CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) -Even now, 16 years later, Micheal Barrow still gets asked about once every week about "the hit."
He doesn't mind whatsoever.
After all, he was the winning end.
The series between Miami and Florida State, which gets rekindled Saturday afternoon in South Florida, has been filled with countless memorable moments, plays that ultimately decided national championships, wide rights and wide lefts and so much more, making this rivalry one of the nation's most storied.
And of all the massive hits inflicted over those years, Barrow might have delivered the best of all.
It was Oct. 3, 1992, Florida State at Miami. Florida State's Tamarick Vanover took a short pass over the middle near midfield, and in that particular coverage, Barrow was supposed to keep shifting left from his linebacker spot - but knew, from seeing it on film, that Vanover would try to cut back and run the opposite way.
"I knew, if they ran that play, it was going to be my play," said Barrow, now Miami's linebackers coach.
So Barrow ignored his assignment, went right at Vanover, drove his helmet and shoulder pads into the Florida State player's chest and listened to the crowd at the Orange Bowl roar in delight, even as Vanover remained on the ground in obvious pain. Barrow waved his arms to the fans, eliciting even louder roars.
"They did that play earlier in the game, I went to go get him and the umpire got in my way and I was like, 'Awwwwww,"' Barrow said. "I remembered Vanover from when he visited Miami and I went up to him and said something like, 'Man, you chump, I'm glad you went to that girls' school, because you weren't tough enough to come here."' And a couple plays later, I got the hit."
Miami won that day, 19-16, in what was known as "Wide Right II." Dan Mowrey missed a 39-yard field goal on the final play, much like how Gerry Thomas missed a 34-yarder the previous year as the Hurricanes escaped with a 17-16 win.
The hit is still on YouTube, and more than few Miami players have checked it out this week. Barrow's playing days are over, yet he isn't hiding his excitement of remaining part of the Hurricanes-Seminoles rivalry.
"This rivalry, its the tops of all tops," Barrow said.
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