Miami Hopes To Forget That Thing From Last Year. What Thing? Exactly.

Yeah, this didn't go so well for Miami last year.

One of the more stunning lopsided results of the '08 season came in Georgia Tech's 41-23 victory in Atlanta over a Miami team that had, prior to the game, looked to be an improving young defense capable of playing well with Paul Johnson's three-card-monte offense. Not so: Tech gained 472 yards on the ground on a cold night in Bobby Dodd both because the defense looked lost against the triple option in motion and Miami's offense had a disastrous night. 

This is not last year, however. Miami has Jacory Harris at QB now, fresh off a stunning performance in a thriller against Florida State, and a new pro-style offense coordinated in a promising first effort by OC Mark Whipple. The defense, still young-ish, has the same dazzling talent with inconsistent execution, but does have at least a year's worth of practice to prepare for the endless guessing associated with defending the triple option.

Tech has its concerns, too: in both of its early games the Yellow Jackets came out strong, but then took the second and third quarters off to watch the other team creep back into the game, especially versus a dangerous Clemson team.

The 7th Floor recognizes the importance of winning this game for Miami's national prominence, while From the Rumble Seat is asking Conan "What is good in life" in preparation for a game they, too, regard as completely necessary in terms of the ACC and national reputation.