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NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The Miami Hurricanes can call themselves
Nokia Sugar Bowl champions. National champions would be nice, too.
|  | | Miami tight end Jeremy Shockey (88) dives into the end zone for a touchdown past Florida defenders Marcus Oquendo-Johnson (50) and Alex Brown. |
Playing for a possible share of the national title, the No. 2
Hurricanes defeated No. 7 Florida 37-20 Tuesday night, with Ken
Dorsey passing for 270 yards and fullback Najeh Davenport scoring
two touchdowns.
Miami (11-1), hoping for a performance that would give voters in
The Associated Press media poll reason to name them No. 1,
struggled early before finally putting away the Gators (10-3).
The Hurricanes won the in-state battle that turned into a
Bourbon Street brawl, and now must wait another day to see whether
the victory will mean yet another split championship in college
football.
"I feel like we are champions regardless," Miami receiver
Santana Moss said. "We did what we had to do. I'm going to root
for Florida State, because they're in the state. If they don't do
their part, I won't be mad."
The issue of a split title is moot, of course, if No. 1 Oklahoma
defeats No. 3 Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Wednesday, in the
Bowl Championship Series national title game.
But if 12-point favorite Florida State wins, the AP title is up
for grabs and the voters will have to decide whether Miami is their
champion.
"We beat the No. 1 team in the nation, the No. 2 team in the
nation and six teams with winning records," Miami coach Butch
Davis said, recalling a season that included victories over Florida
State and Virginia Tech. "I think our kids deserve every
opportunity to be called national champions."
Miami held a considerable 53-point lead over Florida State in
the last AP poll.
Were the Hurricanes impressive enough?
Not until Davenport scored with 4:21 left after Florida
quarterback Rex Grossman's second interception of the night was
this game secure. Hurricanes' mascot Sebastian the Ibis sensed it,
running onto the field and drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike
conduct penalty.
A few minutes later, the Hurricanes were jumping around at
midfield. Then the wait began. Dorsey said he'll be watching the
Orange Bowl intently.
"If Florida State wins, we have a great shot at being
co-national champions," Dorsey said. "If Oklahoma does it, we
can't do anything about that. They'd have my vote for fighting
through the tough season they had."
Miami hopes to get credit for a small comeback of its own.
After a Dorsey interception, Florida went ahead 17-13 on Earnest
Graham's 36-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter.
But the sophomore quarterback responded by moving Miami 80 yards
in 12 plays, capped by a 19-yard touchdown to D.J. Williams. A
third-down, roughing-the-passer penalty by Gerard Warren kept that
drive going.
After Florida stalled, Daryl Jones returned a punt 44 yards to
put the Hurricanes in striking range, then Davenport responded with
the play of the game.
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They're a better team than us. They
made more plays when they had to. They played
with more discipline and more purpose. They're just a lot better team than we are.
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— Florida coach Steve Spurrier |
Linebacker Marcus Oquendo-Johnson had perfect coverage on
Davenport and looked like the intended receiver, but the fullback
reached over his helmet and snatched the ball away for a 10-point
lead.
Another impressive point for the Hurricanes: They won with their
leading rusher, James Jackson, injured most of the games and Moss
playing with a hurting back.
"They're a better team than us," Florida coach Steve Spurrier
said. "They made more plays when they had to. They played with
more discipline and more purpose. They're just a lot better team
than we are."
Among the factors voters will consider when they decide on a
champion: Florida State's 30-7 victory over Florida in the final
regular-season game and, of course, Miami's 27-24 victory over the
Seminoles back in October.
They'll also look at a 10-game winning streak, an offense that
averaged 42 points a game and a defense that made big plays when it
had to all season.
Miami showed parts of all that against Florida -- but also failed
to capitalize on abundant opportunities.
A lot of this might have had to do with Florida, an overlooked
underdog that came into this game hoping to get a good start on
next season.
Spurrier was at his devious best. On two occasions, he pulled
out one of his favorite tricks, the Emory & Henry Formation, where
only three offensive linemen remain near the ball on the line of
scrimmage. He uncharacteristically looked toward his running game
to provide power, and it did.
When Graham scored on the play after Keiwan Ratliff's
interception early in the third quarter, the Gators had the lead
and the Hurricanes were simply concerned with winning the game, not
the national title.
"Florida has too many great playmakers to shut them down,"
Davis said. "They're going to make some plays. You have to
withstand the storm and minimize the damage."
Experience helped the Hurricanes do just that, and they started
to look like champions toward the end.
Clinton Portis ran for 98 yards, most after Jackson went out, to
keep the Miami offense moving. Moss had 89 yards in receptions even
though he was hurting.
Jeremy Shockey, who caught the winning touchdown in Florida
State, caught four passes and one touchdown, which gave the
Hurricanes a 10-7 lead early.
Miami won its 10th in a row since its 34-29 defeat against Washington
put it in what coach Butch Davis called a "single-elimination"
situation.
This was no playoff -- that's several years away -- but the
Hurricanes felt they had done everything they could to add to the
national titles they won in 1983, '87, '89 and 91.
This was, however, a once-fierce rivalry that had been on hold
for 13 seasons. It immediately regained its fire when the two teams
made it to New Orleans. Several players fought on Bourbon Street,
and both teams said it would surely add to the fire of the renewed
in-state rivalry.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Miami (Fla.) Clubhouse
Florida Clubhouse
Hurricanes know they're champs of some sort
Davenport makes the catch that counts
No celebrating, especially by the 'Canes mascot
Sugar Bowl notebook: Brown says he'll return to Gators
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Hurricanes' mascot gives Najeh Davenport a big kiss as he seals the game with a 3-yard TD run.
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Miami's Najeh Davenport turns an interception into a spectacular touchdown.
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After Keiwan Ratliff's interception, Earnest Graham breaks two tackles for a 36-yard touchdown run.
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Freshman Keiwan Ratliff picks off Ken Dorsey setting up a Florida touchdown.
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D.J. Williams scores on a 19-yard pass from Ken Dorsey to regain the lead in the third quarter.
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The Hurricanes' Leonard Myers picks off Rex Grossman in the end zone as the first half ends.
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Ken Dorsey connects with Jeremy Shockey for Miami's first touchdown.
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The Gators strike first as Rex Grossman hits Kirk Wells for a 23-yard touchdown.
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 A proud coach Butch Davis thinks Miami's Sugar Bowl victory should get them the championship.
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Coach Steve Spurrier was embarrassed by his team's performance, but admits the better team won.
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ESPN's Scott Walker catches up with Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey after the victory.
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Miami's Santana Moss tells ESPN's Scott Walker they are national champions regardless of the outcome.
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Najeh Davenport talks with ESPN's Scott Walker after the Hurricanes' victory.
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