Which was the best Miami team that DIDN"T win the National Championship?

[NorthEastCane]

86 had their chance....81 would've beat Clemson handily "If" they would've played...(and they should have)

I don't doubt that. You could say the same with the 00 team. They didn't get their chance and would have probably been favored over Oklahoma despite their undefeated record.

Unfortunately, we've had too many great teams that didn't win it all.

 

[SWFLHurricane]

I don't doubt that. You could say the same with the 00 team. They didn't get their chance and would have probably been favored over Oklahoma despite their undefeated record.

Unfortunately, we've had too many great teams that didn't win it all.

The 90 team's Defense (statistically) is UMs Best ever....I'm not so sure 86 UM beats 90 UM....If the 90 team comes to play....Good Luck beating them...They completely dismantled a Very Good Texas team...and would have Destroyed Colorado or GT....

 

[SWFLHurricane]

That 1990/91 DL would've had 86's OL pulling their hair out....

 

[ddann]

That 1990/91 DL would've had 86's OL pulling their hair out....

Kind of like what Jerome Brown & friends would've done to the 90/91 OL?

 

[SWFLHurricane]

Kind of like what Jerome Brown & friends would've done to the 90/91 OL?

90/91 were as good, if not Better than 86 DL...

 

[ddann]

90/91 were as good, if not Better than 86 DL...

I'm not saying they weren't. But we were comparing DL vs OL.

 

[SWFLHurricane]

I'm not saying they weren't. But we were comparing DL vs OL.

86 and 90 OL were comparable...But that 90/91 DL under Lubicks tutelage were beyond Savage.

 

[Bennubird]

I haven't read any of the posts beyond OP's original question. I'd say the 1988 team. Loved Steve Welch's game. Still my favorite Cane QB though I have others running a close second.

A few highlights from that season

Of the twelve teams we played that year, six were ranked and four were ranked in the top 10.
We beat four major conference champions that season.
Beat preseason #1 FSU 31-0.
Beat Michigan in the Big House in a game we only played one half - the second in front of 100k crazed Wolverines. Steve Walsh threw for I believe 186 yards in the second half - ice water in his veins. The Wolverines went on to win the Big Ten Championship.
Beat LSU 44-3 at LSU, they split the SEC Championship with Auburn.
Beat a good Arkansas team who went on to win the old Southwest Conference Championship.
And beat Nebraska in the OB, and they won the Big Eight conference that year.

If you include the bowl game, we averaged 35 points per game (34.8) and out scored our opponents 418 to 116.

1	Sep 3, 1988	Sat	(6) Miami (FL)		(1) Florida State	Ind	W	31	0	1	0	0	W 1
2	Sep 17, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)	@	(15) Michigan	Big Ten	W	31	30	2	0	0	W 2
3	Sep 24, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)		Wisconsin	Big Ten	W	23	3	3	0	0	W 3
4	Oct 1, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)		Missouri	Big 8	W	55	0	4	0	0	W 4
5	Oct 15, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)	@	(4) Notre Dame	Ind	L	30	31	4	1	0	L 1
6	Oct 22, 1988	Sat	(4) Miami (FL)		Cincinnati	Ind	W	57	3	5	1	0	W 1
7	Oct 29, 1988	Sat	(4) Miami (FL)	@	East Carolina	Ind	W	31	7	6	1	0	W 2
8	Nov 5, 1988	Sat	(3) Miami (FL)		Tulsa	Ind	W	34	3	7	1	0	W 3
9	Nov 19, 1988	Sat	(3) Miami (FL)	@	(11) LSU	SEC	W	44	3	8	1	0	W 4
10	Nov 26, 1988	Sat	(3) Miami (FL)		(8) Arkansas	SWC	W	18	16	9	1	0	W 5
11	Dec 3, 1988	Sat	(2) Miami (FL)		Brigham Young	WAC	W	41	17	10	1	0	W 6
12	Jan 2, 1989	Mon	(2) Miami (FL)		(6) Nebraska	Big 8	W	23	3	11	1	0	W 7

 

[Deleted member 13422]

Maybe I should have added 2000..for certain; NO more discussion; without ANY doubt ; end of discussion; with absolute certainty; period

Not worth arguing about to me ...they were ALL great teams with very little difference in quality.

Just goes to show how dominant this program has been.

I feel fortunate to have experienced those exceptional heady years and look forward to reliving similar years in the near future.

90 team by the time they played Texas was the best team in the country.

 

[k9cane]

Haven't gone through the whole thread, but I'll say the 1990 team (Claude Jones has told me this was his most frustrating year at UM because he felt this might have been the best team he was a part of at UM) just to add another option

That squad was loaded and somehow lost 2 games( BYU which was inexcusable and then Notre Dame, which was gut-wrenching given the series was ending) and if they only lose 1 regular season game, IMO,, they are probably playing for the national title in the bowl season

That squad had Craig Erickson, McGuire, Wesley Carroll, Lamar Thomas, Randall Hill, Chud, McGuire, Conley, Searcy, Cristobal Bros, Russell Maryland, Ryan McNeil, Rusty, Curry(RIP), Darryl Williams, young Bermuda Triangle in training with Mo Crum anchoring things at backer, Robert Bailey and 'Mr Automatic' Huerta, just off the top of my list

That team in my view was the best in the country and thrashed a top five Texas team in Dallas 46-3. This is another Canes team that if there was a playoff would've won it all. But I do think the momentum from that game helped propel Miami to the 91 national title

 

[k9cane]

I haven't read any of the posts beyond OP's original question. I'd say the 1988 team. Loved Steve Welch's game. Still my favorite Cane QB though I have others running a close second.

A few highlights from that season

Of the twelve teams we played that year, six were ranked and four were ranked in the top 10.
We beat four major conference champions that season.
Beat preseason #1 FSU 31-0.
Beat Michigan in the Big House in a game we only played one half - the second in front of 100k crazed Wolverines. Steve Walsh threw for I believe 186 yards in the second half - ice water in his veins. The Wolverines went on to win the Big Ten Championship.
Beat LSU 44-3 at LSU, they split the SEC Championship with Auburn.
Beat a good Arkansas team who went on to win the old Southwest Conference Championship.
And beat Nebraska in the OB, and they won the Big Eight conference that year.

If you include the bowl game, we averaged 35 points per game (34.8) and out scored our opponents 418 to 116.

1	Sep 3, 1988	Sat	(6) Miami (FL)		(1) Florida State	Ind	W	31	0	1	0	0	W 1
2	Sep 17, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)	@	(15) Michigan	Big Ten	W	31	30	2	0	0	W 2
3	Sep 24, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)		Wisconsin	Big Ten	W	23	3	3	0	0	W 3
4	Oct 1, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)		Missouri	Big 8	W	55	0	4	0	0	W 4
5	Oct 15, 1988	Sat	(1) Miami (FL)	@	(4) Notre Dame	Ind	L	30	31	4	1	0	L 1
6	Oct 22, 1988	Sat	(4) Miami (FL)		Cincinnati	Ind	W	57	3	5	1	0	W 1
7	Oct 29, 1988	Sat	(4) Miami (FL)	@	East Carolina	Ind	W	31	7	6	1	0	W 2
8	Nov 5, 1988	Sat	(3) Miami (FL)		Tulsa	Ind	W	34	3	7	1	0	W 3
9	Nov 19, 1988	Sat	(3) Miami (FL)	@	(11) LSU	SEC	W	44	3	8	1	0	W 4
10	Nov 26, 1988	Sat	(3) Miami (FL)		(8) Arkansas	SWC	W	18	16	9	1	0	W 5
11	Dec 3, 1988	Sat	(2) Miami (FL)		Brigham Young	WAC	W	41	17	10	1	0	W 6
12	Jan 2, 1989	Mon	(2) Miami (FL)		(6) Nebraska	Big 8	W	23	3	11	1	0	W 7

Loved that team, in my view Jimmy's best coaching job, taking a team in a bit of transition(which lost a TON of NFL blue-chips from the previous two years) and loading up for a great 89-92 run(with Erickson being the beneficiary of loaded recruiting classes) and piecing together this incredible season versus a very tough schedule. For that 'other' site, I wrote a story about about that team and season....

I still think JJ should've settled for the tie in South Bend and set up a possible rematch in the bowl game. In my view, Miami came in ranked #1 and wouldn't have lost that status with a tie on the road versus that very good Irish squad

 

[k9cane]

Probably the most underutilized stable of talent, especially by the NFL Draft. This was the year that should have handed caretaker Larry a big check to retire someplace nice.

LOL, there was a groundswell of people that wanted Coker gone sooner rather than later, right around this time

 

[simplycanes]

LOL, there was a groundswell of people that wanted Coker gone sooner rather than later, right around this time

There was a clear pattern of success that formed with his three predecessors in that they all ascended to the next level. It was readily apparent who and what we were dealing with that year, and it wasn't headed anywhere good. It apparently wasn't bad enough 2 years later when we got shellacked in the Peach Bowl. That groundswell became a typhoon, yet UM still let it go another year.

 

[k9cane]

There was a clear pattern of success that formed with his three predecessors in that they all ascended to the next level. It was readily apparent who and what we were dealing with that year, and it wasn't headed anywhere good. It apparently wasn't bad enough 2 years later when we got shellacked in the Peach Bowl. That groundswell became a typhoon, yet UM still let it go another year.

on your point, I can't recall another coach who won a national title, and then couldn't get another gig for a few years, the way Coker did. Those in the know weren't swayed by..... wait for it, wait for it... hold on here it comes.... 53-9!!! lulz

 

[simplycanes]

on your point, I can't recall another coach who won a national title, and then couldn't get another gig for a few years, the way Coker did. Those in the know weren't swayed by..... wait for it, wait for it... hold on here it comes.... 53-9!!! lulz

I think you should write a book titled, "53-9: The blessing and the curse of Larry Coker."

 

[k9cane]

I think you should write a book titled, "53-9: The blessing and the curse of Larry Coker."

Dont want to derail this thread, but I never understood why so many UM fans were opposed to Barry Alvarez taking over. That guy was a quality coach, much better than Coker, and they essentially played the same style of football offensively. IMO, UM would've been better off in the long run with him at the helm. OK, Im done on this subject, promise

 

[NJshoreCane]

Any options outside of ‘86, 2000, and 2002? I’d probably put them in that order.

Vinny threw that game, no one will ever convince me otherwise.

I'll take '88.
We beat 5 top-15 teams that year including a #1.

Our only lohh...our only luhhh...
Well, you know what happened up in South Bend.

 

[Bennubird]

Loved that team, in my view Jimmy's best coaching job, taking a team in a bit of transition(which lost a TON of NFL blue-chips from the previous two years) and loading up for a great 89-92 run(with Erickson being the beneficiary of loaded recruiting classes) and piecing together this incredible season versus a very tough schedule. For that 'other' site, I wrote a story about about that team and season....

I still think JJ should've settled for the tie in South Bend and set up a possible rematch in the bowl game. In my view, Miami came in ranked #1 and wouldn't have lost that status with a tie on the road versus that very good Irish squad

Yeah, Jim did that staff did a great job. The way we opened the season set the tone for the reminder of the season. I have friends who weren't Canes, but they admired that team. I remember being at home at my mother's house for the Michigan game. I went to eat dinner at the half, and "my best friend told me it looks like your boys going to take an L." I don't recall saying anything back, but I just remember his face when we went back downstairs and saw how those mighty Canes were bringing it in the second half. Pretty sure Jimmy unloaded on them at half time.

I was fine with him going for two. Jimmy was being true to who he was and who we were at that time. I don't think pollsters would have voted us #1 with that game as a tie on our record. We were more hated then than we are now. It would have seemed like a ND victory because that's what everyone who was not a Cane wanted. But for the goal line, the kingdom was lost.

You should share a link to the article or post excerpts to it. I'd love to read.

 

[5Rings&an Asterisk]

The 86 team dominated PSU but lost ironically because our Heisman QB probably had the worst game of his career. Certainly his worse as a collegian and maybe ever.

If we play that game again 20 times we win 19 of them. We were like -5 or whatever it was turnover margin that game and still almost won.

90 team by the time they played Texas was the best team in the country.

We let San Diego State hang around and almost beat us.

 

[5Rings&an Asterisk]

I still think JJ should've settled for the tie in South Bend and set up a possible rematch in the bowl game. In my view, Miami came in ranked #1 and wouldn't have lost that status with a tie on the road versus that very good Irish squad

I agree with Jimmy. Go for the win and live with the result. We're the defending champs. If we have to pussyfoot around like that, then we don't deserve it