ORLANDO -- The game with the most immediate impact on the University of Miami's football season occurred inside UCF's stadium, nicknamed ``The Trampoline'' for the way the stands jiggle under the weight of 48,453 bouncing fans who turn the place into a clean-cut mosh pit.

Inside the stadium, the Hurricanes peeled apart the Knights' hopes of an upset with a methodical 27-7 victory.

What happened elsewhere Saturday had just as much implications for UM's future. It was another brain-teaser day in college football.

UM looked adrift at times as it reached the halfway point -- and climbed to 5-1 for the first time since 2005. But it was also admirable that for most of four quarters, No. 9 UM maintained its concentration against outclassed UCF.

UM followers, however, were quite distracted. They kept one eye on the game, to make sure UM didn't flub it, and another on the national scoreboard. There they saw the startling result -- or maybe not so startling given the up-for-grabs nature of the ACC: No. 4 Virginia Tech 23, No. 19 Georgia Tech 28.

Let UM play the football game. The rest of us are playing the permutation game.

While Jacory Harris was shaking off six sacks and connecting with LaRon Byrd, Leonard Hankerson, Travis Benjamin and six other receivers, fans were furiously figuring what has to happen for UM to wedge itself back into the national-title picture.

The answer: A lot.

While Jared Campbell, Sean Spence and Ray Ray Armstrong were thwarting every UCF opportunity, fans were wondering if UM can be a roadblock on the collision course that Florida and Texas appear to be on in the path to No. 1.

The answer: Maybe.

UM starring in the biggest comeback in its history? From 7-6 to the Rose Bowl?

It would be a fairy-tale ending, but strange twists happen in fairy tales.

The point is, things got more interesting Saturday and it's only the middle of October.

Of course, UM must play better than it did against Florida's largest university if it hopes to play against the nation's best football-playing university. The score was misleading. UM played haltingly on offense and the running game was too much of an afterthought. Coach Randy Shannon ought to copy the Dolphins and give his running backs the ball more often. Let Damien Berry blossom. Let Javarris James make his senior year a memorable one; James surpassed 2,000 career yards and Frank Gore and Stephen McGuire on UM's career list Saturday, and if he gets enough carries, he can pass Danyell Ferguson and Clinton Portis by the time he's done.

If UM is to run more consistently, Shannon will have to be able to count on the offensive line, which was erratic, especially in its protection of Harris.

UM's defense made up for any offensive shortcomings with more bruising performances from Brandon Harris, Colin McCarthy and Darryl Sharpton, and a red-zone stand that killed UCF's last chance at a momentum swing in the third quarter.

And Matt Bosher deserves applause for his 46-yard field goal, if not his Lionel Messi-style kick that prevented a UCF touchdown after a high snap.

UM did what it had to do during what could have been a desultory night.

Thanks to Georgia Tech's upset in the tilt of the Techs, UM now has a better shot at reaching the ACC championship game and, thus, the BCS Orange Bowl. Or more, much more, if the dominoes fall perfectly. It's been a doozy of a season so far.

UM is not in complete control of its destiny. It can win its six remaining games -- five of them against ACC opponents -- but would have to be ranked six spots ahead of Virginia Tech to get into the ACC title game if the Hokies also win out. UM could use help from Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Georgia Tech needs to keep winning and Virginia Tech needs to lose another game. That's because UM beat Georgia Tech and lost to Virginia Tech.

Then there's the matter of Virginia, currently first in the Coastal Division with no ACC losses.

Don't expect that streak to hold up. Virginia has yet to play UM, Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech.

That's just the ACC picture.

It's early, it's confusing. It's conjecture on top of speculation on top of fantasy. There's a world of possibilities and UM is at the center of it.

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