Hurricanes Voted No. 1

L.A. Times Archives

Jan. 2, 1990 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Miami, college football’s team of the 1980s, started the new decade today with its third national championship in seven years.

The Hurricanes jumped from No. 2 to No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll after their 33-25 victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and Notre Dame’s 21-6 win over top-ranked Colorado in the Orange Bowl.

Notre Dame rose from No. 4 to No. 2, and Colorado fell to fourth in voting by a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

Miami, which handed Notre Dame its only loss in 13 games, received 39 first-place votes and 1,474 points after finishing 11-1. Notre Dame got 19 first-place votes and 1,452 points. The other two first-place votes went to No. 3 Florida State, the only team to beat Miami this season.

The 22-point margin was the second closest since the AP began its postseason poll in 1968. Brigham Young edged Washington by 20 points at the end of the 1984 season.

Miami Coach Dennis Erickson said voters made the right choice.

“There is no doubt in my mind that we’re the best team in the country,” Erickson said. “Regardless of what anyone else says, we’re No. 1.”

Notre Dame Coach Lou Holtz said he is disappointed that the Irish did not repeat as national champions.

“You can justify why Miami won it. What you can’t justify is why we didn’t,” he said. “We played the toughest schedule, we had the best record, we were No. 1 every week but one and came back to beat No. 1 quite decisively.”

Erickson said the close vote will increase calls for a playoff system to determine the national champion.

“No question about it,” he said. “The debate is going to go on until there is one. I really believe down the road there will be a playoff system.”

Erickson, who replaced Jimmy Johnson last March, is the first coach to win the national championship in his first year at a school since Bennie Oosterbaan did it at Michigan in 1948.

Florida State, which won 10 straight games after starting the season with two losses, moved up two spots after routing Nebraska 41-17 in the Fiesta Bowl. Michigan, which entered the Rose Bowl with an outside shot at the national title, dropped from third to seventh after losing 17-10 to USC.

It is the 12th time since the AP started its poll in 1936 that the national champion had one loss. Miami won its first title in 1983 with an 11-1 record and went 12-0 to capture another crown in 1987.

Before Miami, the last five teams to win the national championship with one loss did so by defeating the top-ranked team in a bowl game. But Notre Dame’s win over Colorado was not enough to boost the Irish to the top because of their loss to Miami.

Tennessee, which beat Arkansas 31-27 in the Cotton Bowl, finished fifth in the final poll. Rounding out the Top 10 were Auburn, Michigan, USC, Alabama and Illinois.

Nebraska was 11th, followed by Clemson, Arkansas, Houston, Penn State, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Texas Tech, Texas A&M;, West Virginia, Brigham Young, Washington, Ohio State and Arizona.

THE FINAL TOP 25

The final top 25 teams in the AP college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses.

1. Miami, Fla. (39) 11-1-0

2. Notre Dame (19) 12-1-0

3. Florida St. (2) 10-2-0

4. Colorado 11-1-0

5. Tennessee 11-1-0

6. Auburn 10-2-0

7. Michigan 10-2-0

8. USC 9-2-1

9. Alabama 10-2-0

10. Illinois 10-2-0