Miami Football team top five comebacks vs Florida State
On the fourth play of the Miami drive, Walsh and Irvin connected again. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion sprinted along the right sideline past the Florida State defense for a TD to give Miami the lead. Florida State drove 83 yards in eight plays on their next drive.
A McManus to Ronald Lewis TD pass brought Florida State within one at 26-25. Seminoles legendary head coach Bobby Bowden had a decision to make. Go for the tie and stay undefeated or get a signature win. Bowden’s quote after the game foreshadowed the kicking woes his program would have against Miami.
"“We had decided before the game, and I had decided after 1980 when we lost by one (10-9), that I would go for the tie in the same situation. We had the extra-point team in, but I changed my mind. We had missed so many (kicks) today and the wind was really affecting our kicker. I was just afraid of missing it.”"
Future Houston Oilers safety Bubba McDowell knocked down the pass from McManus intended for tight end Pat Carter who played 11 years in the NFL and preserved Miami’s third straight victory over Florida State. Bowden regretted the decision. He said if he had to do it over again he would kick it.
Miami won the game and would go on to their first undefeated National Championship season at 12-0. The Hurricanes National title season was the only one in five legendary years under Jimmy Johnson. The victory was in the middle of a seven years stretch which Miami defeated FSU six times.
Miami’s only loss to Florida State between 1985 and 1992 occurred in 1989. The Hurricanes still retained bragging rights at the end of that season by winning their third national championship is seven seasons.