in.”

U GOTTA LUV DIS GUY!

[SOUP]

Dee...Do NOT watch the game. U might puke, or jump off a bridge. We almost did! LOL

[CalgaryCane]

Gary...just so U know, WWIN is RIGHT!

Posted by: SOUP | October 27, 2013 at 12:22 AM

What do you mean? That the coaches are wrong not to start Williams now? Or that next year...(frankly I don't get what the other half means).

[Terrance Sullivan]

Soup sounds good my friend See U in Tally on Saturday. I missed yall today! Go Canes!

[DeeCane]

Dee...Do NOT watch the game. U might puke, or jump off a bridge. We almost did! LOL

Posted by: SOUP | October 27, 2013 at 12:32 AM

LoL...I could imagine...SOUP, how many seats did u switch, tryin to find that lucky chair?? Lol

[SOUP]

Gary...Williams should be starting NOW and next year. And I say this with MUCH insider info from multiple sources. People will not like it, or accept it, but it is TRUE.

[SOUP]

SOUP, how many seats did u switch, tryin to find that lucky chair?? Lol

Posted by: DeeCane | October 27, 2013 at 01:08 AM

I lost count after 8? LOL

[CalgaryCane]

Gary...Williams should be starting NOW and next year. And I say this with MUCH insider info from multiple sources. People will not like it, or accept it, but it is TRUE.

Posted by: SOUP | October 27, 2013 at 01:08 AM

Hmm...interesting. Thanks for the info. Again, I believe it's a simple fact that you have to play your senior QB; give him a chance to shine. If he hasn't lost you a game, then you stick with him. Williams will be starting next year; his to lose. I am not so sure how the other players would feel if Morris were replaced by Williams. I think morale would be low...so overall, you stick with your senior QB. Jmo. Cheers.

[Old Skool]

Good article Soup

[NativeCane]

Nice article Soup its great to be a Miami Hurricane and great to be lucky!

Now where do I get a pair of those orange and green overalls for Old Skool! LOL

The countdown begins for the saturday tailgate in Tally.

DEM CANES!!!

[Old Skool]

Native. I think those were 2 for 1 at Mens' Wearhouse

[CaneSawMassacre]

Soup! Thanks for the great time..,

The CaneSawMassacre has returned!

The game experience with Soup was amazing. We came out with a victory.

Aside from that I have a lot I want to add later without being too scathing on a W.

Go Canes beat FSWho

[CaneSawMassacre]

Some quick tidbits.

Anybody that doesn't realize the impact of the Dorsett loss now are insane. No WR we have has the speed off a double move to stretch the last line of a defense like him.

It felt like our whole offense was compacted without him there. Which in turn affected the run game.

It felt like Wake didn't have to respect our speed on the outside.

With that said, Morris...... Oh Morris, how he hurts me so. I game where he protected the ball but made so many bad reads. I get it now when Soup says his insiders say Williams should be starting. When you watch it on TV you don't get to see how many receivers he actually never looks at.

We have to ride with this kid, but I just wonder if he will ever let his football IQ catch up with his talent.

I also thought Coley at OC perplexed me with some of his calls. Golden said he felt the team got tied into the NCAA stuff, and we won. I'm very happy about being 7-0 going into Tally. Just worried.

Defensive thoughts later.

[TJL]

Latest raising Canes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxNm25d1GdU&list=PLBZPD9ejFC79PF-NW3glt7vP6YWPgJCEC&index=1

[CGNC]

Great article Soup. Yesterday was not perfect but the team did make some plays. That monster hit by DP, the batted away pass, that crazy catch by Coley. WE wore them down in the end and won it. Groh knew that we had some youth at wide out and tried to exploit it. He is a pretty good coach, Wake just doesn't get the players. When you ar ranked high, everyone is gunning for you. Went to lunch to watch the game with CGNC, Jr. and she goes "Mom, why can't we get a good QB?" LOL.

Bottom line we won. Next week is truly our litmus test and most of us know, we are not quite there yet.

GO CANES

[BigWindyCane1]

UNC pummeled a pretty good BC team 34 to 10. Maybe some of us underestimated a pretty good 2 and 5 team. By the way, Wake isn't that bad either.

Here is something to think about - Morris QB rating for 2012 was 138.1 and his QB rating (with injured ankle, injuries at WR and a shuffling OL) for 2013 is 149. I think the Canes coaches would take Morris over almost any QB in college. I think Morris will get stronger as the year goes along (just like last season) and Coley will work with him to get his mechanics corrected. Morris led the Canes to their first Coastal division championship last year. Morris isn't perfect, but he gives the Canes the best chance to win another coastal division title.

[BigWindyCane1]

And Morris will be playing on Sundays in 2014. Dorsey was the last Canes QB to get drafted, and Morris will break that streak and get drafted higher. Vault That one!

[CGNC]

Oh and I forgot the one handed grab by Walford.

[texican cane]

Windy--bc is 3-4 and 2 of their wins were against Nova and army. Pretty good? I admit, ive seen about 10 mins of them this year.
Unc is 2-5, pretty good would not be an adjective I would ever use to describe them. Unless LT was suspended for the 5 losses for blowing lines off a cheerleaders @ss at midfield.
We are 7-0, with obvious limitations. OC and DC need to get better next week or luck wont matter.

[SOUP]

1. Williams will be starting next year; his to lose.

2. I am not so sure how the other players would feel if Morris were replaced by Williams. I think morale would be low.

3. So overall, you stick with your senior QB.

Posted by: CalgaryCane | October 27, 2013 at 01:22 AM

1. Roger that.

2. True.

3. Correct answer.

R U Golden? LOL

[SOUP]

With that said, Morris...... Oh Morris, how he hurts me so. I game where he protected the ball but made so many bad reads. I get it now when Soup says his insiders say Williams should be starting. When you watch it on TV you don't get to see how many receivers he actually never looks at.

Posted by: CaneSawMassacre | October 27, 2013 at 08:04 AM

There IT is right there.

Amd welcome back CaneSawMassacre. And just in time for Halloween too!

[dj moonbat]

You stick with your senior QB as long as he's not hurting the team. I've never seen evidence from Williams that he would provide a sure upgrade over Morris.

The problem with Morris, it seems to me, is that you'd rather not have your whole passing offense consist of the deep ball. It's tough for me to think of a time when Morris caught a receiver in stride on an underneath route and allowed for big yards after the catch. He tries to punch the ball through their shoulder pads, the guys have to catch the ball on their back shoulders, etc.

Williams, on the other hand, seems to lack Morris's escape ability, and of course he lacks The Cannon. He's got better touch, but I think good defenses are probably at least as likely to pick off Williams as Morris.

It's funny that some folks call Miami QB U. Of all the guys that have come out of Miami, only Jim Kelly was really a high-end QB at the next level. (You could make a case for Testaverde, but you'd be wrong.) All of UM's 'great' QBs have had one or more significant liabilities. Morris certainly has his liabilities, but he's got quick feet, and a ridiculous arm.

Morris is 7-0 this season, and unless he defies a coach by calling his own play out there, I don't think he should get benched until he loses. They should have sat him at least one extra week after the ankle, but didn't, and they sure shouldn't do it now. I don't see any way at all that Miami's chances next week improve if Williams is the starter against that gnarly FSU defense.

[SOUP]

I don't see any way at all that Miami's chances next week improve if Williams is the starter against that gnarly FSU defense.

Posted by: dj moonbat | October 27, 2013 at 10:22 AM

I don't know from what I saw at the tailgate before the game yesterday CaneSawMassacre has a pretty good arm and excellent accurancy, maybe put him in?

Nah, he's just a fan so that would never work, right?

[mountain cane]

Miscellaneous:

Offense

1. Morris appropriately threw the ball away a couple times, which confirms he is capable of learning from past mistakes.
2. Our short and intermediate passing game is incredibly weak. Morris has little touch and we don't cross much and have the wide open guys you see in a typical college game.
3. Duke ran tougher, which I think shows the benefit of (unintended) competition after Crawford's amazing UNC performance.

Defense

1. When the announcers are questioning why you aren't dialing up pressure, you aren't bringing enough pressure.
2. Why play in to WF's hands with the wide splits? Bring fast LB pressure right between the center/guard gap. Cornelius would either get thru of get held. Whether the ACC zebra would call that is another question.
3. Our base pass rush has improved from horriful ( a Shaq non word) to below average. We still get little push up the middle to make things tough on the QB. Moving to the next level REQUIRES better DTs

Other

1. Beer, I can only hope you don't really believe FSU would beat the Jags and were just using a little writer's license to make a point. While the Jags may be the worst NFL team ever (early Tampa Bay teams are in that race), they would annihilate the Noles and every other college teams. The gap is wider than UM vs Savannah State.

2. The ACC this year has the Noles and everyone else. The gap between the others is modest and anyone could be anyone on a given day. While we will be favored in all remaining games other than FSU, we could lose any of them.

[canezilla]

LOVE MY CANES BUT I THINK WE ARE STAYING #7 IN BCS AND BAYLOR JUMPING US.. SO I THINK #3 FSU VS #7 MIAMI ... MIAMI PULLS THE UPSET AND WINS BY 3??????

[dj moonbat]

CaneSawMassacre has a pretty good arm and excellent accurancy, maybe put him in?

Nah, he's just a fan so that would never work, right?

Posted by: SOUP | October 27, 2013 at 10:38 AM

How many years of eligibility has he got left?

[Keoki]

F' the Noles!
GO CANES!!!

[SOUP]

moonbat...I think he's got about two years left after he got kicked off the team about 5 years ago? He's not in game shape but one off season of UTough and I think he would be good to go! LOL

[dj moonbat]

I was nowhere near a TV yesterday, and I'm looking over the box score, and I'm trying to figure out what happened.

Miami had +1 in turnover margin, outgained Wake running the ball by a ton, and only trailed in time of possession by five minutes. Morris wasn't stellar, but did complete about 60% of his passes.

What happened that kept this thing so close?

[SOUP]

There's Keoki, right on schedule!

Hey I saw Rickey and Roland and Jerry when I took CSM and his wifey (cutey) over to The West Side. Over the years I have taken 21 people over to "The West" and brought 18 back to talk about it so my record is pretty good. I did lose 3 but still I'm basically 18-3 so that's not too shabby, right?

[SOUP]

Moonbat go look at TOP for the first quarter. Then look at TOP for the first half and get back to me.

[CGNC]

LOL canesawmassacre - didn't we all help you pick that name or am I confusing you with someone else?

[CGNC]

I did lose 3 but still I'm basically 18-3 so that's not too shabby, right?

Posted by: SOUP | October 27, 2013 at 11:18 AM

Bowl eligible!!!

[Canesteeler]

Morris has struggled all season even before the ankle injury. I would like to see us utilize the rb's in the passing game. FSU sure as hell will load the box against us. Get the hell out of the pistol, line up in the pro set and tell the big uglies up front to man the hell up and drive block like hell! I don't expect a victory but I do expect the team to play with heart and passion. I got into a bit with Big O on FB because I stated although we are 7-0 I do not feel we are a well coached team. I love AG as the CEO but I would like to see some upgrades in his staff. Go Canes!

[CGNC]

canesteeler - we are going to need Momo's A game next week. Anything less will be ugly