Baby steps: Miami Hurricanes end regular season 7-5 with comfy 45-20 win at Boston College | Opinion
Don’t say this was a meaningless game in the long climb back to relevance for University of Miami football.
It was anything but.
Friday afternoon’s decisive 45-20 victory at Boston College to end the regular season assured the Hurricanes would finish with a winning record, no small thing for a program that went 5-7 last season and was aching for evidence of progress.
The win seen by a national audience on ABC also meant UM avoided closing the regular season on a four-game losing streak and instead will allow the Canes a bit of tailwind momentum heading into their bowl game.
Baby steps.
That’s where this program still is as Year 2 of the Mario Cristobal era ebbs.
But those small steps are moving forward, at least.
“A complete game,” Cristobal called the victory. “It was coming for weeks. We finally hit on all cylinders. So proud of the guys and their effort. A lot of strides, a lot of progress. Those close games [we lost)] those are ones we’re going to find a way to win in the future. But today was a really proud day.”
The game began a Miami/Miami Black Friday doubleheader, with the Dolphins playing at the New York Jets as the UM game was ending.
The Hurricanes began the season 4-0 and ranked as high as No. 17. It’s been a struggle since to get to 7-5 -- which would and should be 8-4 today but for the calamity-ending of the Georgia Tech game, when UM not taking a knee to end the game exploded in its embarrassed face.
But along the way the Hurricanes beat a then-ranked Texas A&M, defeated longtime nemesis Clemson, and showed its high-end competitiveness in one-score losses at No. 4 Florida State and then to No. 9 Louisville.
Baby steps.
Some will say the upcoming lower-tier bowl game -- opponent and site to be determined -- also will be largely meaningless.
Might be the Sun Bowl. Might even be the Mayo Bowl. (Yes, there is a Mayo Bowl.) Easy to make fun of the low-bowls.
But for this program, to a five-time national champion trying to forget new glory days after a 20-year lull, it is just another necessary step..
UM has lost 10 of its last 11 bowl appearances, its last postseason win in 2016.
A bowl win would be another baby step in the right direction, proof of progress.
Friday’s victory in Chestnut Hill was that as well.
Miami was a 9 1/2-point favorite vs the ACC rival with the same 6-5 record going, but UM has lost this kind of game before.
And when the BC Eagles drove 75 yards to a fast 7-0 lead, it seemed the Canes might again.
Mostly all Miami from then, though.
On two touchdown runs by Henry Parrish and another by Mark Fletcher. On Colbie Young scoring pass from Tyler Van Dyke. And with defense that largely dominated after giving up that initial long drive.
Boston College’s second TD was courtesy a short field after a UM turnover, a fumble by Van Dyke.
But Van Dyke would later atone with a short TD pass to Jacolby George.
Miami helped seal the win when a defensive tipped pass became an interception by 325-pound lineman Ahmad Moten that led to a field goal.
BC’s late TD was too little, too late - especially after UM’s Ajay Allen made the final score on a 30-yard run.
This was a game Miami was supposed to win, and should have, and did.
That they accomplished simply that, and without any late drama needed, was a positive.
Baby steps, remember.
No shortcuts. College teams don’t go from 5-7 to the College Football Playoff.
But teams that want to get there from 5-7 can do worse than an immediate improvement to 7-5 augmented by highly regarded recruiting classes starting to stack up -- where Cristobal does his best work -- along with gains in the transfer portal.
Now, if it isn’t too much to ask ... a bowl win?
This story was originally published November 24, 2023 at 3:32 PM.
