College Football : It’s Now Official--Miami Is No. 1 Team

The University of Miami, as expected, finished No. 1 in both the Associated Press and United Press International college football polls, it was announced Sunday.

UCLA finished 9th and 11th, respectively, and USC ended up 16th and 17th.

Miami (12-0) defeated previously No. 1-ranked Oklahoma, 20-14, in the Orange Bowl to win its second national championship. The other one came in 1983.

Another Florida school, Florida State, finished second in both polls.

Miami, which had been ranked No. 2, was No. 1 on all 57 ballots in the AP poll and received a perfect score of 1,140 points from a nationwide panel of sports writers and sportscasters. And the Hurricanes were selected No. 1 on all 47 ballots cast by the UPI Board of Coaches.

The Hurricanes, criticized for numerous problems, including the players’ academic ability, earned a $32,000 non-athletic scholarship from the Gerrits Foundation and UPI for an incoming freshman.

Florida State (11-1), which defeated Nebraska, 31-28, in the Fiesta Bowl, moved up from third place to second in both polls.

The Seminoles’ only loss was to Miami, 26-25, on Oct. 3, when a two-point conversion pass in the final minute failed.

“I have never really sat back and thought about that day and regretted what we tried,” Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden said Sunday when informed of his team’s final ranking. “The loss bothers me, but not the progression of events that led to the loss.”

The fact that Florida State kicker Derek Schmidt missed an extra point earlier in the game contributed to Bowden’s decision to go for two points.

Miami started out No. 10 in the AP’s preseason poll and jumped to seventh after defeating Florida, 31-4, on Sept. 5.

The Hurricanes had two weeks off, during which they were ranked sixth and fifth, then moved up to third by crushing Arkansas, 51-7.

They remained No. 3 for eight weeks and climbed to second when Oklahoma defeated Nebraska, 17-7, on Nov. 21.

Miami Coach Jimmy Johnson, asked about his preseason expectations, said: “I expected 11-0 or 12-0. That’s what I expect every time. That may not be realistic, but that’s what I expect.”

Oklahoma (11-1), which had been No. 1 in 14 of the previous 15 polls this season, finished No. 3, and Syracuse (11-0-1) was No. 4. LSU was No. 5 in both polls.

No. 6 Nebraska finished in the top 10 for the 14th straight year. Auburn was No. 7 in both polls and Michigan State was No. 8.