- 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season
The
1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll.The Hurricanes sported a 22-0 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl and a victory over preseason #1 and perennial rival Florida State. The last game ended with the FSU
place kicker missing a field goal wide right, which would become a theme in the Miami-FSU rivalry, this game later taking on the moniker Wide Right I.The Huskies could claim an early season victory over #9 Nebraska, a second straight Pac 10 championship and a 20 point victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
The Florida Gators captured their first SEC title in school history in dominating fashion. Alabama finished second in the SEC in 1991 with an 11-1 record, but even they were annihilated 35-0 by
Steve Spurrier and his Gators.The SEC would expand from 10 to 12 members, adding the Arkansas Razorbacks from the SWC and South Carolina from the independent ranks in football and the
Metro Conference in other sports. The two schools, however, would not begin SEC play until the 1992 season.Independent Florida State joined the ACC. Known as a basketball conference, the ACC would never be the same. Dominant from the moment they joined, Florida State would go undefeated in conference play for years and win the conference title every year left in the 90s.
The
Big East began to sponsor football, adding powerhouse Miami as well as other independents, though conference play wasn't yet fully integrated and standings weren't kept.The
All-American Bowl played atLegion Field inBirmingham, Alabama was discontinued as Birmingham officials prepared to host the SEC title game, which would begin in1992 .Conference Standings
"W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, Conf. = Conference Record"
#1 and #2 Progress
In the preseason poll, the Florida State Seminoles were #1 with 54 of the 59 votes cast, Michigan was 2nd, and Miami 3rd. As of the September 10 poll, Florida State remained the overwhelming choice for #1 and Miami reached #2. Those two Sunshine State teams would continue to be 1 and 2 as their November 16 meeting approached (the Florida Gators generally hovered between 5th and 6th place during that same period). On November 16 in Tallahassee, the long awaited #1 and #2 showdown had the 10-0-0 Seminoles hosting the 8-0-0 Hurricanes. Visiting Miami won, 17-16 to take the top spot. The Washington Huskies, who would finish their regular season at 11-0-0, took over the #2 spot in the final two polls of the regular season.
Bowl Games
*Rose Bowl: #2 Washington 34, #4 Michigan 14
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*Cotton Bowl: #5 Florida State 10, #9 Texas A&M 2
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*Florida Citrus Bowl: #14 California 37, #13 Clemson 13
*Orange Bowl: #1 Miami 22, #11 Nebraska 0
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*John Hancock Bowl: #22 UCLA 6, Illinois 3
*Copper Bowl: Indiana 24, Baylor 0
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*Peach Bowl: #12 East Carolina 37, #21 N.C. State 34
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*Aloha Bowl: Georgia Tech 18, #17 Stanford 17
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Final AP Poll
#Miami-FL
#Washington
#Penn St.
#Florida St.
#Alabama
#Michigan
#Florida
#California
#East Carolina
#Iowa
#Syracuse
#Texas A&M
#Notre Dame
#Tennessee
#Nebraska
#Oklahoma
#Georgia
#Clemson
#UCLA
#Colorado
Final Coaches Poll
# Washington
# Miami (FL)
# Penn St.
# Florida St.
# Alabama
# Michigan
# California
# Florida
# East Carolina (NC)
# Iowa
# Syracuse (NY)
# Notre Dame (IN)
# Texas A&M
# Oklahoma
# Tennessee
# Nebraska
# Clemson (SC)
# UCLA
# Georgia
# Colorado
# Tulsa (OK)
# Stanford (CA)
# Brigham Young (UT)
# Air Force (CO)
# North Carolina St.
Heisman Trophy Voting
"The Heisman is given to the Most Outstanding Player of the year"
Winner:
*2.
*3.
*4.
*5.
Other Major Awards
*Maxwell (MVP) -
*Camp (Back) - Desmond Howard, Michigan
*Butkus (Linebacker) -
*Lombardi (Lineman) -
*Outland (Interior) - Steve Emtman, Washington
*AFCA Coach of the Year - Bill Lewis, East Carolina
*FWAA Coach of the Year -
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