2019 special Pro Football Hall of Fame Class for Miami Hurricanes

Johnson spent five years at Oklahoma State where he was 29-25-3 overall and 17-15-3 in the Big Eight. The Hurricanes struggled in his first season in 1984 going 8-5. After that, the Miami Hurricanes began their streak of nearly ten years becoming the most dominant teams in college football over the next ten years.

Miami Hurricanes

Miami was 10-2 during the 1985 season. That included a victory in over Oklahoma during the season. Miami entered their Sugar Bowl game against Tennessee ranked second in the nation.

The Hurricanes needed a win and an Oklahoma victory over number one and 11-0 Penn State to win their second National Championship in three seasons. The Volunteers crushed Miami 35-7 and ended the Hurricanes dreams. A year later Miami went into the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State 11-0 and ranked first in the country.

The Hurricanes dominated Penn State outgaining them 445 yards to 162. Seven Miami turnovers, including five interceptions thrown by Heisman Trophy quarterback Vinny Testaverde, ended the Hurricanes chance for a National Championship. Miami finally earned it’s first title under Johnson a year later by defeating number one Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship.

That ended a three-year streak and essential round robin of National Championship games with Miami, Oklahoma and Penn State playing each other. Two of those games were in the Orange Bowl and each school won one title.