Miami Hurricanes football

Miami Hurricanes football
2008 Miami Hurricanes football team
First season	1926
Head coach	2nd season, 12–13–0 (.480)
Stadium	Land Shark Stadium (capacity: 76,500)
Field surface	Grass
Location	Miami, Florida
Division	Coastal
All-time record	552–307–19 (.640)
Bowl record	18–13 (.581)
Claimed national titles	5
Conference titles	9
Heisman winners	2
Consensus All-Americans	32
Current uniform
File:ACC-Uniform-MIA.PNG
Colors	Orange and Green
Fight song	Miami U. How-dee-Doo
Mascot	Sebastian the Ibis
Marching band	Band of the Hour
Rivals	Florida State Seminoles Florida Gators
Website	HurricaneSports.com

The Miami Hurricanes, sometimes referred to as '"The U", are a collegiate football program that represents the University of Miami. The team competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision. The program began in 1926 and has won five national championships (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001). Miami has won more national championships over the past thirty years than any other program. Two Hurricanes have won the prestigious Heisman Trophy and six have been inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame. In addition, the program holds the record for the longest home winning streak in NCAA history with 58 straight victories. A hotbed for professional talent, Miami also holds a number of NFL Draft records, including most first round selections in a single draft and most consecutive drafts with at least one first round selection.

The team is currently coached by Randy Shannon and plays its home games at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Head coaches

Tenure Coach Years Record Pct. 1926-1928 Howard Buck 3 15-10-2 .593 1929 J. Burton Rix 1 3-2-0 .600 1930 Ernest Brett 1 3-4-1 .438 1931-1934 Tom McCann 4 18-15-4 .541 1935-1936 Irl Tubbs 2 11-5-2 .667 1937-1942, 1945-1947 Jack Harding 9 54-32-3 .624 1943-1944 Eddie Dunn 2 6-8-1 .433 1948-1963 Andy Gustafson 16 93-65-3 .587 1964-1970 Charlie Tate 7 34-27-3 .555 1970 Walt Kichefski 1 2-7-0 .222 1971-1972 Fran Curci 2 9-13-0 .409 1973-1974 Pete Elliot 2 11-11-0 .500 1975-1976 Carl Selmer 2 5-16-0 .238 1977-1978 Lou Saban 2 9-13-0 .409 1979-1983 Howard Schnellenberger 5 41-16-0 .719 1984-1988 Jimmy Johnson 5 52-9-0 .852 1989-1994 Dennis Erickson 6 63-9-0 .875 1995-2000 Butch Davis 6 51-20-0 .718 2001-2006 Larry Coker 6 60-15-0 .800 2007-Current Randy Shannon 2 12-13-0 .480 1926-2008 20 coaches 82 551-307-19 .642

Championships

National Championships

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl 1983 Howard Schnellenberger AP, Coaches 11-1 Won Orange 1987 Jimmy Johnson AP, Coaches 12-0 Won Orange 1989 Dennis Erickson AP, Coaches 11-1 Won Sugar 1991 Dennis Erickson AP 12-0 Won Orange 2001 Larry Coker AP, Coaches 12-0 Won Rose Total national championships – 5

Conference Championships

Conference Affiliations

• 1927-1928: Independent
• 1929-1941: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• 1942-1990: Independent
• 1991-2003: Big East Conference
• 2004-present: Atlantic Coast Conference

Year Conference Overall Record Conference Record 1991 Big East 12-0 2-0 1992 Big East 11-1 4-0 1994 Big East 10-2 7-0 1995† Big East 8-3 6-1 1996† Big East 9-3 6-1 2000 Big East 11-1 7-0 2001 Big East 12-0 7-0 2002 Big East 12-1 7-0 2003† Big East 11-2 6-1 Total conference championships – 9 † Denotes co-champions

College Football Hall of Famers

Name Position Years Inducted Jack Harding Coach 1937-42, 45-47 1980 Andy Gustafson Coach 1948-63 1985 Ted Hendricks Defensive end 1966-68 1987 Don Bosseler Fullback 1953-56 1990 Bennie Blades Safety 1984-87 2006 Gino Torretta Quarterback 1989-92 2010 Total Hall of Famers – 6

Logos and uniforms

File:ACC-Uniform-combination-MIA.PNG

Miami's uniform combinations

History

The Beginning (1926–1936)

Before competition even took place on a freshman level, plans for a 50,000-seat on-campus stadium were proposed in 1926 by the school's first president, Bowman Foster Ashe. Work began on a temporary, 8,000-seat structure on campus, but one day later, on September 17, 1926, a hurricane leveled much of South Florida, killing more than 130 people, damaging over 10,000 homes and shelving plans for the stadium. From 1926 to 1937 the University of Miami played in a stadium near Tamiami Park and also at Moore Park until Burdine Stadium (later named the Miami Orange Bowl) was built.

Due to the storm, classes started late and it wasn't until October 23 that Miami played its first game, a 7–0 win over Rollins in front of 304 spectators. The season included two wins over the University of Havana, with a Thanksgiving Day game in Miami and a Christmas Day meeting in Cuba.

The undefeated team, then known as the Miami "Warriors" (a nickname they kept until Jack Harding became head coach), helped to spur the development of a renewed campaign for a football stadium in Coral Gables. This campaign, "It's Our University," promoted season ticket subscriptions to support the building fund for a 60,000 seat stadium on the Coral Gables Campus.

The first varsity competition came in 1927 when coach Howard Buck guided the Miami Warriors to a 3–6–1 record with a 39–3 win over Rollins in the first game. But a 4–4–1 record the next year and lopsided losses prompted a group of local businessmen to offer financial backing to bring in a well-known coach.

J. Burton Rix, who had coached at Texas and SMU, arrived in time for the 1929 season and Miami's first varsity road games. The team traveled via the city's private car, The Spirit of Miami on the Eastern Seaboard Railroad. But the stock market crash doomed the off-campus financing and extended the financial woes of the area caused by the hurricane. Rix quit after one season and was replaced by Ernest Brett, who inherited an ambitious schedule in 1930.

Included in the season was a hectic road trip with three games in eight days, beginning with an indoor contest against Temple in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was Miami's first intersectional game and UM players presented their opponents with coconuts prior to the contest; in return Temple handed Miami a 34–0 defeat. The following Tuesday, UM lost to Howard in Dothan, Alabama, then salvaged a 6–0 win over Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette on Saturday.

Also that season, the Warriors played one of the nation's first night games. The October 31 game vs. Bowden College in Miami took place under high watt, unprotected bulbs that could be heard exploding when it rained, causing the field to grow darker as the game progressed.

Several seasons later UM entered the bowl business, upsetting Manhattan in the Palm Festival on January 1, 1933, at Moore Park in Miami. The next year UM went 5-0-2 but lost in the Palm Festival to a Duquesne team coached by Elmer Layden (one of the "Four Horsemen" of Notre Dame).

UM played Bucknell on New Year's Day following the 1934 season in the Wooden Bowl, which seated 4,000. The stadium was built by the American Legion in conjunction with the post-depression WPA and was purchased by Earnest Seiler, recreation director for the city of Miami.

The following two years under Irl Tubbs (1935–36), UM posted winning records but bowed out as hosts of the New Year's Day games in Miami.

The Jack Harding Era (1937–1942, 1945–1947)

When Tubbs resigned to take the job at Iowa, Jack Harding came in to serve as both head coach and athletic director.

In nine seasons as head coach (with a two-year break for service in World War II), Harding moved the Hurricanes from the ranks of the small time into major college status. In 1937, they moved into the Roddy Burdine Municipal Stadium (later known as the Orange Bowl). In 1938, they won the first meeting against Florida and that same year captured the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association championship for the first time.

Eddie Dunn, a fabulous running back out of Pittsburgh, starred for the Hurricanes in the late 1930s and took over as head coach for two years (1943–1944) during the war. When Harding returned just prior to the 1945 season, it appeared that UM would suffer through another miserable season after going 1–7–1 in 1944.

But enrollment began to swell as hundreds returned from the service, and although Harding didn't even know the names of all of his players prior to the first game, by mid-season many were household names in South Florida. The Hurricanes forged a 9–1–1 record that included one of the most memorable Orange Bowl games in history.

On January 1, 1946, UM and Holy Cross had battled to a 6–6 tie with just a few seconds remaining. Crusader quarterback Gene DeFilippo threw a desperation pass that went in and out of the arms of an open receiver and wound up in the hands of the Hurricanes' Al Hudson. A former Miami Edison High track star, Hudson juggled the ball and sprinted 89 yards for the winning score as time ran out.

Harding resigned as coach in 1948 and brought in his running mate from Pittsburgh, Andy Gustafson, who led the Hurricanes into the first glory years of UM football.

The Andy Gustafson Era (1948–1963)

In 16 seasons, Gustafson's teams went to four bowls and appeared on national television nine times. He developed the "Miami Drive Series," a form of the belly option generally considered the forerunner of the wishbone, and coached Al Carapella as Miami's first major college All-American (1950). His 1950 squad went 9–1–1, defeated Purdue one week after the Boilermakers had broken Notre Dame's unbeaten streak at 39 games, and earned an Orange Bowl bid against Clemson. Also in 1950, Miami broke a Southern tradition by playing against African-American players in a 14–6 defeat of Iowa in the Orange Bowl. In the late 1950s, Miami won a battle with the City of Miami to open seating to African-Americans in the entire Orange Bowl, and on January 31, 1961, Miami trustees voted unanimously to open the door to all students.

While NCAA probation kept Miami out of possible bowls for three years (1954–56), it did not diminish interest in the program. A No. 9 ranking by both UP and INS in 1954 marked Miami's first Top 10 ranking at the end of the season. In 1956, on the strength of an 8–1–1 mark, the Hurricanes finished sixth in all three wire service polls. Standouts like All-American fullback Don Bosseler, and future Hurricanes Head Coach and All-American quarterback Fran Curci, helped usher Miami out of the 1950s and into the new decade. But the major concerns facing the University and the community heading into the 1960s were the expected arrival of a professional football team and the integration of college football in the South.

The early 1960s at Miami became known as the so-called "Age of MIRAcles" as Key West native George Mira led Miami to a pair of bowl games, the 1961 Liberty Bowl vs. Syracuse, and the now-defunct Gotham Bowl in 1962 against the Nebraska, while twice earning All-America status. Along with Mira, the Hurricanes of this era included two-time All-American offensive end Bill Miller, versatile running backs Jim Vollenweider, Nick Ryder and Nick Spinelli, as well as Ben Rizzo, a "tough as a truck" terror at defensive end and former "walk-on" voted team Captain in 1962, and All-American tackle and future Oakland Raiders star Dan Conners.

Mira, nicknamed "The Matador", set nearly every passing record in the school's history, finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a junior, and tenth as a senior while tying a national completion record (368) despite Miami's 3–7 record during a disappointing senior season, Gustafson's last as the Hurricanes' head coach.

The Charlie Tate Era (1964–1970)

The death of Jack Harding in March 1963 prompted Gustafson to step down as football coach and take over athletic director duties after the 1963 season. After a national search, Miami appointed Georgia Tech assistant and former Miami prep coach Charlie Tate as head man in early 1964. While Tate had outstanding players such as future Oakland Raider Pete Banaszak, and All-Americans Ed Weisacosky and Tom Beier, the first two years of the Tate era rendered only a .500 record. However, under Tate, another star emerged to lead UM to back-to-back bowl games. The most pivitol recruit during the Charlie Tate area was Ted Hendricks, nicknamed "The Mad Stork," who was signed by the Hurricanes and quickly became one of the most feared pass rushers in college football. As the school's first and only three-time All-American (1966–1968), the late George Gallet, Miami's sports publicist for more than four decades, rated Hendricks the greatest player in University of Miami history.

While many ground-breaking strides were made by the University of Miami in the '50's and early 60's with respect to desegregation, it wasn't until December 1966 that Miami signed an African-American athlete, Ray Bellamy, a 6-5, 210-pound wide receiver from Palmetto, Florida, who chose Miami over Florida State, Florida A&M and a number of major colleges in the Midwest. Miami became the first major college in the Deep South with an African-American football player on scholarship, and Bellamy became a standout both on and off the football field. Tom Sullivan, a tailback from Jacksonville, became the second African-American signee in 1968 and was followed one year later by future pro stars Burgess Owens and Chuck Foreman.

Following a Liberty Bowl berth in 1966 and a 1967 trip to the Bluebonnet Bowl, Tate's program fell on hard times. Lackluster seasons in 1968 and 1969 prompted his resignation as coach and athletic director two games into the 1970 season. Tate cited the pressures of winning, harassment of his family and the creeping tide of pro football as major problems. That year the AFL and NFL merged, Don Shula arrived as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and Dolphins hysteria gripped South Florida.

Walt Kichefski, a long-time Hurricane football legend as an assistant coach, took over on an interim basis. Miami struggled through a 3-8 season. The bad times were eased some when Miami pulled a stunning 14–13 upset of Florida in Gainesville.

The 1970s

Miami spent the next two seasons under "The Little General," former Hurricane All-America quarterback Fran Curci. His teams suffered through a pair of losing campaigns, the second of which was topped off by one of the school's most infamous gridiron incidents. After three games in 1972, the Hurricanes were winless and playing at home against Tulane when a fifth down play gave Miami a 24–21 win.

After that season, Curci left the University and, less than 24 hours later, he was replaced by Pete Elliott, a man who had led both California and Illinois to the Rose Bowl.

But Elliott continued Miami's merry-go-round of coaches, staying two years and compiling a combined mark of 11–11. Both seasons started off with big wins over ranked foes, but each time disaster struck in the form of losses to lesser opponents. Besides declining attendance, another factor haunting the program was the loss of area blue-chip players to recruiters around the country.

When Ernie McCoy retired as athletic director in 1975, Elliott resigned as head coach to replace McCoy. Offensive coordinator Carl Selmer immediately signed a five-year contract, becoming Miami's fifth head coach in six years.

Selmer lasted two seasons, compiling dismal 2–8 and 3–8 records against some of the nation's stiffest competition. Attendance continued to drop despite a 1975 home schedule that featured Oklahoma, Colorado, Houston, Navy, Notre Dame and Florida.

Near the end of the 1976 season, Dr. John L. Green, Miami's executive vice president who oversaw athletics, decided to make a coaching change. When the news leaked out to the local media, Green decided to contact Selmer in Houston where Miami was preparing for the season finale. Selmer was located at The Summit, where the team was watching a pro hockey game and was told he had been terminated.

The Lou Saban Era (1977–1978)

On December 27, 1976, journeyman Lou Saban began his two-year tenure as head coach, and in that span laid the foundation for the program's rise to national prominence in the 1980s.

Despite several major setbacks before he even coached his first game (including coronary by-pass surgery), Saban was in Miami for the final week of pre-season practice. His team performed well in the opener, a 10–0 loss at Ohio State. But Miami lost the last six games of the year for a 3–8 record.

Searching for quality players, Saban and his coaching staff went on a recruiting blitz of the East Coast, Midwest and the state of Florida in the winter of 1977–78. Miami signed the maximum 30 players that year, including 19 from Florida, in what was perhaps the school's first great recruiting class. A total of six first-team Class AAAA all-state Floridians were in that group including the nation's top-ranked high school player, Lester Williams; eleven of those players went on to play professional football.

In 1978, Miami closed out Saban's Miami career with a win over rival Florida and fashioned a 6–5 record, only the second winning season in over a decade.

Out of the turmoil of the mid-1970s emerged the most prolific running back in the school's history, Ottis Anderson. The West Palm Beach native led Miami in rushing three years (1976–1978). He still stands as the career rushing leader and was the first back at Miami to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season.

The Howard Schnellenberger Era (1979-1983)

In 1979, soon after Lou Saban left for Army, Miami hired Howard Schnellenberger as their new head coach. Schnellenberger had been the head coach of the Baltimore Colts and had also served as an assistant coach under both Bear Bryant and Don Shula.

After taking the job, Schnellenberger spoke in front of countless alumni groups and community organizations to extol his vision of Miami winning a National Championship within the next five years, a claim that no one took very seriously at the time.

The integral step in Schnellenberger's rebuilding project was the implementation of a pro-style passing offense that would give the Hurricanes an edge over schools that were unaccustomed to defending it. The new offense received a boost a year before Schnellenberger's arrival when Saban recruited blue chip quarterback Jim Kelly out of Pennsylvania. Miami offered Kelly the chance to be a quarterback, while other schools like Penn State wanted him to play linebacker.

The highlight of Schnellenberger's first season was a 26-10 upset win over #19 Penn State in State College. One low point was a 16-13 loss to Division 1-AA Florida A&M in Tallahassee. The Hurricanes made great progress in the next three years. In 1980, Miami finished the regular season 8-3 while earning its first bowl appearance since 1966. The team was rewarded with a bid to play in the Peach Bowl against Virginia Tech. The Hurricanes defeated the Hokies 20-10 to finish the season at 9-3.

In 1981 the Hurricanes took another step forward by finishing the season with a 9-2 record and a #8 ranking in the AP poll. The season was highlighted by a 17-14 win over then #1 Penn State on Halloween night in the Orange Bowl. But due to probation the team was forbidden from participating in a bowl game after the 1981 regular season.

Despite a setback in 1982, and an injury to Heisman Trophy candidate Jim Kelly, the groundwork had been laid for a national championship run.

1983 National Championship

Main article: 1983 Miami Hurricanes football team

Miami entered the 1983 season with a number of question marks. The most glaring of those question marks was the quarterback position. With the departure of star quarterback Kelly to the USFL, coach Schnellenberger had to choose between three young signal callers, each of whom had limited collegiate-level experience.

After summer workouts and two-a-day's in the fall, coach Schnellenberger chose 20-year-old redshirt freshman Bernie Kosar as Miami's starting quarterback. The Hurricanes began the season in Gainesville against archrival Florida. The Gators took advantage of the Hurricane's inexperience en route to a 28-3 win. Despite the loss, Kosar set a school record for a completions in a game with 25.

Miami followed the loss in Gainesville, with wins in its next 10 games, including victories over Notre Dame and Florida State. The win over the Seminoles in Tallahassee in the regular season finale propelled the Hurricanes into the Orange Bowl. Trailing 16-14 late in the 4th quarter, Kosar led the Hurricanes into field goal range where Jeff Davis hit the game winning kick as time expired. The Hurricanes finished the regular season 10-1 and ranked #5 in the Associated Press poll.

Due to existing bowl commitments at the time, Miami was able to match up with #1 Nebraska in the 1984 Orange Bowl. The Cornhuskers were regarded by many as the greatest college team to suit up in over two decades. The Hurricanes were a double digit underdog leading up to the game.

Early on January 2, 1984, #2 Texas was upset by Georgia, 10-9, #4 Illinois was blown out by UCLA, 45-9 and #3 Auburn barely beat Michigan 9-7, setting the table for Miami to take the National Championship should they upset the Cornhuskers later that night.

In front of a decidedly pro-Miami crowd, the Hurricanes jumped out to an early 17-0 lead. With the use of a trick play known as the fumblerooski, Nebraska scored in the 2nd quarter to make it 17-7 and by the 3rd quarter they had tied the game at 17. Kosar responded by leading the Hurricanes down the field on two scoring drives to build a 31-17 lead.

Nebraska responded in the 4th quarter with reserve running back Jeff Smith, in for injured Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier, scoring two touchdowns, including one in the last minute to make it 31-30. Nebraska coach Tom Osborne then made a fateful decision: rather than win the national title by having the game end in a 31-31 tie, he elected to go for a 2-point conversion. Miami defensive back Ken Calhoun deflected the attempted pass, giving Miami its first national championship.

"It's unlikely that any team in the history of college football ever got higher for a game than Miami did for Nebraska," wrote John Underwood of Sports Illustrated. "And if you missed Monday night's game, you missed an emergence ... Down went Nebraska's 22-game winning streak, and up went the burgee of a team that may well be the next great name in the game." Underwood's statement proved prophetic, with Miami's 1983 national championship being the first of five such championships over the coming quarter century to make Miami the most successful collegiate football program of this period.

The Jimmy Johnson Era (1984–1988)

In the aftermath of Miami's national championship, Schnellenberger elected to take a head coaching job with a proposed Miami USFL franchise that never materialized. Miami Athletic Director Sam Jankovich scrambled to find a replacement for coach Schnellenberger on short notice. A national search was conducted and after 10 days of interviewing potential candidates, Miami hired Oklahoma State head coach Jimmy Johnson.

The hiring of coach Johnson was met with a chorus of "Jimmy Who?" by local alumni, fans and media, as well as Schnellenberger's assistants who partially resented Johnson for being selected over someone from within the program.

1984

In Johnson's first game at the helm, the Hurricanes faced off against preseason #1 Auburn in the Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium in the Meadowlands. The game had several interesting subplots. Not only was it coach Johnson's debut but Auburn felt that they deserved at least a share of the 1983 national championship. The Hurricanes, ranked #10, defeated the Tigers, 20–18.

Following its big win over Auburn, Miami defeated Florida, 32–20, in heartstopping fashion in Tampa, scoring two touchdowns during the final six seconds of the game. The Hurricanes jumped to #1 in both polls following the win over the Gators.

After dropping a game at Michigan, Miami regrouped to win 6 of their next 7 games before playing in two of the most improbable games in college football history in consecutive contests. The Hurricanes jumped out to a 31–0 halftime lead in their November 10 game against Maryland before allowing the Terrapins to score 42 points in the second half in what was then the largest comeback in the history of college football. Two weeks later, on November 23, the night after Thanksgiving, Miami was a victim again as Doug Flutie's hail mary pass (see Hail Flutie) to Gerard Phelan helped Boston College beat the Hurricanes, 47–45.

The Hurricanes finished the season 8–5 after losing their third straight game, 39–37, to UCLA in the Fiesta Bowl.

1985

The next year, Bernie Kosar made himself eligible for the NFL Supplemental Draft and the keys to the offense were handed over to Junior Vinny Testaverde. The tall, athletic quarterback from Elmont, NY began his career on a sour note, losing the 1985 season opener to rival Florida in the Orange Bowl.

From there, Miami would win ten straight games, including a road win over #2 Oklahoma and a convincing 58–7 win over Notre Dame.

File:Testaverde Bratton1.jpg

Vinny Testaverde led the Hurricanes to an undefeated regular season en route to the 1986 Heisman Trophy

On the strength of a 10–1 season and a #2 national ranking, Miami received an invitation to play Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl. Although Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma upset #1 Penn State in the Orange Bowl, the Hurricanes couldn't lay claim to the national championship after being thumped by Tennessee, 35–7.

1986

In 1986, Miami capped an undefeated regular season with a victory over top ranked Oklahoma in a rare regular-season clash between #1 and #2. Quarterback Vinny Testaverde's performance against the Sooners set the stage for his Heisman Trophy winning season.

After finishing the regular season #1, the Hurricanes were invited to the Fiesta Bowl to play #2 Penn State. Many pundits predicted a blowout for the heavily-favored Hurricanes. Some of the players, confident in their ability to dominate, arrived in Arizona wearing combat fatigues. Unfortunately for the renegade Hurricanes, the Nittany Lions harassed Testaverde all night, forcing 7 turnovers en route to a shocking 14–10 upset.

1987 National Championship

Main article: 1987 Miami Hurricanes football team

In the wake of the devastating loss to Penn State, the Hurricanes lost several key players to the NFL including quarterback Vinny Testaverde, running back Alonzo Highsmith and defensive tackle Jerome Brown. The 1987 seasons was, therefore, seen as somewhat of a rebuilding year.

File:Teamof80's1.jpg

"Team of the 80's" from January 7, 1990 edition of the Miami Herald

The highlight of the regular season came in October against archrival Florida State in Tallahassee. The Hurricanes rallied from a 19–3 deficit to defeat the Seminoles, 26-25. Quarterback Steve Walsh found Michael Irvin for a 73 yard touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter to give the Hurricanes the lead. Safety Bubba McDowell deflected a two point conversion attempt to preserve the victory.

Miami rolled through the rest of the schedule on their way to another undefeated regular season. At 11-0, the Hurricanes were ranked #2 headed into their Orange Bowl matchup with #1 Oklahoma on New Years Day. The Hurricanes bottled up OU's wishbone attack, holding the Sooners to just 179 yards on the ground (OU came in averaging 428.8). Elation for Miami was frustration for OU - the Sooners only three losses over the last three seasons had come to the Hurricanes.

1988

Miami attempted to defend their national championship in 1988 but a loss to Notre Dame in October, a game which came to be known as the Catholics vs. Convicts, derailed the effort. The Hurricanes then ran the table, winning their last seven games and topping Nebraska 23-3 in the Orange Bowl to finish the season 11-1 and #2 in the final polls.

Not long after the 1988 season, the Dallas Cowboys were bought by Arkansas oil prospector Jerry Jones. Jones' first order of business was removing Tom Landry as head coach and hiring Jimmy Johnson, his former teammate at Arkansas.

The Dennis Erickson Era (1989-1994)

Sam Jankovich was once again tasked with finding a new head coach. The students, players and local community lobbied heavily for offensive coordinator Gary Stevens to get the job. But Jankovich, having remembered the formula from the hiring of Jimmy Johnson, preferred a candidate with head coaching experience. The choice was Washington State head coach Dennis Erickson.

Erickson had garnered the reputation as an offensive guru in his stints as head coach at Idaho, Wyoming and Washington State. His one-back offensive set was heavily criticized in his first several months in Coral Gables. Erickson's team would win 2 National Championships, while playing in 2 other title games, compiling a record of 63 wins against only 9 losses.

1989 National Championship

Main article: 1989 Miami Hurricanes football team

Steve Walsh, who had threatened to leave if Stevens wasn't promoted, entered the NFL supplemental draft soon after Erickson's hiring. Craig Erickson became Miami's new starting QB.

The Hurricanes rolled through their first 4 games but suffered a setback when Craig Erickson broke a finger on his throwing hand in a late September victory over Michigan State. Freshman Gino Torretta was forced into action in the absence of the injured Erickson. Torretta performed well but his inexperience was evident in a late October loss to bitter rival Florida State.

Despite the midseason loss to the Seminoles, Miami stayed in the national championship picture with a dominating 27-10 victory over Notre Dame in front of a then-record crowd at the Orange Bowl. However, it was Notre Dame who was chosen to play in the Orange Bowl against #1 Colorado, while #2 Miami had to settle for Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

Ironically, Notre Dame's win over Colorado helped pave the way for Miami to win its third National Championship following its victory over Alabama, 33-25. After the game, Alabama coach Bill Curry said "We never had control of the game. Miami's got to be No. 1." The 3rd National Championship win since 1983 would go on to solidify Miami as "The Team of the 80s" in the eyes of critics.

1990

The 1990 Hurricanes had high expectations heaped upon them by fans and the national media. Miami was ranked #1 in the preseason and was a clear favorite to repeat as champions. But a season opening loss to BYU and Heisman trophy winner Ty Detmer put a damper on Miami's hopes of repeating.

The highlight of the 1990 season was a 46-3 massacre of Texas in the Cotton Bowl in which Miami set Cotton Bowl records for most points, largest margin of victory, and most penalties. The Hurricanes performance on New Years Day 1991 set the stage for their run to a 4th national championship the following season. A particularly interesting side note is the notable feats that Miami's 5th year seniors had been a part of at the end of the 1990 season; they accumulated a 54-5 record, they were 29-0 at the orange bowl, won 2 national championships, and had finished for the 4th year in a row in the top 2 of the final A.P standings.

1991 National Championship

Main article: 1991 Miami Hurricanes football team

With Gino Torretta now as the full-time starter in 1991, Miami rolled through its first 8 games leading up to a high-noon showdown against #1 Florida State in Tallahassee. The Seminoles jumped out to a 16-7 lead, but Miami scored 10 points in the 4th quarter to take the lead, 17-16. Florida State attempted one last desperation drive and with time running out, Seminole kicker Gerry Thomas missed a 34-yard field goal to the right in a moment that would come to be known as Wide Right I.

Miami finished out the season 11-0 and earned a berth in the Orange Bowl to face Big 8 champion Nebraska. The Hurricanes dominated the Cornhuskers en route to a 22-0 victory that clinched at least a share of the national championship. Late in the game, NBC experienced technical difficulties due to a fire in the control room caused by short circuiting as a result of the rain falling during the game. The video feed was not off for long, but the audio feed had to be switched to that of the Japanese broadcast. Studio hosts Paul Maguire and Gayle Gardner attempted to call the game from the studio.

The AP poll had the Hurricanes at #1 since their win over Florida State. But the coaches poll had a tie between the Hurricanes and Washington. The Huskies beat Michigan convincingly in the Rose Bowl, 34-14, setting the stage for a close vote the following morning. The AP poll kept Miami at #1 giving them their 4th national championship. But the coaches poll tilted in Washington's favor giving them a split.

1992-1994

The 1992 season was a year of ups and downs. The aftermath of Hurricane Andrew was a year-long distraction for the Hurricanes, with Dennis Erickson even taking several players into his home because their own homes had been destroyed. Then, after nearly losing to unheralded Arizona, Miami barely defeated Florida State when a game-tying field goal attempt went wide to the right yet again. Miami's luck ran out against the hard-nosed defense of Alabama, who dominated the 'Canes in the Sugar Bowl to win the national title by a score of 34-13.

With mainstays like Torretta, Micheal Barrow and Jessie Armstead all gone the following year, Miami needed to rely on a new cast of characters. A quarterback controversy between Frank Costa and Ryan Collins lasted the entire season. Despite the transition year, Miami still managed to go 9-2, and was invited to the Fiesta Bowl. However, a hungry Arizona team pounced on a listless and apathetic Hurricanes squad 29-0.

In 1994, with the promise that the team would improve itself after the embarrassment in January, Miami raced to a 10-1 record and saw the emergence of new stars such as Warren Sapp and Ray Lewis. The one regular season loss was 38-20 to Washington at the Orange Bowl, ending the home win streak at an NCAA-record 58 games. Miami, however, would end the season ranked #3 and would get a chance for a piece of the national title against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

Miami started strong, but the powerful Nebraska offensive line eventually wore down the Hurricanes defense. The Huskers were able to score 15 points in the 4th quarter (via two up-the-middle runs by Huskers FB Cory Schlesinger and a two-point conversion pass) to win the National championship, 24-17.

The Butch Davis Era (1995-2000)

Shortly after the 1994 season, Dennis Erickson resigned in order to accept the job as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Several early candidates to replace Erickson, including Sonny Lubick, withdrew from consideration. Eventually Miami settled on former Hurricanes Assistant and Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Butch Davis.

The Hurricanes finished Davis' first season bowl-eligible with a record of 8-3. However, on December 20, 1995 the NCAA announced that Miami would be subject to severe sanctions for numerous infractions within the athletic department. Among the sanctions was a one-year ban from postseason participation and a scholarship reduction of 31 over a three year period beginning in 1996.

The imposition of scholarship reductions led to a long and sometimes painful rebuilding period for the Hurricanes.

The low point for Miami came in 1997 when they posted a 5-6 record, the first losing season since Howard Schnellenberger's first year in 1979. The 1997 season saw the Hurricanes suffer one of the program's most humiliating losses, a 47-0 beating at the hands of in-state rival Florida State.

The Hurricanes began to reassert themselves in 1998. In late September, Miami was forced to postpone their game with UCLA due to Hurricane Georges. The game was rescheduled for December 5 and for the #2-ranked Bruins, a trip to the National Championship game was at stake. The Hurricanes put up over 600 yards of total offense and the result was a stunning 49-45 victory for the Hurricanes.

The following season carried high hopes and expectations for the Hurricanes. They opened the year with a 23-12 win over Ohio State in East Rutherford. Early success, however, was tempered by tough losses to Penn State and Florida State during a three game losing streak. The Hurricanes rebounded to win their last 4 games including a 28-13 win over Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl.

In 2000, Miami was shut out of the BCS National Championship Game. Despite beating Florida State head-to-head and being ranked higher in both human polls, it was the Seminoles that were chosen to challenge the Oklahoma Sooners for the national championship. The Seminoles were also chosen over Washington, who also had one loss and who had handed Miami its only loss early in the season. Washington had been ranked third or fourth in the human polls, behind Miami. The Hurricanes were left with a bitter sense of disappointment, believing they had been deprived of a national championship. The Hurricanes went into the 2001 Nokia Sugar Bowl as the Big East Champions and defeated Florida 37-20.

The Larry Coker Era (2001-2006)

On January 29, 2001, Butch Davis abruptly left Miami to take a head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns. Rumors circulated that Barry Alvarez, the head coach at Wisconsin, was the leading candidate because of his ties to newly-appointed University of Miami president Donna Shalala. After a few days, however, Alvarez turned down the job. In the meantime, several Miami players lobbied athletic director Paul Dee on behalf of offensive coordinator Larry Coker. After unsuccessfully trying to lure Miami Dolphins head coach Dave Wannstedt, Dee promoted Coker to the position of head coach.

2001 National Championship

Main article: 2001 Miami Hurricanes football team

The Hurricanes entered the 2001 season with a chip on their shoulders after feeling that they were slighted a spot in the 2000 national championship game against Oklahoma even after beating then #1 Florida State early in the year in the Miami Orange Bowl. Miami kicked off the season with a 33-7, primetime win over Penn State in Beaver Stadium. Miami followed up the victory with blowout wins over Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and Troy State. After building up a 4-0 record, the Hurricanes defeated Florida State in Doak Campbell Stadium, 49-27, ending the Seminoles' 54-game home unbeaten streak and 37-game home winning streak. The 'Canes then defeated West Virginia, 45-3, and Temple, 38-0, before heading to Chestnut Hill to take on Boston College.

In the final minute of the fourth quarter, with Miami clinging to a 12-7 lead, Boston College quarterback Brian St. Pierre led the Eagles from their own 30-yard line all the way down to the Hurricanes' 9. With BC on the verge of a momentous upset, St. Pierre attempted to pass to receiver Ryan Read at the Miami 2-yard line. However, the ball deflected off the leg of Miami cornerback Mike Rumph, landing in the hands of defensive end Matt Walters. Walters ran ten yards with the ball before teammate Ed Reed grabbed the ball out of his hands at around the Miami 20-yard line and raced the remaining 80-yards for a touchdown, icing an 18-7 victory for the Hurricanes.

After surviving the scare from Boston College, Miami demolished #14 Syracuse, 59-0, and #12 Washington, 65-7 in the Orange Bowl, in consecutive weeks. The combined 124-7 score was a record for the largest margin of victory over consecutive ranked opponents. The final hurdle to the Rose Bowl BCS National Championship Game was at Virginia Tech. Miami jumped on the Hokies, leading 20-3 at halftime. Virginia Tech added a couple of late touchdowns, attempting two-point conversions on each. The first conversion was successful, pulling them to 26-18, but receiver Ernest Wilford dropped a pass from quarterback Grant Noel in the endzone for the second conversion. Reed's late interception in the 4th quarter sealed the win for the Hurricanes. Miami's 26-24 victory earned the top-ranked Hurricanes an invitation to the Rose Bowl to take on BCS #2 Nebraska for the national championship.

In the Rose Bowl, the Hurricanes took a 34-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 37-14 rout of the Huskers to capture their fifth national championship and put the finishing touches on a perfect 12-0 season. The Miami defense shut down Heisman winner Eric Crouch and the Vaunted Huskers offense, holding Nebraska 200 yards below its season average. Ken Dorsey and Andre Johnson were named Rose Bowl co-MVPs.

Six Hurricane players earned All-American status and six players were finalists for national awards, including Maxwell Award winner, Ken Dorsey, and Outland Trophy winner, Bryant McKinnie. Dorsey was also a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing third.

The 2001 Miami Hurricanes are considered by some experts and historians as one of if not the greatest team in college football history.

2002 championship defense

Main article: 2002 Miami Hurricanes football team

Miami started the 2002 season as the defending national champion and the #1 ranked team in the country. Behind a high-powered offense led by senior quarterback Ken Dorsey and new starting running back Willis McGahee, and a stout defense anchored by Jonathan Vilma, the Hurricanes completed their regular season schedule undefeated. The season was highlighted by a 41-16 win over rival Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, the first regular season meeting between the rivals since 1987.

The Hurricanes' toughest test was an October clash against rival Florida State at the Orange Bowl. Miami overcame a 13-point second half deficit to defeat the Seminoles, 28-27. The game was clinched when Florida State kicker Xavier Beitia missed a 43-yard field goal, wide left, as time expired. Another signature win came four weeks later when the 'Canes dominated the Tennessee Volunteers, 26-3, before a crowd of 107,745 at Neyland Stadium, considered one of the most hostile road venues in college football.

Miami would finish 12-0 and clinch a berth in the Fiesta Bowl BCS National Championship Game after a wild 56-45 victory over Virginia Tech in which McGahee rushed for 205 yards and a school-record six touchdowns. Both Dorsey and McGahee were named as finalists for the Heisman Trophy, finishing 4th and 5th, respectively.

2003 Fiesta Bowl

Main article: 2003 Fiesta Bowl

Miami, in the midst of a 34-game winning streak, was installed as a 13-point favorite in the Fiesta Bowl match up against #2 Ohio State. The 'Canes took an early 7-0 lead on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Dorsey to Roscoe Parrish, but Ohio State seized control in the second quarter behind an aggressive pass rush, bolstered by constant blitzing, and a stifling rush defense. The Buckeyes held a 14-7 lead at the half, and a field goal by Mike Nugent extended Ohio State's advantage to 17-7 midway through the third quarter.

A touchdown run by McGahee brought the Hurricanes within 3 points, but just as the running back started to get on track, he suffered a devastating knee injury early in the fourth quarter. Miami was able to fight back and force overtime on a 40-yard field goal by Todd Sievers on the final play of the fourth quarter. Miami scored a touchdown on its first possession in overtime on a 7-yard pass from Dorsey to Kellen Winslow, and, on Ohio State's ensuing possession, the Hurricanes appeared to have won the game, 24-17, after Buckeyes quarterback Craig Krenzel's fourth-and-3 pass from the Miami 5 fell incomplete in the end zone. Miami players and coaches rushed the field and stadium fireworks were set off to commemorate the program's apparent sixth national championship.

The celebration proved premature, however, as Big 12 official Terry Porter threw a belated flag and made a controversial pass interference call against Miami cornerback Glenn Sharpe. The penalty took the air out of Miami's sails and gave Ohio State new life, first-and-goal at the 1. The Buckeyes scored a touchdown to tie it at 24-24 at the end of the first overtime, and Maurice Clarett's 5-yard touchdown run in the second overtime gave Ohio State a 31-24 lead.

Miami's ensuing possession saw Dorsey briefly knocked out of the game after a hit from linebacker Matt Wilhelm. After backup quarterback Derrick Crudup completed an 8-yard pass on third down, Dorsey re-entered and converted the crucial fourth-and-3 with a 7-yard completion to Winslow. Miami then drove to the Ohio State 2 yard-line, but was held to one yard on its next three plays. Facing fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State goal line, Miami called a pass play. The Hurricane offensive line was unable to pick up the blitz and Dorsey's desperation pass into the end zone toward Andre Johnson fell incomplete, giving Ohio State the national championship.

The loss was Coker's first in 25 games as Miami's head coach and Dorsey's second in 40 career starts. The loss also continued the Hurricanes' futility in the Fiesta Bowl, dropping them to 0-4 in the game, with two of those losses being monumental upsets that deprived them of national championships.

Slow decline

Main articles: 2005 Miami Hurricanes football team and 2006 Miami Hurricanes football team

Miami suffered through some offensive struggles in 2003 behind new quarterback Brock Berlin. A blowout loss at Virginia Tech in early November ended Miami's 39-game regular season winning streak and a loss the following week to Tennessee ended Miami's national championship aspirations. The Hurricanes rebounded to win the Big East Conference championship and finish the season 11-2 with an Orange Bowl (game) victory over Florida State.

Miami joined the ACC in 2004 and despite 3 conference losses, the Hurricanes ended the season with a Peach Bowl victory over rival Florida.

The 2005 season ushered in the long-awaited debut of Kyle Wright as Miami's starting quarterback, although the much-ballyhooed Wright would struggle with consistency during the season with much of Miami's success that year fueled by their defense. After suffering a heartbreaking loss to archrival Florida State after placekick holder Bryan Monroe bobbled the snap for what would have been a game-tying field goal attempt, Miami would rattle off eight straight wins, including a road win over 3rd-ranked Virginia Tech, only to stumble two weeks later against underdog Georgia Tech. The 2nd conference loss of the season bounced Miami out of a place in the inaugural ACC Championship game and left them with another invite to the Peach Bowl, where they faced LSU and suffered the worst bowl loss in school history, 40-3.

The 2006 season was one of the most disappointing in Miami's history. It was punctuated by an ugly on-field brawl against Florida International, the shooting death of Miami defensive tackle Bryan Pata, and a four game late-season losing streak. Only a Thanksgiving night victory over Boston College, in Miami's last game of the regular season, saved the Hurricanes from a losing regular season record.

Immediately following the Boston College victory, which was broadcast nationally on ESPN, Coker was asked if he expected to return as Miami's coach. Coker stated emphatically that he did. The following day, however, reflecting the poor communication between Coker and university president Donna Shalala, Shalala terminated Coker. Coker coached through the postseason, where he won his final game, a 21-20 victory over Nevada on December 31, 2006, in the MPC Computers Bowl.

The Randy Shannon Era (2007-current)

Main articles: 2007 Miami Hurricanes football team, 2008 Miami Hurricanes football team, and 2009 Miami Hurricanes football team

Randy Shannon was officially introduced as the head coach of Miami on December 8, 2006. Shannon reportedly agreed to a four-year deal worth over $4 million.

Shannon's first year as UM head coach was one of the worst in the Hurricanes' modern history, with the team registering a losing record (5-7) including losses to unranked teams. Under Shannon, the team failed to reach a bowl game for the first time in a decade. It was the first non-penalized full-scholarship team to miss a bowl game in more than 25 years.

Shannon's 2008 team was fueled by many freshmen, after Miami brought in what was considered one of the top recruiting classes of 2008. The regular season was highlighted by losses to rivals Florida and Florida State, as well as an upset victory over Virginia Tech. The 26-3 loss to Florida was Miami's first in the rivalry since 1985, snapping a 6-game winning streak over the Gators. Afterwards, the enmity between the two schools was heightened when Shannon accused Florida coach Urban Meyer of trying to run up the score by calling an unsuccessful deep pass into the end zone in the game's final minute before kicking a field goal with :25 remaining. Visiting Miami had been 22 1/2 point underdogs in the nationally televised game but only trailed 9-3 heading into the fourth quarter, leading some to wonder whether Meyer was trying to compensate for his team's unimpressive performance. Former Miami great Warren Sapp would weigh in on the controversy, calling Meyer a "classless dirtbag." Miami was knocked out of ACC Championship contention with a late-season loss to Georgia Tech in which the 'Canes surrendered the second-most rushing yards in school history (472). The Hurricanes finished the 2008 campaign at 7-6 after a 24-17 loss to California in the Emerald Bowl.

After the season, Shannon fired offensive coordinator Patrick Nix, citing philosophical differences. Also, former starting quarterback Robert Marve left the team because he claimed not to be able to play for Coach Shannon. Shannon placed strict restrictions on Marve's potential transfer destinations and received much criticism in the media. However, the University of Miami claimed in a press release that the restrictions were set because of suspected tampering by Marve's family or others on behalf of the Marve family.

Shannon's staff suffered more upheaval when defensive coordinator Bill Young left to assume the same position at Oklahoma State, his alma mater, in late January. North Carolina assistant John Lovett was hired to replace him.

Former Philadelphia Eagles offensive assistant Mark Whipple was hired as Miami's new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Miami is returning several of its offensive players from the 2008 season, including quarterback Jacory Harris, both starting running backs, most of the offensive line and its top six receivers.

Move to Dolphin stadium

In the summer of 2007, Miami announced that, beginning with its 2008 season, its team would play its home games at Dolphin Stadium. 2007 marked UM's final season of football at the Orange Bowl. The move to Dolphin Stadium was approved by the university's Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of UM President Donna Shalala, on August 21, 2007.

Due to the condition of the Orange Bowl, there had been much speculation in recent years over the venue's continued viability as Miami football's home stadium. With an on-campus stadium not practical due to substantial opposition from neighboring home owners in Coral Gables, the university was left with two options: move 12 miles north to Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, which serves as home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins, or renovate the Orange Bowl, adding more restrooms and a video replay screen and making assorted repairs to the stadium infrastructure. One of the most historic stadiums in college football, the Orange Bowl stadium was destroyed following the University of Miami's decision not to renew its contract with the famed stadium.

Records

Winning streaks

Miami owns the record for the longest home winning streak in NCAA history, winning 58 straight games at the Orange Bowl. The record streak began with a 38-0 shutout victory over Cincinnati on October 12, 1985 and ended with a 38-20 loss to Washington on September 24, 1994.

Miami also owns two of the longest winning streaks in NCAA Division I history.

From 2000 to 2003, Miami ran off 34 consecutive wins, tying for sixth all-time. The streak started on September 23, 2000 with a 47-10 victory at West Virginia and ended on January 3, 2003 with a 31-24 double overtime loss to Ohio State in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

Miami also won 29 straight games from October 27, 1990 to January 1, 1993, good for thirteenth on the all-time list. That streak was snapped when the top-ranked Hurricanes were upset by second-ranked Alabama, 34-13 in the 1993 Sugar Bowl.

In addition to its own lengthy winning streaks, Miami has snapped opponents' winning streaks, halting four streaks of 20 games or more in its history. The only other school to snap four winning streaks of 20 or more games is Princeton.

In the 1984 Orange Bowl, Miami ended top-ranked Nebraska's 22-game winning streak and won its first national championship with a 31-30 victory. The Canes halted top-ranked Oklahoma's 20-game streak and won their second national championship when they defeated the Sooners, 20-14, in the 1988 Orange Bowl. The Hurricanes ended top-ranked Notre Dame's 23-game winning streak with a 27-10 win on November 25, 1989. UCLA became the fourth victim when Miami defeated the third-ranked Bruins 49-45 on December 5, 1998, snapping their 20-game winning streak.

Notable team records

• Consecutive Wins: 34, 2000-02
• Consecutive Regular Season Wins: 39, 2000-03
• Consecutive Home Wins: 58, 1985-94 (NCAA record)
• Consecutive Road Wins: 20, 1984-86
• Consecutive Games without being shut out: 188, 1979-94
• Consecutive Shutouts of Opponent: 4, 1926, 1936, 1941
• Consecutive Games without a tie score: 345, 1966-95 (NCAA adopted tiebreaker in 1996)
• NFL Draft Record, Most players drafted in the first round in a single year: 6, 2004
• NFL Draft Record, Most consecutive years having player selected in first round: 14, 1995-2008

All-time bowl results

Miami has played in 32 bowl games, going 18-14 for a .563 winning percentage. Its most common bowl destination has been the Orange Bowl, where the Canes have appeared 9 times and compiled a 6-3 record. Miami's most common opponent in bowl play has been Nebraska. The schools have met six times in bowl play, with the Hurricanes winning four of the meetings.

Date	Bowl	W/L	Opponent	PF	PA
January 1, 1935	Orange Bowl	L	Bucknell	0	26
January 1, 1946	Orange Bowl	W	Holy Cross	13	6
January 1, 1951	Orange Bowl	L	Clemson	14	15
January 1, 1952	Gator Bowl	W	Clemson	14	0
December 16, 1961	Liberty Bowl	L	Syracuse	14	15
December 15, 1962	Gotham Bowl	L	Nebraska	34	36
December 10, 1966	Liberty Bowl	W	Virginia Tech	14	7
December 23, 1967	Bluebonnet Bowl	L	Colorado	21	31
January 2, 1981	Peach Bowl	W	Virginia Tech	20	10
January 2, 1984	Orange Bowl	W	Nebraska	31	30
January 1, 1985	Fiesta Bowl	L	UCLA	37	39
January 1, 1986	Sugar Bowl	L	Tennessee	7	35
January 2, 1987	Fiesta Bowl	L	Penn State	10	14
January 1, 1988	Orange Bowl	W	Oklahoma	20	14
January 2, 1989	Orange Bowl	W	Nebraska	23	3
January 1, 1990	Sugar Bowl	W	Alabama	33	25
January 1, 1991	Cotton Bowl	W	Texas	46	3
January 1, 1992	Orange Bowl	W	Nebraska	22	0
January 1, 1993	Sugar Bowl	L	Alabama	13	34
January 1, 1994	Fiesta Bowl	L	Arizona	0	29
January 1, 1995	Orange Bowl	L	Nebraska	17	24
December 27, 1996	Carquest Bowl	W	Virginia	31	21
December 29, 1998	Micron PC Bowl	W	NC State	46	23
January 1, 2000	Gator Bowl	W	Georgia Tech	28	13
January 2, 2001	Sugar Bowl	W	Florida	37	20
January 3, 2002	Rose Bowl BCS National Championship	W	Nebraska	37	14
January 3, 2003	Fiesta Bowl BCS National Championship	L (2OT)	Ohio State	24	31
January 1, 2004	Orange Bowl	W	Florida State	16	14
December 31, 2004	Peach Bowl	W	Florida	27	10
December 30, 2005	Peach Bowl	L	Louisiana State	3	40
December 31, 2006	MPC Computers Bowl	W	Nevada	21	20
December 27, 2008	Emerald Bowl	L	California	17	24
Total	32 bowl games	18-14		690	626

Rivalries

Miami's traditional rivals are Florida and Florida State. Since 2002, the Florida Cup has been awarded to the team that finishes with the best head-to-head record in years where Miami, Florida, and Florida State all face each other. Four Florida Cups have been awarded, and Miami won the first three.

Miami also has a dormant but heated rivalry with Notre Dame.

Florida

Main article: War Canoe Trophy

Miami's rivalry with Florida dates all the way back to 1938, when the Hurricanes defeated the Gators, 19-7, in the first meeting between the geographic rivals. The Seminole War Canoe was carved in 1950 out of a cypress struck by lightning and was given to the winner of the annual meeting. The canoe is meant to symbolize the fighting spirit of the Seminole people that is often on display during games between the Hurricanes and Gators. The canoe is now on permanent display at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame on the Coral Gables campus.

Miami holds the edge in the all-time series with a 28-26 record against Florida. The two schools met every year from 1944 until 1987, but have not played regularly since then. Florida canceled the annual rivalry after the opening game of the 1987 season, where preseason #1 Florida, which starred All-Americans Kerwin Bell and Emmitt Smith in the backfield, lost 31-4 to Miami in the Orange Bowl, scoring their only points on two punt snaps out of the endzone by Miami.

From 1986 to 2008, Miami won six straight meetings between the schools, including victories in the 2001 Sugar Bowl and the 2004 Peach Bowl. Florida snapped its 23-year drought against Miami with a 26-3 win over the 'Canes in 2008. The two schools are next scheduled to play in 2013 at LandShark Stadium.

Florida State

See also: Miami – Florida State rivalry, Wide Right I, and Wide Right II

The Miami-Florida State rivalry dates to 1951, when the Hurricanes defeated the Seminoles 35-13 in their inaugural meeting. The schools have played uninterrupted since 1966, with Miami holding the all-time advantage, 30-23.

During the 1980s and '90s, the series emerged as one of the premier rivalries in college football. Between 1983 and 2002, the Hurricanes and Seminoles combined to win 7 national championships and play in a whopping 14 national championship games. The rivalry has been popular not only because of its profound national championship implications and the competitiveness of the games, but also because of the immense talent typically present on the field when the two teams meet: the 1988 meeting starred 57 future NFL pros on the combined rosters. The games have typically been characterized by remarkable team speed, big plays, hard hitting, and missed field goals. In 2004, the rivalry was intensified when Miami joined the Atlantic Coast Conference and the teams became intra-conference rivals.

The rivalry is a television ratings magnet, accounting for the two highest rated college football telecasts in ESPN history. The 2006 game between Miami and FSU was the most-viewed college football game, regular season or bowl, in the history of ESPN, averaging 6,330,000 million households in viewership (6.9 rating). It was also the second-highest rated game in ESPN history, behind only the 1994 game between Miami and FSU, which notched a 7.7 rating.

Individual Award Winners

Players

• Heisman Trophy

Vinny Testaverde - 1986

Gino Torretta - 1992

• Maxwell Award

Vinny Testaverde - 1986

Gino Torretta - 1992

Ken Dorsey - 2001

• Walter Camp Award

Vinny Testaverde - 1986

Gino Torretta - 1992

• Bednarik Award

Warren Sapp - 1994

Dan Morgan - 2000

• Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Warren Sapp - 1994

Dan Morgan - 2000

• Dave Rimington Trophy

Brett Romberg - 2002

• Davey O'Brien Award

Vinny Testaverde - 1986

Gino Torretta - 1992

• Dick Butkus Award

Dan Morgan - 2000

• Jim Thorpe Award

Bennie Blades - 1987

• John Mackey Award

Kellen Winslow II - 2003

• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

Craig Erickson - 1990

Gino Torretta - 1992

• Lombardi Award

Warren Sapp - 1994

• Outland Trophy

Russell Maryland - 1990

Bryant McKinnie - 2001

Coaches

• Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

Howard Schnellenberger - 1983

Larry Coker - 2001

• Broyles Award

Randy Shannon - 2001

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Traditions

Touchdown Tommy

Touchdown Tommy is the cannon that is fired off when the team runs out of the tunnel, after every point that the Hurricanes score, and the conclusion of a victory. The cannon is kept by the Sigma Chi fraternity's Cannon Master and fired off during the games by the senior brothers of Sigma Chi. Touchdown Tommy is the third oldest tradition at the University of Miami after Iron Arrow and Sebastian the Ibis.

The Smoke

One of the Hurricanes' most recognizable traditions is its dramatic entrance scene. The team enters the field through a large cloud of white smoke billowing from its entrance tunnel, amid a tape of a hurricane blasting over the sound system. The smoke comes from a series of pipes welded together by school transportation director Bob Nalette in the 1950s and comprised simply of fire extinguisher exhaust.

Following Miami's rise to prominence in the 1980s, many college and NFL teams over the last 25 years have copied this practice, and in 2001 ABC made a parody of it for a Saturday college football commercial.

Ring of Honor

In 1997, the university established the 'Ring of Honor' as a way to honor outstanding players who have passed through the Hurricane football program. The inaugural class of included Jim Dooley, Ted Hendricks, George Mira, and Vinny Testaverde. These four players are the only ones in the history of the program to have their numbers retired by the university.

A second group of players were inducted in 1999: Ottis Anderson, Don Bosseler, Bernie Kosar, and Burgess Owens.

Five new players are scheduled to be added to the Ring of Honor during halftime of Miami's November 13, 2008, game against Virginia Tech: Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Jim Otto, former Heisman Trophy-winner Gino Torretta, running back Edgerrin James, and defensive lineman Cortez Kennedy.

Four Fingers

Prior to the start of the fourth quarter of every home game, Miami players, coaches, and fans hold up four fingers in recognition of their belief that a game is won or lost in the fourth quarter. Since 1985, the 'Canes have gone 196-6 (97%) in regular-season games in which they held a lead entering the fourth quarter. The six losses in this span occurred against North Carolina State (2007), Florida State and Georgia Tech (2006), Clemson (2004), East Carolina (1999) and West Virginia (1997), with no such losses from 1985-1996.

NFL U

Main article: Miami Hurricanes in the NFL

Miami has had great success in producing players who go on to play in the National Football League. The Hurricanes hold the record for most players selected in the first round in a single draft (6, 2004); most first-round draft picks in a two-year period (11, 2003-2004); most first-round draft picks in a three-year period (15, 2002-2004); and most first-round picks in a four-year period (19, 2001-2004). For the past 14 years, Miami has had at least one player selected in the first round of the NFL draft. The Hurricanes also hold a record streak of 101 consecutive regular season weeks where a Miami Hurricane has scored a touchdown in an NFL game.

The role of Miami alumni in the NFL has been the subject of numerous national sports media articles. FHM magazine, in its September 2006 issue, carried a five-page article, titled: "University of Miami Hit Squad: The Hurricanes are taking over the NFL. Deal with It." The article prominently featured up-and-coming Miami alumni in the NFL, including Vernon Carey, Bryant McKinnie, Antrel Rolle, Jonathan Vilma, D.J. Williams, and others.

The school has earned the designation of 'Quarterback U' as a result of the football program turning out a number of high-profile quarterback prospects in succession, including Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinny Testaverde, Steve Walsh, Craig Erickson, Gino Torretta, and Ken Dorsey.

Miami head coaches have also had great success in obtaining head coaching positions in the professional ranks. Out of Miami's last five head coaches, four (Howard Schnellenberger, Jimmy Johnson, Dennis Erickson, Butch Davis) have gone directly on to coach at the professional level.

As of the 2006 season, the University of Miami has more of its alumni on active NFL rosters than any other college or university in the nation.

Controversies and scandals

The University of Miami has also experienced some degree of controversies, scandals and incidents which at times have led to NCAA sanctions, suspensions, and negative publicity for the university.

1980s: Luther Campbell's "pay for play"

A long-time booster of Hurricanes Football, 2 Live Crew member and local philanthropist Luther Campbell was said to have been behind what was referred to as a "pay-for-play" system, which involved cash rewards for things such as touchdowns and big hits. His ties to the program were at one point so close that former Hurricanes coach Dennis Erickson used to occasionally call upon Campbell as an intermediary when he was having a problem with his players.

1989-1995: Pell Grant scandal and self-imposed/NCAA sanctions

In 1994, Tony Russell, a former UM academic advisor, pleaded guilty to helping more than 80 student athletes, 57 of whom were football players, falsify Pell Grant applications in exchange for kickbacks from the players themselves. The scandal dated all the way back to 1989 and secured more than $220,000 in federal grant money. Federal officials later said that Russell had engineered "perhaps the largest centralized fraud ... ever committed" in the history of the Pell Grant program.

In late 1995, the NCAA concluded that, in addition to the fraudulent Pell Grants facilitated by Russell, the university had also provided or allowed over $400,000 worth of other, improper payments to Miami football players. The NCAA also found that the university had failed to wholly implement its drug testing program, and permitted three football student-athletes to compete without being subject to the required disciplinary measures specified in the policy. Finally, the NCAA concluded, the university had lost institutional control over the football program. Miami docked itself seven scholarships as part of a self-imposed sanction in 1995, and the NCAA took away another 24 over the next two years. As a result of the scandal, Sports Illustrated's Alexander Wolff wrote a controversial cover story that Miami should at least temporarily shut down its football program.

2005: 7th Floor Crew

In 2004, an informal hip hop music group called the 7th Floor Crew, allegedly consisting of several University of Miami students, including a few football players, and named for the 7th floor of Miami's Mahoney Residential College[1], recorded a rap song. The song ultimately fell into the hands of national media in 2005, including ESPN and Sports Illustrated. Sung to the beat of Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew", the song's lyrics are filled with what were considered lewd sexual references. Following ESPN's coverage of the song and the role of several UM football players in creating it, the university issued a statement condemning its lyrical content.

2006: FIU Brawl

Main article: Miami-FIU brawl

On October 14, 2006, in the first meeting of cross-town programs, Miami and the Florida International Golden Panthers brawled after a PAT.

FIU cornerback Chris Smith wrestled Miami holder Matt Perelli to the ground after the kick and appeared to punch him in the chin. Another FIU cornerback, Marshall McDuffie, Jr., kicked Perelli in the head. Miami's Anthony Reddick swung his helmet at FIU players and Miami's Brandon Meriweather kicked an FIU player. FIU's A'Mod Ned, who was injured, came onto the field and swung at Miami players with his crutches. The fight lasted just over one minute [2] before the coaches of both teams were able to separate the players. The Miami-Dade County police arrived on the field shortly afterward and remained a visual presence on the field and in the stands to prevent further fighting. The game was delayed approximately 15 to 20 minutes as the officials attempted to sort out which players were ejected and what, if any, penalty yards needed to be enforced.

The next day, 31 players from both schools — 18 from FIU, 13 from Miami — were handed one-game suspensions.

Tragedies

In addition to its extraordinary on-field success, the Miami football program has suffered a number of tragedies over the last two decades.

Since 1992, four current or former University of Miami football players have been murdered, four died in airplane or automobile accidents, one was shot non-fatally and another was temporarily paralyzed in an on-field injury:

1990s Hurricanes tragedies

• Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro and former Hurricane Jerome Brown died on June 25, 1992, at the age of 27, following an automobile accident in Florida, in which both he and his nephew were killed when Brown lost control of his vehicle at high speed.

• Indianapolis Colts player and former Hurricane Shane Curry, picked 40th in the 1991 NFL draft, was shot and killed by a 15-year-old on May 4, 1992 outside a bar in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

• On April 13, 1996, former Hurricane linebacker Marlin Barnes and a female companion were bludgeoned to death in Barnes' Coral Gables apartment by the woman's jealous ex-lover. The assailant is currently on Florida's death row on two counts of first-degree murder.

• On May 11, 1996, former Hurricane outside linebacker Robert Woodus was aboard ValuJet Flight 592 when it crashed in the Florida Everglades.

2000s Hurricanes tragedies

• On February 16, 2002, a car accident claimed the life of former Hurricane linebacker Chris Campbell.

• On March 20, 2003, former Hurricane safety Al Blades was killed in a car accident.

• On April 26, 2005, former Hurricane wide receiver Stanley Shakespeare, a starter on Miami's first national title team in 1983, drowned at age 42 after being knocked overboard by a wave.

• On July 28, 2005, former Hurricane defensive end Jerome McDougle of the Philadelphia Eagles was shot in the abdomen while in his car in Miami. Initially expected to recover quickly, McDougle ended up missing the entire 2005-2006 NFL season.

• On November 7, 2006, Hurricane defensive lineman Bryan Pata was murdered in the parking lot of his apartment complex several hours after practice had ended. At present, the case remains unsolved.

• On September 9, 2007, former Hurricane tight end Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills incurred a cervical spine injury and paralysis during the Bills' 2007 opening game against the Denver Broncos. The injury was so severe that Everett's physicians originally described it as a nearly fatal injury, though Everett has since made drastic improvement. It was thought he would never walk again, but in just three months he was walking on his own.

• On November 27, 2007, former Hurricane safety Sean Taylor, then playing with the Washington Redskins, was shot and killed in his Miami home, where he was recuperating from a football injury. Four defendants in their late teens and early 20s were arrested and charged with Taylor's murder. Taylor's murder generated an outpouring of sympathy from University of Miami students and alumni.

External links

• University of Miami's Official Football Site.
• University of Miami "Band of the Hour" Official Web Site.