Miami football team battled back to win 1989 National Championship

The 1989 Miami football team had to recover from a midseason loss to Florida State and drop to seventh in the national polls to win their third National Championship in seven seasons.

The Miami football team began the 1989 season with a 51-3 victory at Camp Randall Stadium over Wisconsin in Madison. The Hurricanes were ranked third in the national polls in the preseason and moved up to second following a 38-7 victory at Missouri. That was coupled with a 31-3 victory over California week two.

The Miami football team began the 1989 season with three wins over Power Five programs by a combined 120-13. The average 40-4  win margin set the Hurricanes rolling to begin the season. They added another Power Five victory with a 26-20 win at Michigan State. The Hurricanes capped a 6-0 start by defeating Cincinnati.

Miami went on the road to play Florida State which in the late 1980s and early 1990s became a de facto national championship game and State of Florida title game. The Seminoles defeated Hurricanes 24-10 to end a four-game losing streak against Miami. The Hurricanes fell to seventh in the country after the loss.

The Bowl system in the pre-college football playoff, Bowl Championship Series eras often matched teams in Bowl Games before the end of the regular season. Undefeateds number one Notre Dame and number two Colorado were slated to play in Miami’s home stadium in the Orange Bowl Game on January 1.

The game was matched up with a few weeks remaining in the regular season. Miami whipped the Fighting Irish 27-10 in the Orange Bowl to ruin the sure game to decide the National Championship 36 days before New Year’s Day. The Hurricanes converted a first down on third and 43.