1993 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned National Champions, but not without controversy.

Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl. In theory this should have produced a clear champion, however then #2 Notre Dame had beaten then #1 Florida State 31-24 during the regular season, in a game known by many as the "Game of the Century". This much hyped clash between #1 and #2 was the site of the first ever "live" broadcast of the ESPN "College GameDay" show and did not fail to live up to expectations as the Irish batted down a Charlie Ward pass in the end zone with three seconds left to play. Though Notre Dames title chances ended when they lost to #17 Boston College. Further controversy surrounded the inclusion of one-loss Florida State in the national title game over undefeated West Virginia University, who was ranked #2 (ahead of Florida State) by the final regular season coaches' poll. Further complicating the issue was that Auburn University finished the regular season as the only undefeated team, but was on probation and ineligible for postseason play.

Despite beating Florida State in the regular season and finishing the year with the same record as the Seminoles, Notre Dame finished #2 in both major polls.

Florida State's Charlie Ward threw for 3,032 yards, completed 70 percent of his passes and became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy and the national championship in the same season since Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett in 1976.

Penn State also played their first year as a member of the Big Ten.

Another Big West member and Cal State school dropped football, this time Cal State Fullerton. The league picked up four other teams; Southwest Louisiana (later Louisiana-Lafayette) and Arkansas State which had just made the jump to Division IA, and former independents Northern Illinois and Louisiana Tech.

The Alamo Bowl played its inaugural game.

The Sunshine Classic was no longer sponsored by Blockbuster Entertainment, and was now known as the Carquest Bowl.

Final Conference Standings

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#1 and #2 Progress

Florida State's Seminoles were the unanimous choice for #1 beginning with the October 19 poll and the three after that, receiving all 62 votes. After Notre Dame's 31-24 defeat of Florida State on November 13, Notre Dame got all 62 first place votes in the next poll.

Bowl Games

*Rose Bowl: #9 Wisconsin 21, #14 UCLA 16
*Sugar Bowl: #8 Florida 41, #3 West Virginia 7
*Orange Bowl: #1 Florida State 18, #2 Nebraska 16
*Cotton Bowl: #4 Notre Dame 24, #7 Texas A&M 21
*Fiesta Bowl: #16 Arizona 29, #10 Miami 0
*Peach Bowl: #24 Clemson 14, Kentucky 13
*Florida Citrus Bowl: #13 Penn State 31, #6 Tennessee 13
*Hall of Fame Bowl: #23 Michigan 42, NC State 7
*Carquest Bowl: #15 Boston College 31, Virginia 13
*John Hancock Bowl: #19 Oklahoma 41, Texas Tech 10
*Gator Bowl: #18 Alabama 24, #12 North Carolina 10
*Copper Bowl: #20 Kansas State 52, Wyoming 17
*Alamo Bowl: California 37, Iowa 3
*Holiday Bowl: #11 Ohio State 28, BYU 21
*Freedom Bowl: USC 28, Utah 21
*Liberty Bowl: #25 Louisville 18, Michigan State 7
*Aloha Bowl: #17 Colorado 41, #25 Fresno St 30
*Independence Bowl: #22 Virginia Tech 45, #21 Indiana 20
*Las Vegas Bowl: Utah State 42, Ball State 33

Final AP Poll

#Florida State
#Notre Dame
#Nebraska
#Auburn
#Florida
#Wisconsin
#West Virginia
#Penn State
#Texas A&M
#Arizona
#Ohio State
#Tennessee
#Boston College
#Alabama
#Miami-FL
#Colorado
#Oklahoma
#UCLA
#North Carolina
#Kansas State
#Michigan
#Virginia Tech
#Clemson
#Louisville
#California

Final Coaches Poll

# Florida St.
# Notre Dame (IN)
# Nebraska
# Florida
# Wisconsin
# West Virginia
# Penn St.
# Texas A&M
# Arizona
# Ohio St.
# Tennessee
# Boston College (MA)
# Alabama
# Oklahoma
# Miami (FL)
# Colorado
# UCLA
# Kansas St.
# Michigan
# Virginia Tech
# North Carolina
# Clemson (SC)
# Louisville (KY)
# California
# Southern California

Heisman Trophy Voting

"The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is given to the Most Outstanding Player of the year"

Winner: Charlie Ward, Florida State, Quarterback (2310 votes)
*2. Heath Shuler, Tennessee, Jr.. QB (668 votes)
*3. David Palmer, Alabama, Jr. WR (292 votes)
*4. Marshall Faulk, San Diego State, Jr. RB (250 votes)
*5. Glenn Foley, Boston College, Sr. QB (180 votes)

Other Major Awards

*Maxwell Award (College Player of the Year) - Charlie Ward, Florida State
*Walter Camp Award (Back) - Charlie Ward, Florida State
*Davey O'Brien Award (Quarterback) - Charlie Ward, Florida State
*Doak Walker Award (Running Back) - Byron "Bam" Morris, Texas Tech
*Dick Butkus Award (Linebacker) - Trev Alberts, Nebraska
*Lombardi Award (Lineman or Linebacker) - Aaron Taylor, Notre Dame
*Outland Trophy (Interior Lineman) - Rob Waldrop, NG, Arizona
*Jim Thorpe Award (Defensive Back) - Antonio Langham, Alabama
*AFCA Coach of the Year - Terry Bowden, Auburn
*FWAA Coach of the Year - Terry Bowden, Auburn