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© St. Petersburg Times, published November 19, 2001
CORAL GABLES -- It was a simple statement not meant to be cocky or in anyone's face -- that's not Larry Coker's style.
"We are for real," Coker, coach of the No. 1-ranked Hurricanes (9-0), said after his team beat then-No. 14 Syracuse 59-0 Saturday to run the nation's longest win streak to 19.
The victory, which assured the 'Canes of a share of the Big East championship, was complete.
"That was something special to show how good we can be," linebacker Jonathan Vilma said. "If we drop in the polls now, I'm quitting football."
"This team is scary when they are clicking on all cylinders," Coker said. "The team was challenged and wanted to make a statement."
UM, second in the Bowl Championship Series, regained the top spot it lost last week to Nebraska in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and should increase its BCS lead over No. 3 Oklahoma.
Ken Dorsey threw four touchdowns -- two each to Andre Johnson and Jeremy Shockey -- Clinton Portis and Frank Gore combined to rush for 285 yards, Bryant McKinnie held NCAA sack leader Dwight Freeney without a tackle and Phillip Buchanon made one big play after another. No wonder UM is as confident as it has been all year going into the final two regular-season games against No. 12 Washington and No. 16 Virginia Tech.
Maybe Nebraska is better than UM. Maybe Oklahoma is. Maybe even Florida. But ... maybe UM is as good as the numbers -- and results -- seem to suggest.
"No one wants to see us do anything," Portis said. "They don't want us to go to the Rose Bowl. This still probably won't be enough. They'll say Syracuse was ranked too high. I know what kind of team we've got."
As does Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni: "If they keep playing like that they're going to the Rose Bowl. We've played against a lot of real good Miami teams over the years. Based on the experience we've had, they are as explosive as ever. That team, the way they played, is the best of any we've faced."
BIG EAST MEANS LITTLE: A few years ago in the post-NCAA sanction world under Butch Davis, the Big East title would have been cause for celebration. Times have changed and now -- much like a decade ago -- the only title UM is concerned about is the national one. "It used to mean a lot, but we're expecting that," center Brett Romberg said. "It's a nice award, but we want the big prize."
FINAL WORDS: Portis on how the 18-7 win Nov. 10 at Boston College affected the 'Canes: "Nobody wanted to experience that again. We're in the playoffs. That was a close call in the first round, now we've got two more games to win before the Super Bowl."