Flashback Friday: McNabb Runs All Over Miami in Dome Finale

Donovan McNabb leads Syracuse to a 66-13 blowout of Miami, clinching the Big East title in 1998.

Donovan McNabb's home finale was a fitting finish to his Carrier Dome career. During his four years as the starting quarterback at Syracuse, McNabb dazzled Orange fans with his athleticism, magical plays and big wins. He was and remains one of the best quarterbacks in program history.

During his senior season, Syracuse started the year 2-2, but won six of their final seven games to win the Big East. The last regular season game that year was against 19th ranked Miami in the Dome. The winner would win the Big East, so it was billed as a huge game between two very good programs. 

However, Syracuse served notice right from the start that they were the superior bunch. The Orange raced out to a 17-0 lead midway through the first quarter and took a 45-7 advantage into halftime. The game was never close. It was never competitive. Donovan McNabb was the best player on the field all game and was electric in his Dome adieux. 

He may have only thrown for 80 yards, but McNabb accounted for five total touchdowns including three on the ground. He ran for 99 yards, highlighted by a 51 yard scoring scamper in the second quarter (in the video above). The final score was Syracuse 66 Miami 13. It was a dominant, convincing victory that sent McNabb off the right way. 

The Orange defense held Miami to just 210 yards, forced three turnovers and had four sacks. Syracuse even scored on offense, defense and special teams in the blowout. Edgerrin James ran for 115 yards and a touchdown for Miami, the lone bright spot for the Hurricanes. Starting quarterback Scott Covington was just 7-20 passing with two interceptions. 

Syracuse ran for 318 yards as a team with five rushing touchdowns. In addition to McNabb's 99 yards, Kyle McIntosh ran for 82 yards. James Mungro had 73 yards rushing of his own. Wide receiver Kevin Johnson had a touchdown catch and kickoff return for a touchdown. 

More from the New York Times:

For four years, Donovan McNabb has opened every Syracuse game behind center. He has won 35 of them. He has cocked his arm 938 times to throw spirals resulting in 8,389 yards. Seventy-seven of them have found an orange-helmeted receiver who found the end zone. Nineteen more times McNabb has found his way there by foot.

With 11 minutes 11 seconds left in a 66-13 thrashing of the Miami Hurricanes today, Syracuse Coach Paul Pasqualoni let his quarterback take leave of an adoring crowd of 49,521 at the Carrier Dome for the final time.

They roared as though they remembered every victory, throw and touchdown of McNabb's glorious career. As he hugged each member of the offense, the crowd grew louder. When he stepped up on the bench and raised his helmet, they turned it up again.

Who needs the Heisman Trophy when you're in the beloved tradition of Jim Brown, Floyd Little and the late Ernie Davis?

"This is something I'll always cherish," McNabb said with the same vibrating emotion that coursed through the Orangemen all afternoon. "It's something you see on TV -- Sammy Sosa or Mark McGwire hitting a home run. I just want everyone to know how much I've enjoyed it here."