Miami football exemplified best of 1990s College Football

When college football turned the page from the 1980s to the 1990s the Miami football program was a dynasty and most feared team in college football. The Hurricanes stayed dominant in the early 1990s.

The Miami football program entered the 1990s after winning three national championships in the 1980s and coming close to winning three more. The Hurricanes stayed dominant in the 1990s before probation hit after the Pell Grant Scandal.

The Miami football program won one more national championship and played for two more in the 1990s. Several of their players from the 90s became college football icons and Pro Football Hall of Famers. In their article “The Best of the 1990s…college football’s decade of debates” The Athletic prominently features the Hurricanes.

Miami began the decade in their last season as an independent. A season-opening loss at BYU and October loss at Notre Dame knocked the Hurricanes out of the National Championship race. The National Championship was split in the poll between Colorado and Georgia Tech. A year later Miami would split the title with Washington.

Miami Hurricanes Football

The Hurricanes split national championship was seven years before the first Bowl Championship Series National Championship game. The 1987 Fiesta Bowl between Miami and Penn State was influential in the creation of the BCS. The Hurricanes and Nittany Lions were undefeated and played for a National Championship.

Miami was upset by Penn State as a huge favorite. The hatred towards the Miami football program began before that game when the Hurricanes got off their plane in Phoenix in fatigues. That largely began the national reputation with swagger.

The swagger continued four years later in the Cotton Bowl. Miami dismantled Texas 46-3 in front of the Longhorns fans. Over 200 yards in penalties drew ire across the nation. That included Miami Athletic Director Sam Jankovic. The Hurricanes would clean up their behavior on the field going forward.

After completing a 10-2 season in the Cotton Bowl, Miami opened the 1991 season ranked third nationally. They moved up to second in the polls on September 10. The Hurricanes remained second in the polls until their iconic showdown at number one Florida State November 16. Leading up to FSU Miami was not exactly challenged.

Other than a 26-20 victory over Penn State at the Orange Bowl, Miami won easily. The Hurricanes average margin of victory was 30.1 points per game before they traveled to Tallahassee. A late touchdown put Miami up 17-16. The Seminoles game-winning field goal attempt went famously wide right.

Prior to the kick, legendary late College Football play-by-play announcer, Keith Jackson declared “this could be for a national championship.” The kick missed and for Miami, it was for a national championship. The Hurricanes finished the regular season with wins over San Diego State and West Virginia.

A win over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl coupled with Washington’s Rose Bowl victory to finish the season undefeated ended the season with a split national championship between the Hurricanes and Huskies. The Athletic also declared 1991 Miami and Washington as the second-best teams for the 1990s.

"“2b. 1991 Miami. The Hurricanes won their second championship in Dennis Erickson’s first three seasons, winning the AP vote after a handful of close calls: a 26-20 win vs. No. 9 Penn State, a 19-14 win vs. Boston College and, most famously, a 17-16 win at No. 1 Florida State because of the first of a series of FSU kicking blunders in the rivalry.The ’Canes moved to No. 1 after beating the Seminoles and held on after winning their last three games, including a 22-0 win in the Orange Bowl against No. 11 Nebraska. They led the nation in points allowed, and Gino Torretta used a stellar season at quarterback as a springboard to the 1992 Heisman.This was a great Miami team, but Washington was more dominant against a tougher schedule overall, according to Sports Reference’s numbers.”"

Nebraska’s 1995 National Championship season was their second in a row. The Cornhuskers finished off the 1994 season with a victory over Miami in the Orange Bowl. The Hurricanes led 17-7 in the third quarter and took a 17-9 lead to the fourth quarter. The young Hurricanes were unable to hold the lead and lost 24-17.

The Athletic continued with the best coaches, games and players in the 1990s. We will take a look and which of those involving Miami were in The Athletic’s The Best of the 1990s… in part two.