NOTRE DAME VS. MIAMI : This Time Fight Should Stay on the Field

The Miami Hurricanes have been ordered not to taunt, and Notre Dame has been warned not to brawl. So, Saturday night’s action at the Orange Bowl may be limited to tackles and touchdowns.

Few complaints are likely, since the showdown between the top-ranked Fighting Irish (11-0) and seventh-ranked Miami (9-1) is one of the year’s biggest games. The Hurricanes view it as a rematch; they lost at South Bend, Ind., last year, 31-30, and that was the margin by which Notre Dame won the national championship.

The rivalry is heated, partly because the teams have contrasting reputations.

“It’s the Miami Vice image against the Pope image,” Hurricanes tackle Mike Sullivan said.

“Convicts versus Catholics,” Miami safety Charles Pharms said. “Pure, wholesome young men against these vile, nasty boys that should be in prison. I dislike that. But that’s part of the thing that keeps us fired up for this game.”

The teams fought in a stadium tunnel before last year’s game.

In 1987, eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown of Notre Dame complained about the Hurricanes’ taunting after they won 24-0. In 1985, the Irish accused Miami of running up the score after a 58-7 loss.

Last spring, the head coaches and athletic directors from both schools met to soothe resentment.

“When you get two great teams together, sometimes tempers flare,” Miami first-year Coach Dennis Erickson said.

“Everybody was concerned about what happened, but that’s over and done with. What’s important is playing the game itself. I don’t think there’ll be a confrontation.”

Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz agreed.

“I’m not the least bit concerned,” Holtz said. “I don’t think we have any bitter feelings toward Miami. . . . This is the rivalry right now that kind of excites us, because we’ve had some degree of success, and Miami has had tremendous success.”

After Notre Dame engaged in another tunnel fight before this fall’s game at home against Southern Cal, Holtz said he’ll resign if it happens again.

Erickson, meanwhile, has issued orders against taunting and gloating. Such behavior has been as much a part of Miami football as great quarterbacks, and Notre Dame guard Tim Grunhard expects it to continue.

“Miami will try to intimidate; that’s the way they play football,” he said. “If they’re pointing fingers and that kind of thing, I’ll look them in the eyeand say, ‘Hey, I’ll see you next play.’

“Notre Dame isn’t going to be intimidated. We’ve won 23 games in a row. We’re a powerhouse now.”

And the Fighting Irish respect Miami as a powerhouse, too, Grunhard said.

“I don’t think the players see the game as good versus evil. I think we see it as the two powers in this part of the decade clashing.”

That it is. While Notre Dame has the nation’s longest winning streak, the Hurricanes have won 32 of their past 34 games, and 31 in a row at home.

The Fighting Irish have Heisman Trophy contender Tony Rice at quarterback; Miami has the nation’s top defense. The Hurricanes, bound for a Sugar Bowl date where they’ll likely play unbeaten Alabama, remain in contention to finish No. 1. Notre Dame, bound for an Orange Bowl berth against No. 2 Colorado, is the front-runner in the national championship race.

“We’re like being in the Final Four in basketball,” Holtz said. “We’ve come down to the last two games. We’ve come a long way, but we’ve got a long way to go.”