Miami football familiar with games being cancelled

Games being canceled are not new to South Florida or the Miami football program. Hurricanes have canceled games numerous times in program history.

The coronavirus or COVID-19 has shut down sports that is unprecedented since the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks. Athletes and Miami football players currently in college are too young to remember MLB, the NFL, college sports and others being shut down as the nation mourned. The current cessation of sports has a similar feel.

The eerieness of life without sports, especially at the outset of the NCAA Tournament bids that were supposed to be announced on Sunday has created a life without sports. Spring Football practice and the college baseball seasons being shutdown are the two developments that most impact Miami Hurricanes fans.

The Miami basketball team was eliminated from the ACC Tournament on Wednesday, a day before all NCAA Championship, including the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments were canceled. For South Florida sports fans the cancellation of college sports seasons and suspension of professional seasons is relatable.

Several times in their history, the Miami football program has had games canceled or postponed because of Hurricanes. The 1992 Miami Hurricanes football season began as scheduled after Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida on August 24. Miami practiced at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, 150 miles north of Coral Gables.

The 1992 Miami football team began the season as scheduled with a 24-7 victory at Iowa. The Hurricanes went on to finish 11-0 before losing 34-13 in the Sugar Bowl to Alabama. The loss came three seasons after Miami defeated Alabama in New Orleans to win the National Championship.

1998 Miami versus UCLA postponed by Hurricane Georges

Six years later Hurricanes Georges caused the postponement of the Miami football game with UCLA from September 26 to December 5. After a 66-13 loss to Syracuse and Donovan McNabb in what was originally the final scheduled regular season. The Hurricanes entered the game with UCLA 7-3.