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The Miami Hurricanes entered 2005 as the 6th best team in the nation, a team that had consistently flashed greatness since their legendary 2001 and 2002 seasons, but had yet to reach the mountaintop since those two seasons. And after a crushing 10-7 loss against Florida State in the first game of 2005, Miami seemed to be heading toward another season where the hype would go unfulfilled. The Canes were able to rebound with a few big wins and, after five games, Miami was 4-1 and ranked 7th.
After three straight games at home, they were back on the road, a lengthy trip up to Philadelphia to battle the winless Temple Owls. This was by no means a big-stage game or an instant classic that any Canes fan should recall. However, when it comes to trap games like this one, where a top 10 team travels to play an objectively bad opponent, it’s important to jump on them early. And that’s exactly what Miami did.
Just four and a half minutes into the game, the Canes offense had the ball after forcing the Owls to punt. A good punt landed the Canes inside the ten, starting their first offensive possession at the 7-yard line. It took only two plays for Miami to strike. After a one yard run on first down, Kyle Wright and the Cane offense lined up in I-formation, showcasing a balanced look. Taking a three step drop, Wright looked to WR Sinorice Moss running a bubble screen, with plenty of cushion between him and the closest defender. The QB got it out quickly and accurately, letting the speedy senior do the rest.
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Once Moss had the ball in his hands, the Owls proved why they had yet to win a game in ‘05. The CB that had given Moss so much cushion charged downfield, only to take an awful angle that allowed the shifty receiver to shake free of his tackle attempt. After the first broken tackle, Moss raced upfield, quickly separating from the entire Temple defense en route to a 92-yard catch and run touchdown.
Kyle Wright’s pass only traveled about a yard downfield but thanks to the speed and agility of Sinorice Moss, his stat sheet boasted a 92-yard touchdown. And once Miami went up 7-0 after not even five minutes into the game, there was no looking back. Miami scored 20 more points in the first quarter, before slowing down in the final three quarters. Still, the 34-3 final was a good indication of how well Miami dominated.
So while Kyle Wright turned out to be a huge bust, 2005 foreshadowed the collapse that was 2006, and Sinorice Moss couldn’t replicate his brother’s success in the NFL, all of that can be forgotten for one moment while remembering a prime example of Miami being faster than everyone.