Miami Hurricanes Football: The 5 Worst Losses of the Decade

The Miami Hurricanes have fallen into a tailspin for the past decade.

It is hard to believe, but the Fiesta Bowl loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes was 10 years ago.

Dwelling on the past, particularly the negative, is never fun. However, in the offseason, debates such as "what is the worst loss in program history?" inevitably spring up.

This slideshow is much more limited in its scope, covering only the events since (and including) that fateful night in Tempe, Arizona, ranked in reverse order.

Fret not, for while today's subject is one that will grate on still-raw nerves, the plan is to follow it up with a countdown of the best wins over the same period of time.

October 30, 2004 vs. North Carolina (L, 31-28)

The 2004 Hurricanes lost three games by a combined 16 points. 

Coming in to this game, Miami was ranked No. 3 and the Tar Heels were 3-4. 

While the 'Canes were undefeated, chinks in their armor had started to present themselves earlier in the season, most notably a run-defense that was oddly average given the talent on the roster.

Miami failed to stick the dagger in the Tar Heels for most of regulation after a hot start by quarterback Brock Berlin and fell behind in the 4th quarter. Miami tied the game at 28 but left too much time on the clock for the Heels, who drove 65 yards before a field goal from Connor Barth as time expired and set off a raucous celebration in Chapel Hill.

This was the first time in years that Miami had lost to a clearly inferior opponent and was the first time that 'Canes fans truly furrowed their brow during the Larry Coker Era.

November 6, 2004 vs. Clemson (L, 24-17 in Overtime)

This is a tie with the previously slide because the two have blurred together over the years.

Coming off a shocking road loss in Chapel Hill (see previous slide), Miami appeared to have put its struggles in the rear view the next week against the Clemson Tigers, who entered the game with a 4-4 record.

Miami lead 17-3 at the half, but once again saw its run defense struggle in the second half. Clemson rallied to force overtime behind running back Reggie Merriweather and a defense that pitched a second half shutout. 

Once in overtime, Clemson made short work of the 'Canes as Merriweather ran for a score during the opening position and once again Miami's offense failed to get anything going.

The back-to-back losses for the 'Canes ended their national championship dreams and lead to serious concern about Larry Coker's job performance for the first time in his tenure. For most, these back-to-back losses will always be bundled together and looked upon as the first deep crack in the foundation of the program.

October 9, 2010 vs. Florida State (L, 45-17)

Miami had national title dreams to start the 2010 season and struggled at every point along the way.

This was the season that people had pointed to since Randy Shannon took over as coach following the 2007 season as the year in which "Miami would be back."

While many will point to the season finale against USF as the game that got Shannon fired, in reality it was this complete demolition at the hands of the arch rival Seminoles that truly sealed Shannon's fate.

This was the biggest home game of the season and a win could have righted Miami's ship and propelled the Hurricanes in to the catbird's seat in the race for the ACC's Coastal Division. Instead, the crushing loss destroyed all momentum and confidence and the team was never right again.

More than that, it served noticed that of the two rebuilding powers, one was clearly ahead in its climb back to the top.

October 19, 2005 vs. Georgia Tech (L, 14-10)

Before understanding the significance of this game, it is important to first understand the context. 

Miami was coming off of a beat down of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and had seemingly regained its place among the nation's elite. First year starter Kyle Wright had come in to his own after some early struggles, and all that stood between Miami and the ACC Title game were two homes games against Georgia Tech (6-3 heading in to the game) and Virginia.

Everyone on campus was buzzing (no pun intended)...not about the coming game against the Yellow Jackets or a trip to the conference title game, but about the possibility of playing for a national title if USC or Texas were to lose (both had survived close calls in recent weeks).

What everyone forgot, including the football team, was that Georgia Tech was a team that needed to be taken seriously. The Jackets blitzed relentlessly, harassing Wright and forcing the budding star quarterback into a terrible performance in some of the ugliest jerseys ever worn by the 'Canes (monochromatic green with one orange sleeve and the traditional white helmet).

The Yellow Jacket defense sacked Wright seven times and hurried numerous other throws, while their offense controlled the ball behind running back Tashard Choice and a precocious receiver named Calvin Johnson that created a war of attrition that the 'Canes could not withstand.

I knew things were bad when, on the last play, tight end Greg Olsen flexed out wide for the first time all night. Everyone on the field knew who was going to get the ball, including Georgia Tech. Wright locked on to Olsen, the Yellow Jackets triple teamed him and the final pass was picked off, ending the game and the Hurricanes' last real chance at a BCS Bowl to date.

2nd: November 10, 2007 vs. Virginia (L, 48-0)

In the final game the Miami Hurricanes ever played in the Orange Bowl, they got blown out by Virginia (Virginia?!?!?!) in an effort that felt like a gut punch to everyone who considers themselves a true 'Cane fan.

The Old Lady was the sight of so much Miami history. The 'Canes not only won 58 straight home games in this palace that in many ways defined a city, it was also the site of their first national championship and two more thereafter.

The Orange Bowl was Miami's tangible link to its past, and this whitewashing at the hands of the Cavaliers was the worst possible way to send it out. In a lost season, fans hoped the Orange Bowl would be the one thing that had the power to spark the team. 

Instead, I spend most of the second half gazing blankly to different parts of the field, trying to re-imagine the scenes from this stadium's past that I had seen replayed over and over against since I was five-years-old.

Kenny Calhoun's pass deflection. Hail Flutie. Jerome Brown and The Boz at midfield. Wide Right. Wide Left.

These were images that defined my life as a fan, just as they had defined my father's life as a fan. I spent a good portion of my formative years in this stadium, just as he had.

When I called my father in the third quarter, he told me he had already turned the TV off. He couldn't watch it anymore.

I felt his pain.

January 3, 2003 vs. Ohio State (L 31-24 in Double Ovetime)

Of course, this list had to end with the worst loss of them all.

Miami was a juggernaut riding a 34 game winning streak. This appeared to be a mismatch for the ages, as the Buckeyes were a solid team that just would not be able to run with the Miami speed. Miami would coast to a second straight BCS Championsip.

Instead, the 'Canes struggled, just as they had in the 1986 and 1994 Fiesta Bowls, and it took a Todd Sievers field goal as time expired to force overtime.

It was in this overtime that Miami was the victim of arguably the worst call in the history of football, a phantom pass interference call on freshman Glenn Sharpe in the end zone that would have ended the game. I still cannot figure out what was worse about the call: the penalty itself or the fact that it took field judge Terry Porter almost five full seconds to throw the flag.

Think about that for a minute. In the time between the end of the play and the flag coming out, Miami stormed the field in celebration. Confetti rained down. I hugged my mom and dad. Miami, for all intents and purposes, won the championship.

It did not matter that they had played terrible football all day. It did not matter that star running back Willis McGahee had suffered a devastating knee injury. The game was over and Miami had more points. The greatest team of them all had defended its title.

And then the flag came out. The game restarted. Ohio State, predictably, took advantage and won the game.

Not a day goes by that I don't think about this game.

Miami has not been right since. There are other factors at play besides this game, but it is hard to shake the fact that this was the last time Miami was truly a national power. The 'Canes have not been back to the top of the mountain since.

When this game is on ESPN Classic, I always have to stop and watch. I know what is about to happen and what it means. I know I am just causing myself to relive one of the most painful moments of my life, sporting or otherwise. And yet I do it anyway. I am 25-years-old and still find myself hoping that, somehow, this time will be different.

It never is.

It is only fitting that perhaps the most painful loss for any team in the history of the sport is number one on this list.