Rose Bowl Preview

ROSE BOWL PREVIEW

Miami vs. Nebraska Jonathan Balog eSports columnist

The Venue

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA January 3, 2002 8 p.m. EDT, (ABC) Payout: $11-$13 million

The Teams

Nebraska Cornhuskers Record: 11-1, 7-1 Big 12 (2nd in the North) Rankings: AP: 3 Coaches' Poll: 3 Home: Lincoln, Nebraska Coach: Frank Solich (fourth season) Key Players: QB Eric Crouch, RB Dahrran Diedrick, CB Keyuo Craver

Miami Hurricanes Record: 11-0, 7-0 Big East (conference champion) Rankings: AP: 1 Coaches' Poll: 1 Home: Miami, Florida Coach: Larry Coker (first season) Key Players: QB Ken Dorsey (23 TDs, 9 INTs), RB Clinton Portis, T Bryant McKinnie

Summary

Call this the Championship Game no one wanted. With all the hoopla surrounding the BCS and Nebraska's invitation, let's not forget that Nebraska is a good team. Sure Colorado may have exposed them, but in all honesty the score got out of hand. If you remember Nebraska had the ball at the one-yard line with a chance to cut the lead to seven. Regardless, this is the game we have and the winner will be the National Champion. Well, if Miami wins they'll be the National Champions. Nebraska may have to share it.

The Huskers won 11 consecutive games by beating their opponents by double-digits. This included a thrilling 20-10 win over Oklahoma. Who can ever forget Eric Crouch's touchdown reception on a trick play? Then they endured a 63-26 season-ending clubbing at Colorado in the last game of the year. Then the fun began as Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and Tennessee all lost, allowing Big Red back into the Rose Bowl. Oh yeah, Eric Crouch won the Heisman trophy.

Miami has made it to Pasadena the old-fashioned way. They earned it. They are a team of immense talent and sometimes seem bored by average opponents. One week they barely win at Boston College and the next they throttle Syracuse. They have won 21 games in a row and Larry Coker could become only the second coach to win a national title in his first season. Miami had two tough games 18-7 at Boston College and 26-24 at Virginia Tech. Their most impressive stretch was on consecutive weekends when they beat two ranked teams, Syracuse and Washington, by a combined 124-7 score.

Analysis

* Miami run offense vs. Nebraska run defense Miami RB Clinton Portis finished the regular season with 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. FB Najeh Davenport is a solid lead blocker. C Brett Romberg and RG Martin Bibla are Miami's best run blockers. Nebraska played the run well all season, with the exception of one game, the Colorado game. Which run defense will face Miami? That is the key question. The Huskers are undersized in their front four, and their safeties don't tackle very well. Nebraska can't afford to bring their safeties up to the line of scrimmage and leave Miami's talented receivers playing against single coverage. The Hurricanes need to run well to keep the pressure off of QB Ken Dorsey.

Advantage: Miami

* Nebraska run offense vs. Miami run defense The Huskers are big and strong in their line and the running begins with QB Eric Crouch. He rushed for 1,115 yards and 18 touchdowns in the regular season on option keepers, draws and isolation sweeps. Dahrran Diedrick led Nebraska with 1,299 yards and had 15 touchdowns, but sometimes fumbles the ball. Miami has struggled at times with their run defense. The Huskers' physical line will try to control the game with long drives.

Advantage: Nebraska

* Miami pass offense vs. Nebraska pass defense Ken Dorsey makes good decisions and is very accurate. He also has a lot of help in WRs Andre Johnson, Daryl Jones and Kevin Beard, TE Jeremy Shockey and Davenport. Miami likes to work the short game and then hit the speed on the outside. Miami's pass protection is brilliant led by OTs Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez. Nebraska's CBs Keyuo Craver and DeJuan Groce are physical corners who play well in man-to-man situations. If they can cover Miami's quick receivers, it will allow the safeties to play up to the line of scrimmage. Nebraska's has to put pressure on Dorsey.

Advantage: Miami

* Nebraska pass offense vs. Miami pass defense Crouch completed 55.6 percent of his passes and threw for 1,510 yards with 10 interceptions and seven touchdowns. His best receivers are Wilson Thomas and TE Tracey Wistrom. The passing game is used to keep the defense honest against the run. Miami has two of the best cover corners in the nation in Mike Rumph and Phillip Buchanon. This will allow them to play man coverage as they commit more players to the run.

Advantage: Miami

* Miami Special Teams Miami had a punt and kicked blocked against Virginia Tech, and the protection teams are inconsistent. PR Phillip Buchanon returned two kicks for touchdowns and is averaging 15 yards per return. K Todd Sievers is 21-of-26 in field goals.

* Nebraska Special Teams KR Josh Davis is averaging 27 yards per return and PR DeJuan Groce is averaging 14.2 per return. K Josh Brown has limited range outside 40 yards, and P Kyle Larson is solid.

Advantage: Even

Prediction

Nebraska will come out on fire. They have to. There is too much pride in this program for them to be flat. The Huskers will keep this one close, and I wouldn't be surprised if they build an early 7-10 point lead with pure emotion and a solid ground game. Then reality will set in. Miami is the better team. Miami will begin to have success running the ball and then take to the air.

At halftime it will be close, but Miami's talent will take over. The Hurricanes defense will slowly stall the Huskers' running game forcing Crouch to win it with his arm. Not going to happen. The 'Canes have too much of everything for the Huskers. In the third quarter the Miami will exploit Nebraska's secondary as Dorsey will have all day to throw. Nebraska will stay around in the fourth quarter but never seriously threaten to take the game.

Miami 34, Nebraska 20