European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Canes by foot no. 2 Miami nips no. 1 flu As late Fig attempt just misses the stars and stripes november 18,1991 c Page 28 by Rick Warner a football writer Tallahassee Fla. After 59 minutes and 35 seconds of sweat struggle and ferocity the Battle Between top ranked Florida state and no. 2 Miami came Down to this a one foot. Gerry Thomas 34-Yard Field goal attempt sailed wide right by the length of a football with 25 seconds left saturday giving Miami a heart pounding 17-16 Victory and a solid shot at its fourth National championship in nine years. A when i saw it go. Right 1 almost fell face first a Miami coach Dennis Erickson said. A a it a the greatest win in be Ever been More College football on pages 21,22 and 25 involved in. In a still shocked. We were fortunate they missed the Field its the fourth time in the last five years that Miami 9-0 has spoiled the seminoles bid for a first National title. But this May have been the most painful loss of All for Florida state 10-1which has been no. 1 every week since the Start of the season. A i just have an empty feeling inside a said offensive lineman Kevin Mancini. A this was our year. We should have won this Thomas a walk on Sophomore who had made his three previous Field goal tries in the game walked onto the Field with Florida state facing a third and nine from the Miami 17. When he kicked the Ball the outcome was in doubt for a few agonizing seconds until the official under the goalposts made the no Good signal. A i thought it was Good for a second then it faded right a said Thomas who had made eight of nine Field goals since winning the Job a month ago. The miss triggered a wild Celebration by Miami players who threw their helmets in the air ran onto the Field and hugged each other for several minutes. The hurricanes were penalized for the display but it did no to matter. Quarterback Gino Torretta Knelt Down to kill off the final seconds then threw the Ball skyward As Florida state fans in the record crowd of 63,442 at Doak Campbell stadium sat in stunned silence and Miami supporters chanted a a we re no. 1." the Victory which snapped Florida states 16-game winning Streak and extended Miami a to 15, sends the Hurri the big Les to the Miami s Darryl Spencer leaps Between Florida state s Kirk Carruthers and Richard Coes 16 to Snag a pass from Gino Torretta. Iii Usu Ivl Musiat d in Ampf ovum of a in canes to the Orange bowl to play eight Champion and the Seminole Cotton bowl to meet the Southwest conference Winner. Although no. 3 Washington is also undefeated Miami should take Over the top spot in the a poll and can probably win the National title with Clear Cut victories Over Boston College san Diego state and the big eight Champ. A we have an Opportunity to win the National championship a Erickson said. A we earned that Opportunity today. Now we have to finish the season like we re capable it was the 26th meeting Between the nations two top teams with no. 1 holding a 17-7-2 Edge. It was also Miami a eighth consecutive win Over no. 1 teams dating Back to 1981. Florida state took a 16-7 Lead on Thomas 20-Yard Field goal with 14 22 remaining in the game. But Miami rallied to move ahead 17-16 on a 45-Yard Field goal by Carlos Huerta with 9 48 left and a 1-Yard to run by Larry Jones with 3 01 remaining. The hurricanes game winning drive almost stalled on the Florida state 12, but they kept it alive when Horace Copeland leaped and caught a 9-Yard pass from Torretta on a fourth and six play. A in the huddle everybody was saying a dig Down deep in your heart and believe you can do it a a Torretta said. A we feel the fourth Quarter belongs to the University of Miami a linebacker Darrin Smith said. A no matter what the score we have Confidence we can Florida state then drove 63 Yards to the hurricanes 17 in the closing seconds. Out of timeouts and facing a third and nine Florida state coach Bobby Bowden sent Thomas in to attempt his fourth Field goal of the Day. The kick would have been Good last year before the goalposts were narrowed by almost five feet. But with the new Rule it missed by no More than 12 inches. A i thought the kick was Good until i saw the look on some of my players faces a Bowden said. Miami a offensive Star was fullback Stephen Mcguire who rushed for 142 Yards and one touchdown. Torretta who was intercepted four times in a 24-10 loss Here in 1989, completed 14 of 27 passes for 145 Yards and was picked off sports Aba boxes nil summaries a Page 23 ankle scratches Damiani Cooper s up a Page 27 Griffin survives Knockdown advances a Page 27 Quebec denies offer to Lindros a Page 27 Sampras roars Back zaps courier by Ron Mckinney staff writer Frankfurt Germany Pete Sampras rallied from a set Down to defeat fellow american Jim courier 3-6, 7-6 7-56-3, 6-4 in the at finals championship sunday night. The win also ended any second guessing that courier should have been selected for the . Davis cup team Over Sampras. Throughout the first set couriers punishing ground strokes kept Sampras away from the net. But an hour into the match Midway through the second set Sampras picked up the Pace of his own ground strokes. And although he broke courier to go ahead 6-5 in the second set the 2nd-ranked courier broke right Back to Force the tiebreaker. Sampras went ahead 5-1 in the tiebreaker but with the Aid of two double faults courier came Back to Cut the score to 6-5. A unforced forehand error ended the set for courier and shifted the momentum onto Sampras a Side. Sampras serving Power proved the difference in the final two sets As courier who broke Sampras three times in the first set never reached break Point again. For Sampras it was just a matter of cashing in on the Opportunity to break. In the third set Sampras made Good on one of three chances in the fourth he converted his Only redskins Nail Down playoff berth a Page 26
