Miami has had enough of the close losses, enough of the heartbreak. Their four-hour bus ride back from Tampa was to be filled with happiness, not regret, even if it meant having their kicker do it for...

Miami has run out of options, run out of last-ditch hopes. All that remain are a few guarantees. The only guarantees the Hurricanes have for the season’s last two games, including this Saturday’s m...

Miami’s 49-14 win over the Blue Devils on Saturday, while understandably and predictably lopsided, provided a chance for the Hurricanes (5-4, 3-3) to once again collect themselves for a brief moment. Consistency has been a trait hard to come by for the Canes, but in a few spots has been reliable.

Against Duke (3-5, 1-3) currently the only team behind the Hurricanes in the Coastal Division, there again exists an opportunity for this team’s track to be reestablished, to whatever degree remains possible this late in the season. In every major team statistic (total/scoring offense/defense), the Blue Devils rank in the bottom-third of every category in the ACC.

Seven football players came to the University of Miami from Miami Northwestern High School back in 2008, part of the top-ranked recruit class brought in by former head coach Randy Shannon: Jacory Harris, Sean Spence, Tommy Streeter, Brandon Washington, Marcus Robinson, Aldarius Johnson, Kendall Thompkins and Benjamin Jones. Thompkins was the only player listed as less than a four-star recruit.

With Miami’s win against Georgia Tech last Saturday sprung a series of firsts for the season: First back-to-back wins, first time with a winning record, and – most importantly – the first time the Hurricanes (4-3, 2-2) showed up on both sides of the ball.

As the pendulum swings back-and-forth this season for Miami (3-3), again with a .500 record – and yet to eclipse the mark – this week’s test against Georgia Tech (5-1) may be the worst of both worlds. The Hurricanes rank 94th in run defense while the Yellow Jackets boast the country’s second-best rushing attack. But still, senior quarterback Jacory Harris keeps hope for a break in the cycle, and with reason.

The score would end up closer than their riotous start would entail, with the Canes (3-3, 1-2) at one point up 27-10 on the Tar Heels (5-2, 1-2) 27-3 late in the second quarter. But the game ended with Miami’s first win in Chapel Hill, first conference win of the season and head coach Al Golden’s first ACC win of his career.

On fourth down, trailing by four points with less than a minute remaining, Miami (1-2) had the ball at Kansas State’s two yard line. Senior quarterback Jacory Harris bootlegged to the left, looking for one of three options: a shovel pass in front of him, a receiver in the flats, or an open lane for him to run. The first two options unavailable, Harris tucked the ball and ran, and according to the side judge, scored the game winning touchdown. But upon replay, Harris was down inches before the ball crossed the goal line, turning the ball over to the Wildcats (3-0).

As the Miami Hurricanes travel to Maryland to face the Terrapins on Monday night, the lights will show just how much the NCAA suspensions have hurt the program.