There are no echoes from the past here, not when the past shows up every day in the offseason begging for revenge.

very former Miami player who walked through the campus this summer had a simple message for the current torchbearers: They have to beat Ohio State. For them. For a championship lost. For a controversial call that ended up altering the direction of the program.

Believe it or not, the rematch of the 2002 Fiesta Bowl this Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, provides the perfect beginning for the reawakening of the Hurricanes' program. Miami has not been close to a national title since that devastating loss in overtime, which was marked by a controversial pass interference call in the end zone.

Instead, the Hurricanes went on a downward spiral, costing coach Larry Coker his job and Miami its coveted spot among the elite. But a 5-1 start last season provided glimmers of the Miami that once was. Now this one begins with expectations higher than they have been in seven years.

Winning at Ohio State might not provide closure for what happened in Arizona, but it would be the most definitive declaration yet that the program is ready to make a return to the spotlight.

"To me, it's more about them winning a big game to put themselves back in an elite status," said Ken Dorsey, the quarterback on that 2002 Miami team. "All of us want to see Miami win this game, but even more so we want to see Miami back in the national title hunt. This is potentially a starting point for that more than anything."

Dorsey never used the word revenge, but many former Hurricanes did when they worked out with current players. Cornerback Brandon Harris said Jonathan Vilma, Andre Johnson and Ed Reed all spoke about the importance of winning this game.

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