The 42-41 Miami loss to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday was the 12th in the last 13 bowl games for the Hurricanes. A 31-14 win over West Virginia in the 2016 Russell Athletic Bowl which is the same game with a different sponsor as the Pop-Tarts Bowl was the last bowl win for Miami.
Miami has a six-game bowl losing streak after the loss to Iowa State. The Hurricanes had another six-game bowl losing streak that preceded the 2016 win over West Virginia. Miami is now 1-4 playing in a bowl game in Orlando since 2009. During the first six-game bowl losing streak Miami never scored more than 21 points in a game.
In their last three bowl losses, Miami has allowed 110 points. In their 2018 and 2019 bowl losses, Miami was outscored 49-3. A lack of complementary football has hindered Miami throughout the last 13 bowl appearances. Many observers would say that is a microcosm of the regular season.
In 2010 and 2015, Miami lost its bowl games with interim head coaches. Jeff Stoutland replaced Randy Shannon at the end of a 7-5 regular season in 2010 before Miami lost 33-17 to Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl. In 2015, Larry Scott replaced Al Golden after the seventh game and Miami lost 20-14 to Washington State in the Sun Bowl.
Miami is now 1-12 in bowl games since 2007. Lost 6 straight.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) December 29, 2024
Year | Bowl | Opponent | Final score |
|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Emerald Bowl | California | 17-24 |
2009 | Champs Sports Bowl | Wisconsin | 14-20 |
2010 | Sun Bowl | Notre Dame | 17-33 |
2013 | Russell Athletic Bowl | Louisville | 9-36 |
2014 | Independence Bowl | South Carolina | 21-24 |
2015 | Sun Bowl | Washington State | 14-20 |
2016 | Russell Athletic Bowl | West Virginia | 31-14 |
2017 | Orange Bowl | Wisconsin | 24-34 |
2018 | Pinstripe Bowl | Wisconsin | 3-35 |
2019 | Independence Bowl | Louisiana Tech | 0-14 |
2020 | Cheez-It Bowl | Oklahoma State | 34-37 |
2023 | Pinstripe Bowl | Rutgers | 24-31 |
2024 | Pop-Tarts Bowl | Iowa State | 41-42 |
Including the interim head coaches, six different head coaches have led Miami in their bowl losses. Shannon finished 0-3 in bowl games at Miami, Stoutland was 0-1, Golden 0-2, Scott 0-1, Mark Richt was 1-2, Manny Diaz 0-2 and now Mario Cristobal is 0-2 in bowl games as a Miami head coach.
Richt won his first bowl game with Miami in 2016, before losing the next two to Wisconsin. With losses in his first two bowl games with Miami as head coach Cristobal will be asked about the bowl failures next year if Miami qualifies for the postseason. Miami will need multiple bowl wins and years of success to erase the stigma.
Cristobal and the Miami staff face a critical off-season. Miami built up positives around the program with a 10-3 season following a 12-13 record in the first two seasons under Cristobal. The Hurricanes have to continue building the program and have another successful season to earn the right to win its first bowl game since 2016.