This isn’t what The U expected. At all.
Entering Week 13, there was talk that, given the dearth of viable candidates in the conference, there was a chance, however, slim, that 6-4 Miami could be the ACC’s representative in the Orange Bowl. Given the fact that 5-5 Florida International was next on the scheduling docket, it was only a matter of time until the three-touchdown favorites pushed that record to 7-4, with a date vs. 4-7 Duke the only thing standing between the ‘Canes and an eight-win regular season.
The only problem? Somebody forgot to tell FIU about said postseason gameplan.
Through the first 40 or so minutes of the game, the Panthers, now coached by Butch Davis, inexplicably built up a 16-0 lead on the Hurricanes, once coached by Butch Davis. For the next 20 minutes or so, as you’ll see in CFT Twitter meme form, FIU extended and/or held on to that lead...
FIU 16
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) November 24, 2019
The U 3
End of the third quarter... pic.twitter.com/V13cwMsshr
FIU 23
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) November 24, 2019
The U 3
11 minutes left in the fourth quarter... pic.twitter.com/VSwNmVUUDH
FIU 23
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) November 24, 2019
The U 10
Eight minutes left in the fourth... pic.twitter.com/RyAZghMYMo
FIU 23
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) November 24, 2019
The U 17
Three minutes left in the fourth... pic.twitter.com/LjhzaHT8pI
FIU 30
— CollegeFootballTalk (@CFTalk) November 24, 2019
The U 17
Two minutes left in the fourth... pic.twitter.com/KAzbl2PZTP
Miami actually scored a touchdown with 31 seconds remaining in the game to cut the lead to six at 30-24, but an onside kick was recovered by FIU and made that score the final.
For FIU, on the site of the original Orange Bowl, it was a historic win as they beat Miami for the first time ever (OK, just three prior meetings, but still). At 6-5, they are also bowl-eligible for the third straight season for the first time ever.
For Miami? It’s yet another disappointing season stacked on a series of disappointing seasons since the football program joined the ACC back in 2004.