Miami-Georgia Tech: Hurricanes Regain Swagger in Thrashing of Yellow Jackets

The Miami Hurricanes got stung on Thursday night, and that sting felt eerily similar to the stings they’d been receiving from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets over the past four seasons prior to this year.

They watched almost helplessly as the Georgia Tech team steamrolled through the 'Canes defense on its opening series, resulting in a Yellow Jackets 32-yard field goal kicked by Scott Blair.

However, rather than succumb to that sting, the Miami squad simply seemed to get angry and decided it was long past time to destroy this hornet’s nest that had made it suffer so greatly over those long, torturous four years.

With Jacory Harris leading the way, completing 20 of 25 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, the Miami faithful watched as the Hurricanes shrugged off that initial sting and put a hurting of their own on the visiting Jackets in a 33-17 victory at Land Shark Stadium.

Winning consecutive games against ranked opponents for the first time since 2003, Miami showed why many are beginning to believe this Hurricanes squad has the potential to do great things—possibly even contend for a BCS bowl, if not the title.

Those aspirations may be a bit high (we’ll soon see if they can match the intensity on offense they’ve shown over these first two games when they come up against Virginia Tech), but there’s no denying that the Hurricanes offense has a spark and snap it hasn’t displayed in quite a few years.

Against the Yellow Jackets, the 'Canes marched down the field on their first three possessions as if Georgia Tech’s defense were standing on the sidelines. Before much time had elapsed in the third quarter, Miami had built a 24-3 lead and had outgained Georgia Tech by an almost two-to-one margin.

Last year, the Yellow Jackets put a whupping on the Hurricanes, rushing for 472 yards and making mincemeat out of Miami’s defense with their triple option offense. This year the Georgia Tech team didn’t seem to be able to run that vaunted triple option without a Miami player being able to sniff out the ball carrier with ease.

When all was said and done, the Georgia Tech offense had only 95 yards rushing—a far, far cry from the number it hung on Miami the year before. Even worse, 60 of those yards came on that first drive. That means for nearly the entire game, Miami’s defense only allowed a measly 35 yards rushing. That is impressive.

As impressive as its D was on this night, the Miami offense was even more impressive, gaining 454 yards of total offense, with Graig Cooper rushing for 93 yards, Javarris James rumbling for 72 more along with a touchdown, and LaRon Byrd having five receptions for 83 yards and a TD of his own.

Simply put, Miami dominated this game in every way imaginable.

Miami coach Randy Shannon summed up what that dominant win means by saying, “Big win for us tonight. Big, huge win. Big for this football team and this program.”

Yes, Randy, it was. It showed the Hurricanes are back, and they may begin to make other programs sit up and take notice if they can topple the Hokies in their upcoming matchup.

Not many young fans of other programs can remember the swagger the 'Canes once brought to every game they played in the late '80s and '90s. They were the best then and made sure everyone knew it.

However, if the Miami squad continues the way it's going, this crop of college football fans just might see that swagger again. They won’t like it, I assure you.

Quote taken from AP coverage of the game.