The University of Miami swerved, sprinted and spun through a four-game obstacle course to start the season. First, the Hurricanes had to dodge flaming spears in Tallahassee. Then came the buzz-saw running back, followed by a deluge in the mountains.

There was no relief Saturday night, when UM faced the prospect of getting crushed beneath the wheels of Sooners from Oklahoma, the program that has amassed more victories than any other since World War II.

UM's opening stretch against four top 20 opponents was the toughest in the country.

The cynics predicted 0-4. The doubters said UM -- with luck -- would emerge 1-3. Optimists ventured 2-2.

But after a 21-20 upset of No. 8 Oklahoma, UM looks like a resilient, resourceful team, a team to be reckoned with, a team deserving respect.

UM is 3-1 and right up there with the best in college football.

UM was unranked going into the season, a fuzzy question mark, still stuck in a down cycle in the minds of most football aficionados.

To make matters worse, UM had to start by tip-toeing through a lava field and swimming through a shark-filled moat.

The victory over Oklahoma provided clarity. Oklahoma's defense arrived as the stingiest in the country, allowing just 4.3 points per game. The OU offense was averaging 44 points per game, even in the absence of injured Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford.

UM responded by playing its most complete game so far and winning despite an uneven performance by quarterback Jacory Harris.

A jubilant crowd at Land Shark Stadium saw lots of players take up the slack, including running back Javarris James, safety Ray Ray Armstong and linebacker Sean Spence.

After the equivalent of four final exams to start the semester, UM has proved it is smarter than most people thought. Coach Randy Shannon can tell his players they not only survived the stretch, they improved.

At 3-1, with the rockiest part of its schedule over, UM can plan on major progress and a step up from its No. 17 ranking.

UM's status is a reflection of the wide open college season. As the powers fall, the Canes could make an opportunistic run.

Last week, UM got soaked 31-7 at Virginia Tech, a loss that could come back to haunt. But UM remains in solid position in the anything-can-happen ACC. Virginia Tech has the division advantage but could step through a trapdoor.

UM faced its fourth consecutive top 20 foe in its fourth consecutive appearance on national TV. Each game was billed as bigger than the next, and each, in turn, hyped as ``the most crucial'' in Shannon's career or ``the turning point'' for the UM program.

In the fourth, the Hurricanes responded by showcasing their undervalued running game and stubborn defense.

Harris, sporting a labyrinth pattern haircut, was not his usual accurate self. He threw two awful interceptions, had the ball knocked out of his hand and was sacked four times. But he also passed for three touchdowns -- including beauties to Jimmy Graham and Travis Benjamin -- and kept his teammates confident.

James rushed for 150 yards on 15 carries. ``Baby James,'' a disappointment the past two seasons, is finally looking like the cousin -- Edgerrin -- he has been compared with since he got to UM.

``When he made big runs in clutch situations, it showed we could feed off him,'' Harris said.

UM's defense outshone OU's defense. There were lapses, sure, but UM also showed it is capable of impact tackles, especially by Armstrong, Brandon Harris, Colin McCarthy, Sean Spence and Marcus Robinson.

The secondary -- particularly Sam Shields -- got burned, but figured out Landry Jones as the game wore on. By the end, his pop-gun attack was exposed.

The smash was back, as Spence demonstrated, pounding his chest after his 10 takedowns.

Special teams still needs work. Joe Joseph never should have blundered into OU's punter. But there's time to get better.

UM is 3-1 after what amounts to a season within a season. It's more than a great start. It's a great accomplishment.

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