Under head coach Jack Harding the Canes post a 8-1-1 regular season record in 1945, highlighted by wins over Florida, Clemson and Auburn. That earned Miami an invitation to the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day to face Holy Cross.

Joe Krull gave the Canes a 6-0 lead in the second quarter on a one-yard plunge, but Holy Cross tied it on a 16-yard pass from Stan Kozlowski to Wally Brennan.

It stayed that way until the final seconds when the game seemed destined for a tie. But Crusaders quarterback Gene DeFillipo threw a long pass to Fran Parker, and the ball bounced off Parker’s hands. Defensive back Al Hudson plucked the pigskin out of the air and raced 89 yards for a touchdown as time expired. The Canes rang in the New Year with a wild, 13-6 triumph that gave them nine wins for the first time in school history.

According to the Ibis Yearbook, the teams gathered for dinner that night at the Coral Gables Country Club, where Harding deadpanned that he had “been working for weeks on that last play.”

Florida quarterback Steve Spurrier would win the Heisman Trophy in 1966. But the Miami Hurricanes ensured he wouldn’t win his last game at Florida Field.

The Gators rolled into their regular season finale with an 8-1 record thanks largely to Spurrier, who had not only thrown for 15 touchdowns but also famously kicked the game-winning field goal in a victory over Auburn.

But the Canes were on a bit of a roll themselves, unbeaten in five straight games. And they had a star quarterback of their own. Bill Miller had already led Miami to upset wins over Georgia and USC and the signal-caller from Montgomery, Ala., was ready to play giant killer again in Gainesville.

After a scoreless first quarter, Miller hit wide receiver Jim Cox for a 40-yard gain to set up a nine-yard touchdown run by fullback Doug McGee. The Gators cut the lead to 7-3 with a short field goal, but Miller answered with a 10-yard scoring toss to Steve Smith. Miller completed 10 of 17 passes for 174 yards in the first half and the Canes led by 11 points.

Miami increased the lead in the third quarter when Miller faked a pitch and raced 40 yards for a touchdown. The Canes had a 21-3 lead, but Florida wasn’t finished. The Gators blocked a punt and scored their first touchdown of the contest, a six-yard strike from Spurrier to Paul Ewaldsen. The ensuing two-point conversion failed but Florida got the ball back and running back Larry Smith scored on a 30-yard touchdown run to pull the Gators within five with 12:35 left in the game. It was the longest run against Miami’s defense all season.

The Gators forced a Miami punt, but Smith fumbled two plays later. Florida’s defense responded by forcing a three-and-out, but defensive back Jimmy Dye picked off Spurrier at the Canes 47. Miller connected with Cox twice for 27 yards, but Miami eventually faced a 4^th and 7 from the Gators 30. Harris missed a field goal and Gators had life with 1:07 left – but no timeouts. Spurrier marched UF down the field, connecting with Smith on a 17-yard completion to the Miami 31. But Hal Carew tackled Smith in bounds and the clock ran out. Miami had another signature win in a remarkable season.

Ray Bellamy was the first African-American to sign a football scholarship to play for the University of Miami. In fact, Bellamy was the first African-American football athlete given a scholarship to a major university in the Southeastern part of the United States. He later became Miami’s first African-American Student Body president.

After setting records in 1967 on UM’s freshman team, head coach Charlie Tate called him up to the varsity squad, where he caught 37 passes for 549 yards and two touchdowns. His best game of the 1968 season came at Auburn, where he caught 8 passes for 121 yards. He also caught a 78-yard TD pass for Miami’s only score against No. 4 Penn State. At the time, Bellamy’s 78-yarder was the third-longest pass reception in school history.

The following year, he had 8 catches for 163 yards and a 66-yard TD reception against Wake Forest. In January 1970, he was severely injured in a near-fatal car crash that ultimately cut short his promising career. When he concluded his college career, he ranked in the top eight in career catches, career receiving yards, single-season receiving yards, single-season receptions and single-game receptions.

Head coach Howard Schnellenberger promised to turn the Miami Hurricanes’ fortunes around and he started delivering in his second season, leading Miami to an 8-3 regular season mark and a berth in the Peach Bowl against Virginia Tech – UM’s first bowl appearance in 13 years.

The Canes wasted no time jumping out in front, marching 68 yards on the opening drive of the game. Quarterback Jim Kelly completed a 29-yard pass to wide receiver Larry Brodksy and drew a roughing the passer penalty, which moved the ball all the way to the Hokies 20. Three plays later, Kelly found Brodsky for a 15-yard touchdown and Miami led 7-0. UM’s defense forced punts on Tech’s first two drives, but free safety Fred Marion fumbled the second punt and the Hokies recovered at the Canes 25. Marion atoned for his mishap on the very next snap, picking off Tech running back Cyrus Lawrence on an option throw at the one-yard line.

Kelly proceeded to march Miami 99 yards in nine plays, completing passes of 28 yards to tight end Mark Cooper and 27 yards to wide receiver Rocky Belk along the way. On 2^nd and 10 from the Tech 12, fullback Chris Hobbs raced around the right side for a score and the Canes had a two-touchdown lead.

The Hokies responded with a long march of their own, but Miami’s defense again rose to the challenge as cornerback Ron Lippett picked off quarterback Steve Casey at the goal line. Tech later managed a 32-yard field goal by Dennis Laury to trim the lead to 14-3 at halftime.

On the opening drive of the second half, Casey completed a 42-yard pass to tight end Rob Purdham, which gave Tech a first down at the Miami 14. Six plays later, Lawrence bulled in from a yard out and the Canes’ lead was down to four points.

But Miami would keep the Hokies off the scoreboard from that point forward. On Tech’s remaining five drives of the game, the Hokies mustered just 32 yards, punting four times and turning the ball over on downs on their last drive. Meanwhile, Danny Miller added field goals of 31 and 37 yards to pad UM’s lead.

The Canes won 20-10, their fifth straight win to cap a 9-3 season. Kelly threw for 179 yards and earned Offensive MVP honors. Defensive tackle Jim Burt, who paced UM with nine tackles, was the game’s Defensive MVP.  It was Miami’s first bowl triumph since the 1966 Liberty Bowl against Tech, and the Canes’ first nine-win season since 1950.

The Penn State Nittany Lions rolled into Miami’s Orange Bowl on Halloween as the nation’s top-ranked team, averaging 36.8 points per game behind a potent offense that featured quarterback Todd Blackledge and running back Curt Warner.

Howard Schnellenberger’s Hurricanes were unranked but had been tested, facing three ranked teams in six games. This was the type of big game the Miami head coach envisioned when he took over in Coral Gables. And a nationally televised ABC audience was about to see how far the UM football program had come.

Kicker Brian Franco missed a 51-yard field goal on Penn State’s opening drive, and quarterback Jim Kelly marched the Canes into the red zone. The drive stalled but Danny Miller kicked a 28-yard field goal to give Miami a 3-0 lead. The Canes forced a three-and-out and Miller added a 42-yard field goal to push the lead to six points at the end of the first quarter. Blackledge moved Penn State to the Miami 30, but Franco was short on a 47-yard field goal. Mark Richt subbed for Kelly and completed a screen pass to fullback Chris Hobbs for 35 yards to the PSU 17. But three plays later, cornerback Paul Lankford intercepted Richt and raced 63 yards to the Miami 29. UM’s defense stiffened again, forcing another missed field goal by Franco, this one from just 22 yards out.

Kelly returned under center and promptly threw an 80-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Larry Brodsky, who in the process became the Canes’ all-time receiving yards leader. Miami went for two and converted, and the nation’s top-ranked team found itself down by two touchdowns at halftime.

UM’s defense continued to stymie the Nittany Lions in the third quarter, forcing two punts before safety Fred Marion picked off Blackledge deep in Miami territory. But Hobbs fumbled on the ensuing possession and safety Mark Robinson recovered for Penn State at the UM 40. Seven plays later, Marion broke up a pass on third and goal, forcing another field goal attempt by Franco. He missed for the fourth time, and it was still 14-0. Early in the fourth quarter, running back Jon Williams fumbled deep in Penn State territory and defensive tackle Tony Chickillo recovered for Miami at the Nittany Lions 14. Miller booted a 23-yard field goal to increase the lead to 17-0 with just 11:21 remaining.

Blackledge finally got his team to the end zone, throwing on eight of nine snaps and capping the drive with a 13-yard touchdown toss to tight end Mike McCloskey. The two-point conversion failed. Three plays later, running back Smokey Roan was hit by Robinson, knocking the ball into the arms of Lankford. The Nittany Lions were back in business at the UM 26. Blackledge connected with Williams on a 26-yard screen pass, and this time Penn State converted for two and Miami’s lead was just a field goal.

The Canes managed one first down but had to punt and the Nittany Lions got the ball back at their 26. Blackledge hit Williams for 36 yards, but the running back fumbled on the next snap and Chickillo made his second crucial fumble recovery of the game. Miami burned some clock and punted the ball back to Penn State with 1:55 left on the clock. Two plays later, Blackledge looked for wide receiver Kenny Jackson, but the ball was tipped by linebacker Scott Nicolas and intercepted by Marion. The Canes held on for the win, running their record to 5-2 and posting their first win over a top-ranked team but the celebration was short lived. Four days later, the NCAA put Miami on two years’ probation, which included a bowl ban for the 1981 season.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers arrived in Miami for the 50^th edition of the Orange Bowl prepared for their coronation.

The bulldozing Big 8 champions had constructed one of the most impressive and imposing regular season campaigns in college football history, winning 12 games by an average of 36.5 points per contest, scoring 624 points in the process.

All that stood between the Huskers and head coach Tom Osborne’s first national championship were the Miami Hurricanes, ranked fifth with a 10-1 record but a double-digit underdog in their home stadium.

Earlier in the day, Georgia upset second-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl and UCLA destroyed No. 4 Illinois in the Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, No. 3 Auburn was in a dogfight with eighth-ranked Michigan in the Sugar Bowl. The Canes took the field knowing a win over mighty Nebraska could vault them to the top of the polls.

They came out firing.

After blocking a Nebraska field goal attempt, Miami scored on each of its first three drives, racing out to a 17-0 lead. Quarterback Bernie Kosar completed 6 of his first 10 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Glenn Dennison. The Huskers looked shellshocked.

But they recovered quickly thanks to some sorcery. Quarterback Turner Gill intentionally placed the snap from center on the turf at the Miami 19 and Outland and Lombardi Trophy winner Dean Steinkuhler picked up the ball and rumbled into the end zone. The “fumblerooski” cut the lead to 17-7. Gill scored on a keeper late in the half to trim the lead to 17-14 at intermission.

Nebraska opened the second half with a fumble recovery that led to a field goal to tie the game. But Miami responded, capping a 75-yard march with a one-yard touchdown by running back Alonzo Highsmith to retake the lead 24-17. Meanwhile, word came from New Orleans that Auburn had escaped with a 9-7 over the Wolverines. Did that win impress the voters enough?

Miami’s defense forced a three-and-out and Kosar went back to work, engineering a six-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Albert Bentley’s seven-yard scamper to the end zone. On Nebraska’s next drive, running back Mike Rozier – the Heisman Trophy winner – injured his ankle, exiting the game after amassing 147 rushing yards.

But the Huskers forced consecutive Miami punts, and their offense got back on track early in the fourth quarter, capping a 13-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run by Jeff Smith to cut the deficit back to seven. On the Canes’ next possession Jeff Davis missed a 42-yard field goal, giving Nebraska life with 1:47 remaining.

Gill hit wide receiver Irving Fryar – who would become the first pick in the NFL Draft four months later – for 29 yards into Miami territory. Six plays later Osborne called his final timeout, facing a 4^th and 8 from the Miami 24. Gill ran the option, pitching to Smith, who raced down the right sideline to the end zone with 48 seconds remaining.

Osborne than had a decision to make – kick the extra point or go for the two-point conversion. He chose the latter. Gill dropped back and looked for Smith in the end zone, but Miami safety Kenny Calhoun broke up the pass. Nebraska tried an onsides kick, defensive end Danny Brown recovered and Kosar took a knee. The Canes had pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in college football history.

“Our defense played a super football game,” head coach Howard Schnellenberger said. “Kosar was super. He is only a freshman, but he performed incredibly well. There is no doubt in my mind or in anyone else’s mind in our locker room that the Miami Hurricanes are the No. 1 team in America.”

The Canes would have to wait to find out. The AP and UPI polls were not released until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 3. But when the results came in Miami was a national champion for the first time in program history, a remarkable feat for a program that had posted just two winning seasons in the previous 11 before Schnellenberger took over in 1979.

 

The Orange Bowl triumph was Schnellenberger’s last as Canes head coach as he resigned later that year to head up the USFL’s Spirit of Miami. But he laid the foundation for a college football dynasty.

After leading Miami to an undefeated regular season, quarterback Vinny Testaverde became Miami’s first Heisman Trophy winner.

Testaverde threw for 2,557 yards and 26 touchdowns as the Canes went 11-0 before a Fiesta Bowl loss to Penn State. Testaverde won the Heisman in a landslide over Temple running back Paul Palmer.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Testaverde with the first overall pick of the 1987 NFL Draft. He finished his NFL career with 46,233 passing yards and 275 touchdowns, both among the top eight on the NFL career charts at the time of his retirement. He was elected to the UM Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

 

For 364 days it lingered, the taste of a national championship lost amidst a flurry of turnovers in the desert.

But now another opportunity presented itself. Another No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup. This time it was the Miami Hurricanes who were the underdog. And this time head coach Jimmy Johnson’s team would turn in a dominant performance worthy of a title winner.

After losing to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl the previous season, the Canes entered the 1987 campaign a bit under the radar, ranked only 10^th in the preseason polls. But after destroying Florida and Arkansas to open the season – then rallying to defeat Florida State in Tallahassee – Miami rolled through the regular season, finishing 11-0 and ranked second behind Big 8 champion Oklahoma.

After meeting in the regular season the two years prior (both Canes wins) Miami and Oklahoma would meet in the Orange Bowl for the national championship. And Miami would be facing the nation’s top-ranked rushing attack and a defense that hadn’t allowed more than 14 points all season.

After the Sooners won the coin toss and deferred, the Canes received the kickoff and went right to work. Quarterback Steve Walsh completed a key third down to wide receiver Michael Irvin and on the next play lofted a 30-yard scoring toss to fullback Melvin Bratton to give Miami a 7-0 lead.

The Canes’ defense set the tone early, forcing the Sooners to punt on their first four possessions. But Walsh was picked off in the second quarter and Oklahoma churned out a 15-play, 49-yard touchdown drive just before halftime to knot the game at 7-7.

Miami forced a three-and-out to start the second half and took a 10-7 lead on a 56-yard field goal by Greg Cox. The Sooners again failed to move the chains, and the Canes took over at their own 36. Walsh methodically marched them down the field and, facing a 4^th and 4 from the Oklahoma 29, connected with Bratton on a six-yard completion to keep the drive alive. Three plays later Walsh threw a gorgeous strike to Irvin in the corner of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown and Miami had a 10-point cushion.

The Sooners crossed midfield on the ensuing drive, but safety Selwyn Brown jarred the ball loose from All-America tight end Keith Jackson and linebacker Randy Shannon recovered at the Canes 23. Miami’s defense forced two more three-and-outs before Cox added a 48-yard field goal to pad the lead to 20-7 with just 3:41 remaining.

Oklahoma scrambled back, converting one fourth down on a long pass before Pat Collins hit Jackson on a long halfback option pass to the Canes 29. On the next play the Sooners – like Nebraska in the same stadium four years earlier – converted a “fumblerooski” into a score with Mark Hutson scooping up the loose ball and rumbling into the end zone. Miami’s lead was down to 20-14 with 2:05 remaining.

Oklahoma tried an onsides kick but running back Leonard Conley recovered. The Canes then pinned the Sooners inside their 10-yard line before linebacker Bernard Clark recovered a fumble to seal Miami’s second national championship.

Walsh completed 18 of 30 passes for 209 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Clark led the team with 14 tackles and was named Orange Bowl MVP. Miami held Oklahoma to just 255 yards of total offense.

“We played our way to this championship,” Johnson said. “We have the best record versus anybody in the country. We beat Oklahoma three in a row, Florida State and Notre Dame three in a row, Florida a couple. What is sweetest is that we did it as a team. We lost starters and had other guys come in and played magnificently.”

As a new decade dawned over the mighty Mississippi River, the Miami Hurricanes found themselves in a familiar spot – a New Year’s Day matchup with national title implications.

Miami’s first order of business for the 1990s? Stake their claim as college football’s Team of the 1980s. Beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl – and getting some assistance from Notre Dame back home – would result in the Canes’ third national championship in seven seasons.

And by the time the clocks struck midnight Canes fans were dancing on Bourbon Street.

In its first season under head coach Dennis Erickson, Miami won its first six games before falling to Florida State in Tallahassee. That setback dropped the Canes to seventh in the polls. But after rebounding with three wins Miami had a golden opportunity in its regular season finale. Top-ranked and defending national champion Notre Dame came to town, and the Canes obliterated the Irish 27-10, vaulting back to second in the polls behind Colorado.

Miami earned a Superdome date with the Crimson Tide. The Buffaloes headed to the Orange Bowl to face…Notre Dame. The Canes would need a win, but they would also need a little luck of the Irish to win a national title.

It was a jittery start as both teams punted on their first possession and missed field goals on their second. Quarterback Craig Erickson hit two long passes on Miami’s third drive, marching the Canes down to the Tide’s seven-yard line, where the drive stalled. Carlos Huerta came on to attempt a 25-yard field goal, but Alabama jumped offsides. On the next play running back Stephen McGuire ran for a three-yard touchdown and Miami had the early lead.

The Tide bounced back early in the second quarter, taking advantage of great field possession to tie the game on a four-yard scoring toss from quarterback Gary Hollingsworth to wideout Marco Battle. Erickson responded immediately, connecting with wide receiver Wesley Carroll three times on a five-play drive, the last an 18-yard scoring strike. The extra point was blocked but Miami had a 13-7 lead.

The Canes’ defense forced a three-and-out, but wide receiver Pee Wee Smith fumbled the ensuing punt and Alabama recovered at the Miami 34. The defense held its ground to force a 45-yard field goal that cut the deficit to three points.

The Canes bludgeoned the Tide on their next drive, keeping the ball on the ground for nine straight plays until they reached the end zone on a three-yard run by fullback Alex Johnson. But Alabama again responded as Hollingsworth engineered an 11-play, 80-yard drive just before halftime to cut Miami’s lead to 20-17.

Meanwhile, back at the Orange Bowl, Colorado and Notre Dame were scoreless at halftime before the Irish jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the third quarter.

Miami’s defense forced two three-and-outs to start to second half before the Canes took over at their own 33. Erickson converted a key 3^rd and 11 with a 23-yard pass to wideout Dale Dawkins and ended the drive with an 11-yard scoring strike to tight end Rob Chudzinski. The Canes missed another PAT but had a 26-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

On 3^rd and 4 from the Canes 41, Erickson hit wide receiver Randal Hill on a short throw that the speedy Hill turned into a 46-yard gain. Three plays later Erickson connected with tight end Randy Bethel in the right corner of the end zone. Miami’s lead grew to 16 points.

The Tide managed a late touchdown and two-point conversion to trim the deficit in half but the Canes recovered an onsides kick with 2:53 left and ran out the clock. Miami registered a 33-25 Sugar Bowl victory. Erickson completed 17 of 27 passes for 250 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and the Canes rushed for 240 yards on 50 carries. Defensive tackle Russell Maryland had eight tackles and two sacks for Miami’s defense, which held Alabama to just 38 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame held on for a 21-6 Orange Bowl win over previously unbeaten Colorado.

“I think that we are probably the best football in the nation, but it is now up to the voters to decide who is number one,” Erickson said.

The voters picked the Canes. When the polls were released, Miami had its third national championship.

 

Equal parts dynamic and devastating, the 1991 Miami Hurricanes rolled into the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day as the top team in the nation – and with good reason.

The Canes defeated three Top 10 teams, including then-No. 1 Florida State in Tallahassee in Wide Right I. Miami’s quick strike offense amassed 500-plus yards in five games and produced 22 scoring drives under two minutes. Meanwhile, the Canes led the nation in scoring defense, yielding just 9.1 points per game and allowing two (two!) rushing touchdowns all season.

But out west the Washington Huskies had also put together an undefeated regular season. And as night fell in Miami, the Huskies were putting the finishing touches on a 34-14 win over fourth-ranked Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The Canes took the field knowing that simply defeating No. 11 Nebraska might not be enough to claim a national championship – they would have to dominate.

Did they ever. From start to finish.

Miami kicked off and stopped the Cornhuskers’ return at the 12-yard line. Nebraska managed one yard on three plays and punted. From its own 49, the Canes needed just five plays to score. Quarterback Gino Torretta hit wide receiver Kevin Williams for a 36-yard gain and then hit Williams again on 3^rd and goal for an eight-yard touchdown.

Nebraska was down 7-0. And the way Miami’s defense was playing it may as well have been 70-0.

The Huskers averaged 353.2 rushing yards per game entering the Orange Bowl but hadn’t encountered a defense with the size, speed and tenacity of the Canes.

By the end of the first quarter the Huskers’ total yards matched their number of fumbles (one each). Nebraska finally moved the chains around the six-minute mark of the second quarter, but their one venture into Miami’s side of the field ended with a missed field goal.

Carlos Huerta kicked two 24-yard field goals for the Canes, who built a 13-0 halftime lead.

The Canes took the second half kickoff and marched 66 yards to their second touchdown. Torretta again connected with Williams on receptions on 17 and 12 yards, and running back Larry Jones capped the drive with a one-yard plunge. The ensuing two-point conversion failed but the lead ballooned to 19 points.

Huerta added another field goal – this one a 54-yarder – later in the third quarter while the Miami defense continued to punish the Huskers. Miami forced three more turnovers in the fourth quarter and the Canes chewed up the final 7:43 of the game clock with 14 straight runs, the last a kneel down by Torretta that launched the celebration.

Miami’s defense numbers were staggering. Nebraska finished with 171 total yards, including just 82 rushing yards on 38 carries. The Canes had five sacks and four takeaways. Linebacker Micheal Barrow racked up 10 tackles and defensive end Rusty Medearis had four of the five sacks.

Jones rushed for 144 yards and one score to earn MVP honors. Torretta completed 19 of 41 passes for 257 yards with one touchdown and two picks. Williams caught eight passes for 126 yards and one touchdown. The Canes ran 28 more plays than the Huskers.

“The way we played defense was very gutsy,” head coach Dennis Erickson said. “We played a good football game. We came in here and knew what we had to do and just did it.

“We’re undefeated. I’ve never had that happen before. It’s a tremendous accomplishment for our coaching staff and I’m proud of what the entire team did.”

Erickson had a vote in the Coaches Poll. He said he planned to vote Miami No. 1 and Washington No. 2 and joked that he expected Washington head coach Don James to do the same.

When the polls came out college football had a split national champion for the second straight season. Miami finished first in the AP Poll, earning 32 first-place votes to Washington’s 28. The Huskies stood atop the Coaches Poll with 33 ½ votes to Miami’s 25 ½.

The debate may have lingered but there was no debating that this Miami team was one of the best in school history and plenty worthy of the moniker “1991 National Champions.”

“To win one national championship is amazing,” Erickson said. “For guys to win their second in three years, that hasn’t been accomplished by many. That’s what makes this championship special.”

Gino Torretta became the second Miami quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy after while leading the Canes to an undefeated regular season in 1992.

Torretta was Miami’s starter during their 1991 national championship season and the next season he threw for 3,070 yards and 19 touchdowns to once again lead Miami to an undefeated regular season. He edged out San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk for the Heisman, while also winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Maxwell Trophy and Davey O’Brien Award.

Torretta was inducted into UM Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

The tide had turned when it came to Miami vs. Florida State.

After the Hurricanes dominated the series in the 1980s and early 1990s, the Seminoles had won six of seven games from 1993-99, winning their first two national championships in the process. And they arrived at the Orange Bowl for a sweltering noon kickoff as the nation’s top-ranked team once again.

The seventh-ranked Canes were waiting, knowing they needed a signature performance to show they were back among college football’s elite programs. And they delivered.

Miami got off to an inauspicious start, fumbling the opening kickoff, which gave FSU the ball at the Canes 25. But UM’s defense stuffed the Seminoles on a fourth and one play. Miami punted and linebacker Dan Morgan forced Seminoles cornerback Clevan Thomas to fumble. Wide receiver Andre King recovered at the FSU 47 and the Canes were in business. Quarterback Ken Dorsey capped a seven-play drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass to fullback Najeh Davenport and Miami led 7-0.

Late in the first quarter Dorsey hit wide receiver Santana Moss on a 42-yard pass into FSU territory, which set up a one-yard plunge by D.J. Williams. The Canes had a two-touchdown lead and eventually pushed it to 17-0 when Todd Sievers booted a 31-yard field goal. FSU quarterback Chris Weinke marched the Seminoles all the way to Miami’s two-yard line as the first half wound down, but Morgan picked him off at the goal line. The nation’s leader in total offense had zero points heading to locker room.

It didn’t stay that way for long. Matt Munyon got the Seminoles on the board with an 18-yard field goal on FSU’s opening drive of the second half. The Seminoles forced a punt and then Weinke connected with wide receiver Anquan Boldin on a 48-yard scoring strike and suddenly it was a 17-10 game. Sievers connected on a 37-yard field goal to push Miami’s lead back to 10 as the two teams entered what would become a memorable fourth quarter.

After Munyon missed a 22-yard field goal neither offense could move the ball until FSU took over at its 11-yard line with just 5:22 left. Weinke went to work, completing seven of eight passes on a methodical, 89-yard march that ended with another touchdown pass to Boldin. The Seminoles had cut the lead to 20-17 but there was only 2:07 left on the clock.

FSU needed a huge play from its defense and cornerback Tay Cody delivered, forcing a fumble from Davenport that was recovered by linebacker Brian Allen at the Miami 48. Weinke wasted no time, hitting wide receiver Marvin Minnis for 19 yards and then connecting with wideout Antrews Bell on a deep crossing route for a 26-yard score. FSU had its first lead of the afternoon with just 1:37 remaining.

It was Dorsey’s turn to deliver. He completed four straight passes – two to tight end Jeremy Shockey, one to wide receiver Reggie Wayne and one to Moss – to move the ball to the FSU 27. On 3^rd and 4 Dorsey hit Moss across the middle for a 19-yard gain. The Canes had the ball first goal at the eight-yard line with 50 seconds on the clock.

After a false start pushed Miami back five yards, Dorsey dropped back and looked for Shockey, who had created separation on Allen in the middle of the secondary. Shockey cradled the pass, dove into the end zone and shook the Orange Bowl to its core. Miami had reclaimed the lead 27-24.

But Weinke had time to move the Seminoles into field goal range. His 23-yard pass to running back Travis Minor helped FSU cross midfield. Weinke then hit Minnis at the Canes 32. Cornerback Mike Rumph tackled him inbounds and the Seminoles were forced to use their last timeout with five seconds left.

In came Munyon for a 49-yard attempt to tie. Miami called timeout to ice him, and CBS showed FSU’s wide right misses in 1991 and 1992 during the commercial break. Munyon then hit his kick cleanly…but it sailed wide right. The Canes had their first win over the No. 1 team since their 1991 win in Tallahassee.

“It is a great victory for our club,” head coach Butch Davis said postgame. “It is one we really worked for and wasn’t an accident. We worked for it and earned it.”

Morgan had a highlight-reel performance, racking up 15 tackles to go along with his interception and forced fumble. Moss had 115 receiving yards on seven catches. And Dorsey threw for a career-high 315 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner to Shockey, the backup tight end who was now a household name.

“Every time he came back (to the huddle) he told me he was open,” Dorsey said. “This time I listened to him.”

After getting squeezed out of the 2000 BCS National Championship Game by mere percentage points, the Miami Hurricanes entered the 2001 season determined to dictate their own fate.

 

What followed was a season unlike any other.

Under new head coach Larry Coker – who was elevated from offensive coordinator after Butch Davis departed for the Cleveland Browns — the Canes steamrolled through their schedule, winning 11 games by an average of 33.8 points. They dominated Penn State under the Beaver Stadium lights; humbled Florida State at the Orange Bowl; outscored ranked Syracuse and Washington teams 124-7 in consecutive weeks; and made key defensive stops in wins at Boston College and Virginia Tech.

Miami’s reward was a first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl to face Nebraska in the 2001 BCS National Championship Game. And with a fifth national title in their sights the Canes wouldn’t be denied.

On Miami’s second drive of the night, the Canes marched into Cornhuskers territory but quarterback Ken Dorsey was picked off by cornerback Keyuo Craver. Miami’s defense got the ball right back as linebacker D.J. Williams forced Huskers quarterback Eric Crouch to fumble, and defensive tackle William Joseph recovered at the Nebraska 49.

One play later, the Canes had the lead. Dorsey lofted a pass to a wide-open Andre Johnson, and the wide receiver waltzed into the end zone.

Early in the second quarter, Dorsey connected with Johnson again, this time for a 34-yard gain to the Huskers 39. Two plays later, running back Clinton Portis shook off a few tackles and raced down the right sideline for a 39-yard score and a two-touchdown lead.

On Nebraska’s next possession Crouch looked for tight end Tracey Wistrom down the field but the ball went through the tight end’s hands and right into the welcoming arms of free safety James Lewis, who ran 47 yards untouched into the end zone. After another Huskers punt, Dorsey needed just two throws to pad Miami’s lead, finding Johnson for 45 yards and then tight end Jeremy Shockey coming out of the backfield for a 21-yard touchdown on the next play to make it 27-0.

“They’re making it look easy,” ABC’s Keith Jackson said on the telecast.

The Canes added another touchdown strike from Dorsey to Johnson, this one from eight yards out, with just under four minutes remaining in the half to extend the lead to 34 points. Halftime arrived mercifully for the Huskers, who were outscored 27-0 in the second quarter and outgained by 149 yards. It was the seventh game of the season in which Miami had held its opponent scoreless in the first half.

The second half was a formality. Nebraska added two touchdowns before kicker Todd Sievers tacked on a fourth-quarter field goal to make the final score 37-14. The Canes had won their 22^nd consecutive game and were national champions again, 10 years after their last title.

Dorsey and Johnson were named Rose Bowl Co-MVPs after Dorsey threw for 362 yards and three touchdowns – two to Johnson, who finished with seven receptions for 199 yards. Dorsey’s passing yards and Johnson’s receiving yards both set UM bowl records.

Portis rushed for 104 yards and one score. Miami racked up 472 total yards, while holding Nebraska to just 259. Safety Ed Reed led the Canes with nine stops, while linebacker Jonathan Vilma had eight tackles and three tackles for loss. Crouch, the Heisman Trophy winner, rushed for 114 yards but completed just 5 of 15 passes for 62 yards and the one pick-six.

“We have a tremendous group of men,” Coker said. “I am especially proud of them for the obstacles they have overcome. And to win it decisively makes it special.”

Added Reed: “This team has been through so much. We’ve had a new coach and a new offensive coordinator and last year was the motivator. We didn’t want to go through what we experienced last year. This team is a great team and this is a great feeling.”

History shows that the 2001 Canes might be the best college football team ever assembled.

Three months later, five players were selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft – offensive lineman Bryant McKinnie, Shockey, cornerback Phillip Buchanon, Reed and cornerback Mike Rumph. The following year four more Canes were first-round selections – Johnson, defensive end Jerome McDougle, running back Willis McGahee and Joseph.

In 2024, an astounding six Canes were first-round picks – safety Sean Taylor, tight end Kellen Winslow, Vilma, Williams, offensive lineman Vernon Carey and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. In all, 38 players from the 2001 team were NFL draft picks, including 19 of 22 starters.

But on that Thursday night in Pasadena, all that mattered was the Canes had climbed back to the top of the college football mountain. The fifth-year seniors on the team had endured a 5-6 season in 1997 and had been denied a spot in the title game in 2000. Now they were national champions.

“We didn’t want to be one of the best teams at Miami to not win a national championship,” offensive lineman Joaquin Gonzalez said. “We wanted to be the best team to win a national championship.”

 

he day began on Miami’s sun-splashed campus as ESPN’s College GameDay made its first ever visit to Coral Gables.

It ended near midnight, when Notre Dame’s first visit to Miami in 28 years mercifully came to an end, strewn in tatters by an avalanche of Canes takeaways and buried amidst the roar of a delirious crowd that shook Hard Rock Stadium to its core.

On its second possession, Miami’s offense started to find its footing. Quarterback Malik Rosier completed a 25-yard pass to running back Travis Homer, moving the ball to the Irish 30. Five plays later, Rosier connected with wide receiver Braxton Berrios on a seven-yard touchdown pass and the Canes had a 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing possession, safety Jaquan Johnson picked off Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush to set up the Canes at the Irish 32. Rosier hit wide receiver Jeff Thomas for 16 yards and then scored on a 16-yard rush himself to push UM’s lead to two touchdowns.

Michael Badgley added a 23-yard field goal early in the second quarter to extend the lead. Malek Young intercepted Wimbush deep in Notre Dame territory, which led to another field goal by Badgley to push the lead to 20. In the final minute before halftime, the Irish had a 3^rd and 6 at the Miami 38. Cornerback Trajan Bandy jumped a route, picked off Wimbush and raced 65 yards to the end zone. It was 27-0 and the noise was deafening.

The Canes marched 90 yards on their opening possession of the second half, capping a nine-play drive with a four-yard scoring dive by running back DeeJay Dallas. Notre Dame finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter, but Dallas added another four-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter. The second half was one big party at Hard Rock as Miami rolled to a 41-8 win, running its record to 9-0 and handing the Irish its second loss of the season.

“What a wonderful night for our fans, for our players, every single person who’s a part of this program,” head coach Mark Richt said. “It’s amazing what can happen when everybody works together and just cares about each other, loves each other and just trusts each other enough for everybody to do their job. Just really impressed with our team tonight.”

Rosier completed 15 of 24 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. Homer rushed for 146 yards, averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Overall, Miami rushed for 237 yards and three scores. Miami’s defense racked up five sacks, four takeaways and limited Notre Dame to just 89 yards of total offense in the first half. Johnson paced the team with eight tackles, while defensive end Joe Jackson had five stops and a sack.

“It’s incredible,” Berrios said. “This is why you come to Miami. This is why you play college football.”

The Canes jumped to third in the College Football Playoff rankings after the win. It was Miami’s first win over Notre Dame since 1989.