by Bert Hancock
Miami’s Hurricanes are known for a lot of things the past twenty-five years, little of which is losing football. But they once struggled mightily, to the point of nearly dropping the program.
A bit before that crisis point, in 1965, the ‘Canes were staggering from two losing seasons in a row following the loss of quarterbacking great George Mira and were searching for an identity.
Loss of George Mira Created an Erratic Hurricane
This independent–no conference affiliation at the time–faced a schedule loaded with heavyweights. To no one’s surprise, Miami flunked its share of tests. Dejections including head-shakers to SMU (4-5-1 record on the year), Tulane (2-8), and Pitt (3-7). When you lose to squads like that, you know the big shots are going to make a tough sport even more unbearable.
Not this time, though.
Miami traveled to Syracuse to face the ninth-ranked and ground powered Orangemen. It promptly slammed the door on that running game, stifling the great Floyd Little to 60 yards in a 24-0 plastering. Meanwhile, Miami’s less heralded Pete Banaszak bulled for 104 yards.
The ‘Canes later shocked Sugar Bowl-bound, 10th-rated Florida and Steve Spurrier, 16-13. But though that came late in the ‘65 campaign, it wasn’t the end of the story.
Facing a powerful and sixth-ranked Notre Dame that including jarring running backs Nick Eddy and Larry Conjar, Miami valiantly held its own with two second half defensive stands. The result; a 0-0 deadlock when the final gun sounded.
The frustrated Fighting Irish would capture the national championship the following season with 1965’s personnel making the bulk of that great group.
This particularly 1965 storm known as the Miami Hurricane (5-4-1 record) blew in the most erratic manner possible. Weakly built programs were unscathed, even left thriving, while stoutly fortressed entities were dealt extensive damage. By the time this Hurricane was spent, the result may have been “the best mediocre club of all time.”