By CRAIG HANDEL
The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Bruised, battered and beaten, University of Miami football players slowly trudged to the seven buses Saturday morning that would take them to Sky Harbor International Airport, where one of the most quiet flights ever awaited them.

Such a somber mood accompanied them after Ohio State beat the Hurricanes 31-24 in double overtime at the Fiesta Bowl Friday night in Tempe.

As Ken Dorsey's fourth-down pass from the Ohio State 1 hit the ground on the final play of the game, Miami's goal of defending its national title and extending its winning streak to 35 games ended.

"We're all devastated," Miami coach Larry Coker said. "It will take a long time to get over it. You may never get over it.

"It's amazing to me personally. When you have something bad like that happen, when you wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning, it really hits you. It's a gut-wrenching feeling."

Miami offensive guard Ed Wilkins added: "I haven't lost in so long, I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to be feeling."

It's hard to say what hurt most when Miami made its cross-country flight back to South Florida - tailback Willis McGahee's knee injury; believing the game was won, then having the apparent win nullified by a penalty flag; or coming painfully short of goals set at the beginning of the season.

"You hate to lose at the 1-yard line," Miami assistant head coach/offensive line coach Art Kehoe said. "To have three shots and not get it in. ... You need to answer the bell in a championship contest and we didn't."

Kehoe felt most badly about McGahee's left knee injury, which happened early in the fourth quarter. Miami running backs coach Don Soldinger said McGahee will need surgery Sunday. The diagnosis is as gruesome as television replays showed - he tore three of the four ligaments in the knee.

"He was in tremendous pain on the bus ride home," Kehoe said. "That's more tragic than losing the national title. He's so tough and meant so much to our team. And he was starting to crank."

Miami rallied from a 17-7 deficit to tie the game on McGahee's 9-yard run, then Todd Sievers' 40-yard field with no time left on the clock in regulation.

The Hurricanes received the ball first in overtime and quarterback Ken Dorsey hit tight end Kellen Winslow for a 7-yard touchdown.

When Ohio State received the ball back, Miami was poised to win the game twice. On fourth-and-14, Buckeyes quarterback Craig Krenzel hit wide receiver Michael Jenkins for 17 yards.

Then came the heartbreaker. On fourth-and-3 from the Miami 5, Krenzel's pass went through Chris Gamble's hands.

Fireworks went off, Miami players and coaches rushed the field. Free safety Sean Taylor whipped his helmet into the air.

For a split second, the Hurricanes had repeated. The streak was alive.

Then field judge Terry Porter threw a penalty flag on Miami cornerback Glenn Sharpe. Adding to the controversy was that he hesitated before making the call.

"I replayed it in my mind," Porter said. "I wanted to make double sure it was the right call.

"I saw the guy (Sharpe) hold the guy (Gamble) prior to the ball being put in the air. (Sharpe) was still holding him, pulling him down while the ball was in the air. I gave the signal for holding. Then I realized it should be pass interference because the ball was in the air."

Coker said he didn't see the flag thrown at first.

"You think you have it won, then you don't," he said.

Miami linebacker D.J. Williams said: "If you're going to make the call, make it right away. Giving it time, then reaching for the flag, you can't do that."

Krenzel then scored on a 1-yard run and Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett followed with a 5-yard TD to put Ohio State up 31-24.

Dorsey, knocked out of the game for a play, threw a 7-yard pass to Winslow to keep the game alive and put the ball at the Ohio State 11. A Buckeyes' face mask and then a pass interference penalty took the ball the 2.

After a Jarett Payton 1-yard run, incompletion and Quadtrine Hill run for no gain, Dorsey went back to pass. Rushed heavily, his throw fell harmlessly to the ground.

"It was like it lasted for a lifetime," Miami offensive guard Chris Myers said of the final pass.

"I looked for a flag but it wasn't there," Miami wide receiver Roscoe Parrish said. "I couldn't believe it. It was unreal."

Dorsey, who finished 28-of-43 for 296 yards, suffered a bruised sternum. Kehoe said he also might have suffered a concussion.

Dorsey, who threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball away once, pushed a photographer away as did linebacker Jonathan Vilma after the game.

"Obviously, we weren't prepared to lose," Wilkins said.

Miami's emotional reaction to the game was shown by center Brett Romberg. With he and his offensive linemates outplayed for most of the game, the usually talkative player was quiet after the game.

"I've never seen him like that," Wilkins said. "I've never seen Romberg at a loss for words. Other guys teared up."

Cornerback Al Marshall said this loss will make Miami tougher.

"We know how hard we worked to get to the top and we know hard we'll have to work to get back to the top," Marshall said.

Kehoe added: "We're gonna be damn good. This will just get us more focused than ever. And I guarantee, wherever we go, we're not going to be stopped at the 1-yard line."