2024 SOTU Awards: Sport of the 12 months

I began to jot down a diary-type article for my journey right down to Gainesville for the primary sport of the 2024 faculty soccer season. It didn’t come out the best way I wished, so I scrapped it. However with this win being voted Sport of the 12 months by the SOTU crew, I’m glad to revisit my in-person expertise for this superior Miami Hurricanes victory.

Earlier than I recap the unimaginable 41-17 triumph to open this season, I really feel like this fast flashback is price mentioning. I used to be lucky to attend all three in-state faculty soccer matchups for the 2003 season. I used to be within the Orange Bowl for the massive Brock Berlin and Frank Gore-led comeback. I used to be in Doak Campbell for the rain sport the place Sean Taylor just about single-handedly beat FSU. God relaxation his soul. Come November, I made the journey to Gainesville to look at the Gators host the Seminoles. I wished to finish the trilogy, and boy am I glad I did.

My good buddy James acquired me a scholar ticket proper subsequent to him (I additionally sat within the UF scholar part for the Miami sport). We had been within the higher degree, however not too excessive, at across the 20-yard line. What struck me for this sport was how few Seminole followers had been in attendance. There have been two sections subsequent to one another in a nook: one for the band and one for college kids. There have been 100 and fifty or so to the suitable of me on the high of the tip zone. That was just about it. This was dwelling area benefit. I haven’t been to that many soccer video games in my life, however this was by far the loudest one. Props to the early 2000s Gator followers, they’ll make some noise. Anyway, faculty soccer heads know what occurred on the finish of this sport.

FSU quarterback Chris Rix threw a bomb to PK Sam over Gators security Gus Scott’s head for a 52-yard landing move with 55 seconds left. I’ve by no means heard a spot go from being as loud because it was to close silence. It was eerie. The stadium was so quiet after the landing, my obnoxiously loud laughter was getting me yelled at from Gator followers from one and two sections over due to how clearly they might hear me. Even James gave me a pair indignant shoves and he’s the nicest man on the earth. Once more, it was loopy how quiet it was. That sport ending was probably the most memorable sports activities experiences I’ve ever had in my life.

Again to August thirty first, 2024. Andy, my different good buddy, has season tickets for Florida Gators soccer. The seats are nice: ten rows up on the 35-yard line. We met at our lodge a pair hours earlier than kickoff and had some beers within the foyer whereas having fun with a few of the midday video games that day.

We had the Uber driver allow us to out about half a mile from the stadium. Whereas strolling in direction of The Swamp, I instantly observed what number of Miami followers had been on the town. It was unimaginable. I didn’t anticipate us to point out up in these sorts of numbers.

The solar beat down on all of us sitting on the customer’s aspect. It was brutally scorching. What made the warmth extra tolerable was being surrounded by, you guessed it, extra Miami followers! The seats instantly in entrance, behind, and on either side of us had been occupied by individuals rooting for the Canes. I used to be formally able to kick off the 2024 faculty soccer season.

Miami’s offense, with the assistance of some dumb UF penalties, marched down the sector and scored an opening-drive landing. A couple of of us Canes followers checked out one another with our eyebrows raised, as if to silently say, “This Cam Ward man could be actually, actually good.”

When Florida working again Montrell Johnson Jr. turned the nook for a 71-yard landing run with 3:32 left within the second quarter, my confidence wavered some. Miami was taking part in too nicely to solely be up 17-10 going into halftime. Then Cam acquired the ball.

The Canes capped off an environment friendly eight-play, two-minute and thirty-second drive with a 24-yard strike from Ward to Xavier Restrepo. No matter vitality gained by the house crowd after Johnson’s landing was eliminated by what completed as this season’s most prolific offense in all of school soccer. Miami was up 24-10 at halftime and appeared like a powerhouse SEC-type workforce.

The third quarter was unimaginable. Miami crushed Florida’s souls. Cam led the Canes on a six-play landing drive to start the second half. After a punt by the Gators, Killer Cam put Miami up 38-10 with probably the greatest throws of the complete faculty soccer season. To cap the lopsided interval, security Meesh Powell intercepted Florida QB Graham Mertz ultimately zone, returning the choose 67 yards.

The break in between the third and fourth quarter was the spotlight of the day for me. For individuals who don’t know, Tom Petty’s Received’t Again Down is performed over the loudspeakers after the third quarter at each Florida dwelling sport. I knew the tune, however didn’t understand it phrase for phrase. That didn’t matter. Each Miami fan in The Swamp was yelling the refrain and dancing prefer it was Laborious Rock Stadium and Trick Daddy had simply come on. It was so freaking cool trying across the crowd to see all Canes followers singing and all of the Gator followers sighing.

For sure, Andy was able to go. We left with about ten minutes left within the sport. I used to be on cloud 9. Andy was shellshocked. We showered and acquired some wings and beer close to our lodge. I began trying up tickets on my telephone that night time. Cam Ward was particular. I wanted to see him play once more in individual. And I did, two extra occasions. Whereas it was nice watching Cam and the Canes shut up a bunch of overconfident USF followers, it didn’t evaluate to witnessing a season-opening beatdown of my least favourite faculty soccer workforce within the nation.

GO CANES!