CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -Even now, 16 years later, Micheal Barrow still gets asked about once every week about “the hit.”
He doesn’t mind whatsoever.
After all, he was the winning end.
The series between Miami and Florida State, which gets rekindled Saturday afternoon in South Florida, has been filled with countless memorable moments, plays that ultimately decided national championships, wide rights and wide lefts and so much more, making this rivalry one of the nation’s most storied.
And of all the massive hits inflicted over those years, Barrow might have delivered the best of all.
It was Oct. 3, 1992, Florida State at Miami. Florida State’s Tamarick Vanover took a short pass over the middle near midfield, and in that particular coverage, Barrow was supposed to keep shifting left from his linebacker spot – but knew, from seeing it on film, that Vanover would try to cut back and run the opposite way.
“I knew, if they ran that play, it was going to be my play,” said Barrow, now Miami’s linebackers coach.
So Barrow ignored his assignment, went right at Vanover, drove his helmet and shoulder pads into the Florida State player’s chest and listened to the crowd at the Orange Bowl roar in delight, even as Vanover remained on the ground in obvious pain. Barrow waved his arms to the fans, eliciting even louder roars.
“They did that play earlier in the game, I went to go get him and the umpire got in my way and I was like, ‘Awwwwww,”’ Barrow said. “I remembered Vanover from when he visited Miami and I went up to him and said something like, ‘Man, you chump, I’m glad you went to that girls’ school, because you weren’t tough enough to come here.”’ And a couple plays later, I got the hit.”
Miami won that day, 19-16, in what was known as “Wide Right II.” Dan Mowrey missed a 39-yard field goal on the final play, much like how Gerry Thomas missed a 34-yarder the previous year as the Hurricanes escaped with a 17-16 win.
The hit is still on YouTube, and more than few Miami players have checked it out this week. Barrow’s playing days are over, yet he isn’t hiding his excitement of remaining part of the Hurricanes-Seminoles rivalry.
“This rivalry, its the tops of all tops,” Barrow said.
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HOUSTON, HELLO: North Carolina’s Ryan Houston will never have a shorter 2-yard touchdown run.
tside the Hurricanes 10-yard line. Two plays later, North Carolina was a foot from the goal line, but one chain link shy of getting a new set of downs.
So officially, it was North Carolina ball at the Miami 2 – because, for statistical purposes, the drive started at the 11 and even though the ball was actually inside the 1, the Heels couldn’t be actually credited with advancing that far because the computers tracking the numbers would have automatically credited them with a first down.
Ultimately, none of it mattered.
On fourth-and-inches, Houston took the handoff from Cameron Sexton and advanced the ball exactly 11 inches, far enough for what went into the books as a 2-yard TD run.
That plunge started North Carolina’s rally to a 28-24 victory.
Houston may start lobbying for North Carolina to play more games in the Sunshine State: Before Saturday, his only other college touchdown came when the Tar Heels visited South Florida on Sept. 22, 2007.
So he’s gone 2-for-2 in Florida, but in his eight other college games, Houston hasn’t found the end zone.
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BEAMER BALL: Virginia Tech has one of those appears-like-a-mismatch games this week, when the Hokies – winners of four straight, including last week at Nebraska – host Western Kentucky.
The Hokies are four-touchdown favorites, which means very little to coach Frank Beamer.
ery capable,” Beamer said of the Hilltoppers. “We’re aware you just have to go out there and have to play every week. And some people say, well, you’re a 28-point favorite – but Southern Cal was a 28-point favorite over Oregon State. So there’s lessons every week.”
USC, of course, fell from the nation’s No. 1 ranking last week after losing 27-21 at Oregon State.
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THEFTS UP IN ATLANTA: Only one-third of the season has passed, and Georgia Tech has topped its 2007 total for interceptions.
Led by safety Morgan Burnett’s three thefts, Georgia Tech has six interceptions in four games. The Yellow Jackets had five last year.
It’s tempting to credit the increase in interceptions to a change in defensive emphasis. The defenses under former coordinator Jon Tenuta were known for their relentless blitzes; this year’s unit under Dave Wommack has been productive in a different way.
Georgia Tech still has 11 sacks, tied for the second in the ACC.
“We’re not blitzing on every play, but at the same time when we do we’re coming just as hard, just as fast, and mixing it up a lot more is giving us in the secondary more of a chance to make more plays in the air,” said cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels, who has one interception.
“Turnovers are something we have focused on, being more aggressive in going for turnovers. We’re just going for the ball.”
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ign for Duke, besides the Blue Devils’ 3-1 start, comes in the time of possession stat. Duke was the nation’s fifth-worst team in that department last year, holding the ball for 27 1/2 minutes a game; this year, the Blue Devils’ are the nation’s fifth-best team, with 34 1/2 minutes of possession. … N.C. State defensive back Clem Johnson lost “10 to 15 pounds” while dealing with a broken jaw suffered in early August, but regained eight of those pounds within 48 hours of the braces coming off, Wolfpack coach Tom O’Brien said. Johnson played for the first time this season last week against South Florida. … Miami RB Javarris James (high ankle sprain) returned to light practice this week and is being targeted to return Oct. 11 against Central Florida. With James out, Graig Cooper has back-to-back 100-yard games for the Hurricanes, and will aim to be the first Miami back with three straight since Frank Gore did it to start the 2003 season. … Virginia has been outscored 128-36 this season. The Cavaliers host Maryland – which has scored 106 points in its last three games alone – on Saturday.
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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this story.
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