How the Huskies Cost Miami a Shot at 3 Straight Titles

Back in 2000, the rebuilding process had entered it's final phase. The University of Miami had bounced back from the probation years and was poised to make an impact on the college football landscape. Sophomore QB Ken Dorsey looked good in his final games the previous season, and looked to lead a talented offense to a Big East title and beyond.

However, the Canes ran into a buzzsaw when they faced the 15th ranked Washington Huskies in Seattle early on in the season. The 4th ranked Miami team fell behind early and faced a 28-10 deficit late in the 3rd quarter. A desperate comeback attempt fell 5 points short, as Dorsey's final heave fluttered to the ground incomplete.

Miami would go on to roll over the competition, toppling defending champion and #1 ranked Florida State 27-24 and then dismantling #2 Virginia Tech 41-21. However, Florida State's margin of victory statistics helped sway the BCS computers into slotting them into the title game against Oklahoma (which they later lost 13-2, costing Miami a split title) and sending Miami into a Sugar Bowl matchup against UF.

Many UM fans since have been less than supportive of the BCS system, which clearly screwed the Canes out of the title shot. However, most fail to recognize that Washington finished 4th in the BCS, also with a single loss, and having defeated the Canes in September. My argument was always that we were ranked 2nd in the human polls (as opposed to 4th for UDub), but I always knew that by using our own logic in comparing UM and FSU, we probably didn't deserve to go to the Orange Bowl and play for the title.

Now, an emerging story of Rick Neuheisel's Huskies paints a scary picture of what that program was sweeping under the rug. Particularly incidents regarding star TE Jerramy Stevens. Of most interest to me is a summer scandal in which Stevens' blood matched with the DNA from a rape kit involving a young woman who had accused him of raping her. Somehow Stevens was allowed to play that season, including the 34-29 victory over Miami in which he caught 7 balls for nearly 90 yards and a touchdown.

Clearly, allegations of that nature warrant some sort of suspension, especially when there is substantial evidence to prove such a claim. Even though he was not officially charged (read the story above to learn about what looks like a sketchy situation), there is no way Stevens should have played for the Huskies. It baffles me how Washington's wins from that season haven't been forfeited.

Had Stevens not been eligible for the Miami game, who knows if Washington would have been able to stretch it's lead so far early on, or if they could have held off the late rally. Either way, the win should be removed from the records, along with the rest of their victories.

It's a stretch I know, but thinking about it makes me wonder if we weren't that much closer to 3 straight title games. I feel our 2000 team would have fared much better than FSU in the title game. That snub fueled the team into a dominating 2001 season and of course, Miami also won the 2002 national title.

In hindsight, the program was this close to 3 straight championships. Heck, without a ridiculous loss to Tennessee at home in 2003, that team could have easily been part of the BCS mess that year and made it to a 4th title game in as many years.