THE CASE FOR GORE: Gore made an impact from Day 1 at Miami. As a true freshman he backed up Clinton Portis during the 2001 National Championship season, gaining 562 yards on just 62 carries for a 9.1 yards per carry average. He was named The Sporting News' Freshman of the Year. After redshirting in 2002 after knee surgery, he came back strong in 2003 and became the first Miami back ever to record three 100-yard rushing games to start a season. He rushed for 468 yards on 89 carries (a 5.3 yd. avg.) and scored 4 touchdowns in less than 5 games before he suffered another serious knee injury. In his final year at UM, 2004, Gore led the Canes with 945 yards rushing on 197 carries (4.8 yard avg.) and scored 8 touchdowns. So, in just 28 games over his four injury-plagued seasons, Gore rushed for 1,975 yards. He was selected in the third round (65th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and now is one of only three players, along with Jim Brown and Barry Sanders, to record nine 1,000-yard rushing seasons. A five-time Pro Bowler, Gore has played 15 seasons in the NFL and amassed 15,347 rush yards and 79 touchdowns.

THE CASE FOR MCGAHEE: McGahee redshirted in 2000, then backed up Clinton Portis while the Canes won their fifth National Championship. 2002 was his breakout season as he put together arguably the best season ever by a Miami running back. He turned in six school records, including 1,753 yards on 282 carries and scoring 28 touchdowns, the third most in a season in NCAA history. He was named a consensus All-American, Big East Co-Offensive Player of the Year (with Ken Dorsey), First Team All-Big East and was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s best running back, the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Heisman Trophy. He had 10 100-yard rushing games that season. Although McGahee suffered a devastating knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he was drafted in the first round (23rd overall) by the Buffalo Bills. He ended his Miami career with 2,067 yards and 31 touchdowns. He went on to play 12 years in the NFL, ending his pro career with 8,474 yards, 65 touchdowns, four 1,000-yard seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl twice (2007, 2011).

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ROUND OF 32, GAME 8. Michael Irvin 73-yard play against FSU with 2:32 to play in 1987 vs. Howard Schnellenberger: Huge play vs. big-time coach, who wins?

VOTING HISTORY

Irvin 73-yard play defeated Wide Right I in Round 1 with 60.8 percent of the vote

Schnellenberger defeated Butch Davis in Round 1 with 84.3 percent of the vote

THE CASE FOR MICHAEL IRVIN 3RD DOWN 73-YARD TD AGAINST FSU WITH 2:32 TO PLAY IN 1987: On Oct. 3, 1987, the No. 3 Canes were at No. 4 Florida State, and UM was trailing 19-3 in the second half. Miami fought back to tie the score. Then, with 2:32 to go, Steve Walsh hit Michael Irvin on a perfect third down fade toss over Deion Sanders down the right sideline. Irvin caught the ball and ran past two defenders for a 73-yard TD. Miami went on to win, 26-25, went undefeated and won a national title.

THE CASE FOR SCHNELLENBERGER: The coach of UM's first national championship team, Schnellenberger was responsible for the turnaround in UM football from 5-6 in 1979 to 11-1 and a national championship in 1983. He had a 41-16 coaching record at Miami and brought the Canes into the national spotlight with upset victories over Penn Sate in 1979 and 1981 and led Miami to two bowl victories: the 1981 Peach Bowl, 20-10 over Virginia Tech, and the 1984 Orange Bowl, 31-30 over No. 1 ranked Nebraska. Schnellenberger's teams went 25-2 at the Orange Bowl and had 14 network television appearances in five years after only one appearance the previous five seasons. He left Miami after the 1983 season and would later coach at Louisville, Oklahoma and Florida Atlantic University before retiring in 2011, with 158 victories across 27 seasons at the four different programs, and a perfect (6-0) bowl record.

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