Miami won national championships in 1983, 1987 and 1991 with Orange Bowl victories. The only loss for Miami with a chance to share the National Championship was when they were defeated 24-17 by Nebraska in the 1995 Orange Bowl.
Miami beat Nebraska 31-30 in the 1984 Orange Bowl in one of the biggest upsets in college football history to win its first National Championship. Nebraska was about a 10.5 to 11 point favorite in the 1984 Orange Bowl.
The 1983 Nebraska team was considered by many to be the greatest in College Football history at the time. Including the Orange Bowl, Nebraska finished the 1983 season first nationally, averaging 52.0 points per game and 18th, allowing 15.5.
In 1988, Miami beat Oklahoma 20-14 in the Orange Bowl to win the 1987 National Championship. Like 1983, when Miami beat Nebraska, the Hurricanes beat Oklahoma, which entered the Orange Bowl first in the polls. The win over Oklahoma was the third consecutive year Miami beat the Sooners and won their second National Title.
MIAMI IS HEADED TO THE CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆
— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2026
Carson Beck and the Canes will be playing for a title at home 🌴 pic.twitter.com/yCaUQAxXpj
Home field advantage
Miami entered the 1992 Orange Bowl with an 11-0 record and ranked first in the Associated Press Top 25 against number 11, 8-2-1, Big Eight Champion, Nebraska. Miami beat Nebraska 22-0 to finish their second 12-0, undefeated National Championship season with the 1987 title winners.
Miami entered the 1995 Orange Bowl third in the Associated Press Top 25 with a 10-1 record against top-ranked and 11-0 Nebraska. Penn State was second nationally and 11-0 playing against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Miami would have earned the Bowl Coalition National Championship with a win over Nebraska.
Penn State played in the Rose Bowl as the Big 10 Champion. The Big 10 did not participate in the Bowl Coalition. Led by Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp on defense, Miami had a 17-9 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Nebraska outscored Miami 15-0 in the fourth quarter to earn its first National Championship since 1971, its third overall and began a run of three National Titles in four years. The 1995 Orange Bowl was the last time Miami played in a game with National Championship implications at home.
The 2025 Miami team has the opportunity to make its own history. This will be the first time since the Bowl Championship Series began in 1998 and continuing through the four and 12-team College Football Playoff eras that a team will play in the National Championship Game in its home stadium.