Miami–Nebraska football rivalry
| Sport | Football |
|---|---|
| First meeting | November 30, 1951 Miami, 19–7 |
| Latest meeting | September 19, 2015 Miami, 36–33OT |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 12 |
| All-time series | Tied, 6–6[1] |
| Largest victory | Miami, 37–14 (2002) |
| Longest win streak | Nebraska, 4 (1953–1976) |
| Current win streak | Miami, 1 (2015–present) |
The Miami–Nebraska football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Miami Hurricanes and Nebraska Cornhuskers. Though infrequently contested, the teams have met in several high-profile games, including four Orange Bowls and three national championship games.[2]
History
The teams first met in Miami in 1951, a 19–7 Hurricanes victory, and played again two years later in Lincoln. Nebraska won its first bowl game against the Hurricanes in the 1962 Gotham Bowl, a narrow NU victory on a frigid day in New York City.[3] Miami hired former Cornhuskers offensive assistant Carl Selmer as its head coach in 1975, who brought his team to Lincoln in both of his seasons.[4]
A resurgent Miami program led by Howard Schnellenberger met top-ranked Nebraska in the 1984 Orange Bowl. NU fell behind 17–0 in the second quarter before converting a fumblerooski, a trick play which had quarterback Turner Gill set the ball on the ground to be picked up.[5] Miami led for the entire game until Nebraska scored with less than a minute remaining to bring its deficit to a single point. Instead of kicking an extra point to tie the game (likely resulting in Nebraska being voted national champion), Tom Osborne elected to go for two and the outright win. Gill's conversion pass fell incomplete, and the next day Miami leaped four other teams to win its first national championship, establishing a dynasty that lasted for a decade.[5] It is often considered one of the best games in college football history.[6][7]
Miami beat Nebraska in two more Orange Bowl games over the following decade, claiming another national title in 1991. The teams met again in the 1995 Orange Bowl, the third Bowl Coalition-designated national championship. Nebraska, rotating between injured starting quarterback Tommie Frazier and backup Brook Berringer, slowly wore down a strong Miami defensive front.[8] The Cornhuskers used a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to win 24–17, giving Osborne his first consensus national title as a head coach.[8] Seven years later, Miami and Nebraska played in the 2002 BCS National Championship Game, a convincing Hurricanes victory.[9]
The rivalry was renewed in 2014, a 41–31 Nebraska win in front of the largest football crowd in Memorial Stadium history.[10] The following year, Miami fended off a frantic Cornhuskers rally, winning 36–33 in overtime.[11] No future games are scheduled.
Game results
| Miami victories | Nebraska victories |
| No. | Date | Location | Winning team | Losing team | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 30, 1951 | Miami | Miami | 19 | Nebraska | 7 | ||
| 2 | October 17, 1953 | Lincoln | Nebraska | 20 | Miami | 16 | ||
| 3 | December 15, 1962 | New York City | Nebraska | 36 | Miami | 34 | ||
| 4 | October 4, 1975 | Lincoln | #4 Nebraska | 31 | Miami | 16 | ||
| 5 | October 2, 1976 | Lincoln | #5 Nebraska | 17 | Miami | 9 | ||
| 6 | January 2, 1984 | Miami | #5 Miami | 31 | #1 Nebraska | 30 | ||
| 7 | January 2, 1989 | Miami | #2 Miami | 23 | #6 Nebraska | 3 | ||
| 8 | January 1, 1992 | Miami | #1 Miami | 22 | #11 Nebraska | 0 | ||
| 9 | January 1, 1995 | Miami | #1 Nebraska | 24 | #3 Miami | 17 | ||
| 10 | January 3, 2002 | Pasadena | #1 Miami | 37 | #4 Nebraska | 14 | ||
| 11 | September 20, 2014 | Lincoln | #24 Nebraska | 41 | Miami | 31 | ||
| 12 | September 19, 2015 | Miami Gardens | Miami | 36 | Nebraska | 33OT | ||
| Series: Tied 6–6[1] | ||||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b "Winsipedia – Miami (FL) Hurricanes vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers football series history". Winsipedia.
- ^ "Well-done rivalry: Miami, Nebraska clash for titles". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. January 4, 2002. p. 1. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Christian Horn (September 10, 2020). "NU Flashback: 1962 Huskers earn first bowl win in Devaney's debut season". The Daily Nebraskan. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
- ^ "Huskers rally past 'Canes in fourth quarter". HuskerMax. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ a b "What If ... Nebraska's 2-Point Conversion In The 1984 Orange Bowl Is Successful?". ESPN. July 5, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
- ^ Evan Scott Schwartz (September 16, 2014). "Intense Miami-Nebraska rivalry dates back to epic 1984 Orange Bowl". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ "The 150 greatest games in college football's 150-year history". ESPN. November 4, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ a b Bill Connelly (June 28, 2017). "Game of the Year of the Day, 1994: Nebraska 24, Miami 17". Football Study Hall. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
- ^ Christina De Nicola (September 18, 2014). "Miami, Nebraska rivalry produces some of the greatest times in 'Canes football history". Fox Sports. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Tim Reynolds (September 18, 2015). "Nebraska and Miami Meet Again, Renewing Classic Rivalry". Associated Press. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Paul Myerberg; George Schroeder; Daniel Uthman (September 18, 2015). "Around the nation: Mike Riley understands Nebraska-Miami rivalry". USA Today Sports. Retrieved October 3, 2016.