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Miami Hurricanes © |
Tennessee Volunteers |
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Played November 9, 2002 at Neyland Stadium Knoxville, Tennessee |
Teams' Belt Records
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Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
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W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
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| Miami, FLA © | 2 | 30 | 7 | 0 | .811 | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 12 | 3 | 0 | .800 | 3 | 3 | 0 | .500 |
| Tennessee | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | .538 | 4 | 2 | 1 | .643 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .167 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .667 |
Previous Belt Meetings: None
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1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
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Miami, FLA |
6 |
13 |
7 |
0 |
26 |
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Tennessee |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
The 2nd ranked, 8-0 Miami Hurricanes & coach Larry Coker traveled to Neyland Stadium to battle the 5-3 Tennessee Volunteers of coach Phillip Fullmer. Miami used a strong defensive performance that included 7 sacks & a solid, ball-control offense to dominate the rest of the game in a 26-3 victory over the Volunteers. This game marked the first time this season the Hurricanes were not top-ranked & Miami wanted to prove the voters had made a mistake but it was the Volunteers who struck first. Tennessee's RB Cedric Houston broke loose for a 74-yard run on the second play of the game setting up a 21-yard field goal from PK Alex Walls. Miami's RB Jason Geathers returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards to the Tennessee 45-yard line & the Hurricanes drove 26 yards before All-Big East PK Todd Sievers connected on a 37-yard field goal tying the score 3-3. Miami’s defense forced a Volunteers' punt & after an 11-play, 50-yard drive, Sievers added a 39-yard field goal giving Miami the 6-3 advantage. Hurricanes' All-American RB Willis McGahee scored on a 1-yard run to cap an 80-yard, 5-play drive. Sievers added field goals from 44 & 25 yards as Miami led 19-3 at the half. Tennessee played the 2nd half without starting QB Casey Clausen due to injury & never got closer than the Miami 40-yard line, only crossing midfield 3 times the rest of the game as they were held to 77 yards passing for the game. The only 2nd half score came on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Miami's All-Big East QB Ken Dorsey to All-Big East TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. Dorsey finished with 245 yards passing with a touchdown while McGahee added 154 yards rushing with his score & All-Big East WR Andre Johnson caught 5 passes for 103 yards. For Tennessee, Houston finished with 111 yards rushing & All-SEC TE Jason Witten was held to 1 catch for 28 yards in the losing effort. Miami finished the season 12-1; Big East Champions, ranked 2nd nationally while the Volunteers finished 8-5. Tennessee would play for The Belt again in 2007.
