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How Would a College Football Playoff Have Impacted Miami In Past Seasons?

By Alan Rubenstein

(01/03/2002) Miami head coach Larry Coker rides on his players shoulders and holds up his finger after the Hurricanes defeated Nebraska in the Bowl Championship Series in the Rose Bowl, January 3, in Pasadena, CA. Photo by Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY ORG XMIT: COKER JUBO MT135.JPG
(01/03/2002) Miami head coach Larry Coker rides on his players shoulders and holds up his finger after the Hurricanes defeated Nebraska in the Bowl Championship Series in the Rose Bowl, January 3, in Pasadena, CA. Photo by Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY ORG XMIT: COKER JUBO MT135.JPG /
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1983 Season/1984 Orange Bowl, Miami 31 Nebraska 30

The game that created the Miami dynasty would likely never have happened in the colleg football playoff era. It definitely would not have happened in the BCS Era. The Hurricanes finished the regular season 10-1 and ranked fifth nationally. Nebraska was the clear number one.

Nebraska finished the 1983 regular season 12-0 and many analysts were saying they were the best team in College Football History. Texas finished the regular season 11-0 and ranked second. The Longhorns and Cornhuskers would have definitely played in the Championship game had this happened in the BCS Era.

Taking a bit wider view was more complex. Seven teams finished the 1983 season with one loss. Five of those teams were ranked between third and seventh. The Hurricanes were in the middle at number five.

Going into the bowl games, Auburn had five wins against teams that were ranked at the time they beat them and their one loss was to Texas. Using the final regular season top 20 as a gauge, the Tigers had wins against number seven Georgia, number 11 Florida and number 18 Maryland. They also defeated Alabama and Florida State.

Illinois had three wins against top ten teams at the time they played. They won the Big Ten with a 9-0 record and finished the regular season 10-1 overall. Illinois had wins over number eight Michigan and number 14 Ohio State using the final regular-season poll. They also had a win over Iowa.

Southern Methodist was a spot behind the Hurricanes with a 10-1 record at number six. Georgia was number seven with a loss and a tie. Brigham Young and Clemson were the other teams with one loss.

The likelihood is that Illinois’ and Auburn’s conference titles in arguably the two toughest conferences in the country and with multiple wins over ranked teams would have edged out the Hurricanes for bids to the playoff. Texas lost to Georgia in the Cotton Bowl 10-9 to take them out of the National Championship conversation.

That was the key game for the Hurricanes and put everything else seemingly into chaos. Illinois was obliterated by UCLA 45-9 in the Rose Bowl later in the day. The National Championship would come down to Miami and Auburn if the Hurricanes could pull off the upset.

Auburn beat Michigan 9-7 in the Sugar Bowl setting off a fierce debate at the time. Auburn had wins over three top ten teams and was two spots ahead of Miami entering Bowl season. Miami’s win over Nebraska swayed the voters and the Hurricanes vaulted five spots to win their first National Championship.

Nebraska finished second and Auburn stayed third after polls following the Bowl games came out.

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