Wide Right II

Wide Right II is a colloquial name for the 1992 college football game between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles. The game is notable in the Florida State–Miami football rivalry and derives its name from the colloquial name Wide Right I, played during the immediately preceding season. Like its predecessor, the game had decisive national championship implications and ended with a Florida State kicker missing a game-altering field goal in the waning seconds.^[1]

Background

Miami entered the October 3, 1992, matchup of intrastate rivals as the defending national champion and second-ranked team in the country, riding a 20-game winning streak. Miami, however, appeared to be vulnerable, as Hurricane Andrew had disrupted the early portion of its schedule and Miami was unimpressive in surviving an 8-7 scare against the Arizona Wildcats the week prior. Because of Miami's lackluster performance against Arizona, the Hurricanes lost their number one ranking in the AP Poll and were dropped to number two, behind the Washington Huskies. Nevertheless, Miami featured a bevy of stars on its roster, including Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Gino Torretta, wide receiver Lamar Thomas, and linebackers Jessie Armstead and Micheal Barrow, and the team was in the midst of an NCAA-record 58-game home winning streak at the Orange Bowl. Florida State was looking to avenge its loss to Miami in Wide Right I the season before.^[2]

The game

Florida State came strong out of the gate, as Tamarick Vanover took the opening kickoff back 94 yards for a touchdown. Miami struck back in the second quarter with a 24-yard Dane Prewitt field goal and a 29-yard touchdown pass from Gino Torretta to Coleman Bell, taking the lead, 10-7. Florida State countered with a 22-yard field goal by Dan Mowrey, and the teams headed to the locker room deadlocked at 10.

Mowrey added a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 41-yarder early in the fourth. Leading 16-10 with just over 9 minutes to play, the Seminoles found themselves in a position eerily similar to the season before: a 6-point lead late in the game and a field goal kicker who was 3-for-3 on the day.

Miami responded as it did the season before, going on a 7-play, 58-yard drive that culminated with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Torretta to Lamar Thomas. Torretta was drilled as he released the ball, but Thomas was able to sneak behind Clifton Abraham and make a basket catch. With the extra point, Miami seized the lead, 17-16.

Miami's defense held on the next possession, and the Florida State defense forced a punt on Miami's subsequent series. The ensuing punt proved disastrous for the Seminoles: punt returner Corey Sawyer was penalized for attempting an illegal forward pass from his own end zone, resulting in a safety for Miami. With Miami now leading 19-16, a field goal could only tie the game for the Seminoles. The Miami defense again held, but Florida State then forced the 'Canes to punt, giving the Seminoles one last chance with 1:35 left.

Quarterback Charlie Ward drove the Seminoles 59 yards and into field goal range, converting a crucial fourth-and-12 with a completion to Kez McCorvey along the way. The drive was highlighted by Matt Frier's diving, fingertip reception for 17 yards. After Ward picked up 19 yards on two quick scrambles, the Seminoles were on the Miami 22-yard line but nearly out of time. On the game's final play, Florida State called upon Mowrey to make a 39-yard field goal and tie the game at 19. With both Miami's and Florida State's national championship hopes again hanging in the balance, Mowrey, kicking into the open end of the Orange Bowl, missed wide right and collapsed face down onto the turf.

Aftermath

Miami once again used a hard-fought win over its rival as a springboard for a national championship run, winning its final seven regular season games and earning a berth in the 1993 Sugar Bowl as the nation's number one team in both the AP and Coaches' Polls. This time, however, the Hurricanes could not complete the perfect season, losing to the second-ranked and eventual national champion Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl 34-13, and finishing 11-1 and ranked third in the country.

Unlike the previous season, when the Seminoles followed up their loss to Miami with an upset loss to Florida, Florida State rebounded and won the rest of its games, going 11-1 on the season. The Seminoles soundly defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the 1993 Orange Bowl, 27-14, and, despite the loss to Miami, were ranked second in the final polls, one spot ahead of the Hurricanes.

The game was the second in a peculiar string of 5 games in 12 years in which Florida State lost to Miami due to a late missed field goal that would have won or tied the game for the Seminoles, often with national championship implications.

References

↑ Bradley, Michael (2006). Big games: college football's greatest rivalries. Potomac Books. pp. 61–. ISBN 978-1-57488-908-6. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
↑ Long, Gary (2006). Stadium stories: Florida State Seminoles. Globe Pequot. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-7627-4093-2. Retrieved 24 January 2012.

Florida State Seminoles football
Venues	Doak Campbell Stadium
Bowls & rivalries	Bowls Florida Cup Clemson Florida Miami Virginia (Jefferson–Eppes Trophy)
Culture & lore	Osceola and Renegade The War Chant Marching Chiefs FSU Hymns Sod Cemetery Wide Right I Wide Right II 1993 'Game of the Century' Choke at Doak/The Fifth Quarter in the French Quarter Bob Crenshaw Award
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
National championship seasons in bold

Miami Hurricanes football
Venues	Orange Bowl (1937–2007) Hard Rock Stadium (2008–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Florida (Florida Cup; Seminole War Canoe) Florida State (Florida Cup) Nebraska Virginia Tech
Culture & lore	Sebastian the Ibis Band of the Hour The U Quarterback U Hail Flutie Catholics vs. Convicts Miami 4–3 defense Wide Right I Wide Right II FIU–Miami brawl 2011 athletics scandal
People	Head coaches NFL players Statistical leaders
Seasons	1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
National championship seasons in bold

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Past commentators	Al Michaels Keith Jackson Jerry Punch Mike Tirico Gary Danielson Paul Maguire Matt Millen Ron Franklin Stacey Dales Matt Winer Beano Cook Bob Griese Lynn Swann Mark Jones Brad Nessler Tim Brant Gary Bender Bill Flemming Dan Fouts Jim Lampley Sean McDonough Chris Schenkel Ray Scott Chris Spielman David Norrie Gary Thorne Roger Twibell Todd Blackledge Bob Davie Terry Bowden Bill Flemming Frank Broyles Ara Parseghian Bo Schembechler Dick Vermeil Bud Wilkinson Todd Harris Jack Arute Dean Blevins Lewis Johnson Gary Reasons Sam Ryan Doug Flutie Aaron Taylor Lisa Salters Lee Corso Craig James John Saunders
Lore televised by ABC	Game of the Century (1966) Game of the Century (1967) The Ten-Year War Begins Game of the Century (1969) Game of the Century (1971) The Vote for the Rose Bowl The Kick Wide Right I Wide Right II Miracle at Michigan Choke at Doak Flea Kicker Clockgate Game of the Century (2006) 1 Second Left Battle at Bristol
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