The 5 times that Miami snatched championship hopes and dreams from FSU

If there's anything that the Miami Hurricanes love as much as winning championships, it's keeping FSU from winning championships. It would be fair to say that the Seminoles might have four or five additional national championships if Miami wasn't on the schedule.

But the Hurricanes were on the schedule and if the assignment was to deal heartbreak to FSU football over and over again, they understood it and executed it to perfection. So here are five times when the Hurricanes single-handedly kept FSU from a national championship:

The first one on this list remains one of the greatest games in college football history and the first top-5 matchup between the schools. The talent on the field was a great display of what the Hurricanes and Seminoles were building. 

After losing two straight, FSU was expected to overcome its nemesis and built a 19-3 lead behind an amazing effort from Sammie Smith (30 carries, 189 yards), But Steve Walsh threw three second-half touchdowns, two to Michael Irvin, and the Hurricanes' defense stepped up to stop FSU on a two-point conversion that would have won the game.

Miami would run the table and win its second national championship, while FSU won its remaining games to finish second in the polls.

Miami felt disrespected by this ranking after winning the national championship the previous year and FSU added insult to injury by putting out a rap video ahead of the season opener at the Orange Bowl. 

That was all the motivation the Hurricanes needed and a blowout followed. As it turns out, FSU was as good as advertised — the Seminoles won their next 11 games and finished third in the polls, but they couldn't beat Miami. 

Everything was trending in the Seminoles' favor going into this late-season matchup, but Miami still managed to rally from a 16-3 deficit and leave the Seminoles stunned after they missed a field goal wide to the right. Missed field goals would define this series over time, with FSU falling victim to it five times between 1991 and 2003.

Miami would finish the season undefeated to win its fourth national championship. FSU lost to Florida two weeks later, but finished in the top five.  

If you loved Wide Right I, the sequel was even better. Wide Right II was another instance where the Hurricanes handed the Seminoles their only loss and FSU finished No. 2 in the polls (again). 

If you've never seen this game, watch it and witness one of the most hard-hitting contests you'll ever see. There wasn't much room for either offense on an overcast day at the Orange Bowl, but when it comes down to FSU making a field goal, we can guess the result. 

The momentum in the FSU-Miami rivalry was shifting after the Seminoles won it all in 1993 and this would be the last time the Hurricanes would win a game in this series until 2000. But, once again, they handed FSU its only loss and kept them from likely playing for consecutive national championships.

For fans of the that first era of the great Hurricanes teams from 1983-1994, this was the last time that Miami truly looked like Miami before the sanctions would begin to cripple the program.

What games missed the cut and why

No. 7 Miami 27, No. 1 FSU 24 (October 7, 2000)

Wide Right III only missed the cut because FSU made the BCS championship anyway, despite both teams having just one loss and the Hurricanes owning the head-to-head. The Seminoles eventually lost to Oklahoma in the championship game.

No. 2 Miami 22, No. 5 FSU 14 (October 11, 2003)

The Hurricanes had to love when Chris Rix was on the other side of the field. The embattled FSU quarterback of the early 2000s lost to Miami five times in four years and was cleared spooked by the 'U' on those helmets. The Seminoles would win the ACC and win 10 games for the last time under Bobby Bowden, but would lose to Miami a second time in the 2004 Orange Bowl. 

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