The 58-0 loss that turned Miami into a title contender

The banner flew over the stadium three hours before kickoff, in what had become an all-too-familiar sight in South Florida.

This one read: "Our pilot has as many top 25 wins #FireAlGolden."

It was no secret the Miami fan base had grown increasingly disenchanted with coach Al Golden. But going into the game that afternoon against No. 6 Clemson, Miami athletic director Blake James maintained the same philosophy he always had: He would let the 2015 season play out before making any final decisions about the future.

That would abruptly change hours later. Clemson embarrassed Miami 58-0, handing the Hurricanes the worst loss in school history. But more than that, Clemson exposed the large gulf that…