'Canes moving from Orange Bowl

It’s a sad day when college football is leaving the Orange Bowl.

University of Miami officials announced today that the school will move its home games from the Orange Bowl to Dolphin Stadium beginning in 2008. Without a major tenant, the Orange Bowl might be leveled to make way for a new baseball park for the Florida Marlins.

The Orange Bowl has had a few memorable moments for Carolinas teams. On Jan. 1, 1955, ACC champion Duke won a memorable, 34-7 rout over Nebraska there.

Clemson defeated Miami there 15-14 on Jan. 1, 1951, to complete a 9-0-1 season, and won its national championship there on Jan. 1 1982, defeating Nebraska 22-15.

"That’s a very special place for Clemson people, with the ’81 Orange Bowl game being there," said Bill Smith, a defensive end for that national championship team. "There’s a lot of history there in the stadium."

Smith understands why the Hurricanes are leaving the venerable, old stadium, which opened in 1937. Smith is a member of Clemson’s Board of Trustees, and he knows why Miami covets the suites and video age amenities of Dolphin Stadium to impress recruits and donors.

In 1996, the Orange Bowl game itself even moved to the Dolphins’ home stadium.

"I assume from the university of Miami’s perspective, it’s an old stadium, and everybody is upgrading college facilities," Smith said. ". . .From their perspective I guess it’s a good move. But having played there, I hate to see that the Orange Bowl may not be what it used to be."