The score flashed up, and the word spread. Tight end Lenny Cusumano saw it and passed the news along to wide receiver Jared Jones. Cornerback Steve Gregory caught the final on the Carrier Dome video board. Ricky Krautman’s dad told the freshman kicker the news after the game.

They all heard the same thing: Tennessee 10, Miami 6.

Syracuse hopes to continue Miami’s losing ways when the teams play tomorrow at noon at the Orange Bowl.

‘That just don’t happen,’ Jones said. ‘At first, I thought the game was in Tennessee. But when I heard it was in Miami, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ ‘

Syracuse players offer no specific way on how to beat Miami. The Orangemen say they must control the ball, stop the run and not turn have turnovers. The talk is similar to that before every football game.

But Syracuse (5-3, 2-2 Big East), it seems, can accomplish all those things and win. Tennessee only gained 171 yards of total offense – 81 passing yards and 89 rushing – in the victory. Miami’s defense, which boasts 6-foot-2, 346-pound right tackle Vince Wilfork, is still powerful. But as Tennessee proved Saturday, Miami can lose despite a dominant defensive performance.

‘They’re still a very talented group of guys,’ Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer said. ‘They just made a few too many mistakes.’

Tennessee forced four Miami turnovers while giving up none. The Volunteers also controlled the ball for 20:34 of the 30-minute first half.

The Hurricanes (7-2, 3-1) appear as beatable as ever. They are coming off two consecutive losses, dropping a 28-7 decision to Virginia Tech on Oct. 23 before losing to Tennessee on Saturday.

They’re switching six offensive starters, relegating quarterback Brock Berlin to backup duty and promoting Derrick Crudup.

Tight end Kellen Winslow, a Heisman Trophy contender coming into the season, is benched, too, after a recent rash of personal foul penalties.

Miami, which had won 32 of 33 games over the past three years, has now lost two straight games. The Hurricanes are frustrated. They’re on a losing streak. They’re switching players in skill spots.

Which begs the question: Is Miami vulnerable?

‘Any time you see a team switching positions, they’re in trouble,’ cornerback Steve Gregory said. ‘Especially if they switch the quarterback, because he’s the main guy. I mean, there are signs that they’re beatable. The signs are there.’

On the surface, Gregory’s assessment seems right. Miami’s skill players aren’t as strong, quick or experienced as in the past, Gregory said. They no longer strike fear like they once did. And coming off two straight losses, Miami is out of the national title run. ‘They were always on a different level,’ Jones said. ‘They had an attitude about them. They’d come in and say, ‘We’re gonna whoop you. We’re supposed to whoop you.’ It made it hard to play them.’But when you see a team lose that you have to play, and you see that they’re not unstoppable or unbeatable, it does let you know that anybody can lose. It changes things. If we’d get down, 21-0, usually it’s like, ‘Here we go again.’ With those two losses, it changes things.’

Miami’s game always relied on speed. Former players like Andre Johnson, Santana Moss and current cornerback Roscoe Parrish blew by their opponents.

‘Their speed on defense,’ Jones said, ‘is on a whole different level.’

Syracuse, too, has speed on defense, though it doesn’t match that of Miami. Gregory runs a 4.3 40-yard dash. Although he slowed Temple cornerback Zamir Cobb on Saturday, limiting TU’s leading receiver to 31 yards on five catches, he has played inconsistently this year.

Cornerbacks coach Todd Littlejohn wants more from his secondary. Sure, SU intercepted two passes against Temple.

‘But,’ Littlejohn said, ‘I thought we could’ve had four or five picks. It’s like the old football coaches say: ‘If you throw the ball, three things can happen, and two of them are bad.’ I want our players to have that mentality.’

That mentality has been lacking over the past three years, a span in which Miami has outscored Syracuse, 137-7.

‘If you think you’re a baller, here’s your opportunity to show what you’ve got,’ Littlejohn said. ‘Our guys don’t seem to be intimidated. And I’m pushing that, because we shouldn’t be.’

Published on November 13, 2003 at 12:00 pm