For the past couple years at the University of Miami, new just meant different. And different meant confusing and scary. And scary meant losses upon losses that a program not on probation hasn't really understood since disco music.

But on Saturday night, the only confusing element for UM was figuring out exactly what those Southeastern Conference officials were watching. And the only scary part was just how good Robert Marve could be without 90,000 people yelling in his ear and maybe a quarter or three under his belt (was that really his first organized game in two years?).

A 26-3 loss doesn't exactly scream turning point. But a score alone does little justice to a Canes team that might have played its most impressive game in two seasons.

These Hurricanes were supposed to be embarrassed, humbled and sent back to Miami wondering if they should insist Central Florida be their new in-state rival.

But the concept of a Gator demolition was flattened in the first quarter, when the Hurricanes took the heavy air out of The Swamp and those precious seconds off the clock.

With 12:51 left in the second quarter, Miami had just completed a 16-play drive that took 8 minutes, 42 seconds to complete. Yes, it ended in a mere three points, and yes, the explosive Gators were still leading, but the Hurricanes just completed a 16-play drive for actual points.

Forget small victories. That would have counted as an actual win last season.

How often last year did Randy Shannon lament a game plan poorly executed?

Saturday, the Canes finally turned preparation into progress. Running backs were satisfied with 4-yard bursts, while Marve was effectively sneaky and entirely conservative.

Two stalled UF drives later, and the Canes weren't hoping to stay afloat, they were looking to sink the Gators' spirit with one more score before halftime.

That's when the first of two, let's call them ''interesting,'' calls from the Southeastern Conference officiating crew helped turn the game in Florida's favor.

A personal foul penalty on offensive lineman Orlando Franklin turned a simple punt from their own 20-yard line to a precarious punt from the Hurricanes' 10 for the Hurricanes. And in their one major flaw in the contest, the Hurricanes let a mad rushing Jeffrey Demps block the Matt Bosher punt attempt, which they were lucky only resulted in a safety.

The Canes almost made it a full quarter without a reason to scream conspiracy. But with 30 seconds left in the third period, the officials reversed an incomplete call on third-and-9 that gave the Gators the ball five yards from the goal line.

Indisputable evidence? More like indefensible overturn. With the extra chances, the Gators finally found open spaces, turning a once-close contest into the type of score that makes Vegas oddsmakers look like geniuses.

But those final 16 minutes of football shouldn't outweigh the first 44.

It doesn't mean the Canes will be this solid for a full season, even against teams not ranked in the top five. Freshman and inconsistent are essentially synonyms, after all.

But this kind of uneasiness actually feels good sometimes.

''If you're asking if there's a lack of talent on the team we just played,'' Gators coach Urban Meyer said, ``absolutely not.''

That's new. And new now means the Hurricanes can start getting back to the business of old.

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