10 best bowl games in the history of college football

2. 1984 Orange Bowl – Nebraska vs. Miami

Nebraska entered the 84’ Orange bowl as big favorites having dominated most of their competition and was ranked number one wire to wire. They averaged 50.2 points per game and with a win would ensure themselves at least a share of the national title and a case for the greatest team ever. Miami wasn’t ranked to start the season and was killed by Florida 28-3 in week one, but reeled off ten straight wins.

Miami was a good story, but it was their first season with double-digit wins program history, so there was little belief they were ready to beat a team like Nebraska. That was certainly not the case as Miami jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Looking lifeless on offense, Tom Osbourne went into his bag of trick in the second quarter with the famous fumblerooski to get the Cornhuskers on the scoreboard. However, Miami did not let that faze them as they outscore Nebraska 14-3 in the third quarter to take a 31-17 lead in the fourth.

Nebraska proved their mental toughness roaring back again in the fourth without their Heisman trophy winning running Mike Rozier, who got hurt the third quarter. The Huskers scored on fourth and eight with 48 seconds left to cut it to 31-30, and instead of tying it (because there was no overtime) and leaving their title fate to voters, Osbourne decided to go for two and the win.

Unfortunately, his gamble did not pan out because Miami’s Ken Calhoun deflected the pass intended for Jeff Smith to end the game. Nebraska and Osbourne would have to wait another 11 years for his first national title, while this game gave birth the “The U” down in Miami.