The 1984 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami as an independent during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Hurricanes' 59th season of football. The Hurricanes were led by first-year head coach Jimmy Johnson and played their home games at the Orange Bowl. They finished the season 8–5 overall. They were invited to the Fiesta Bowl where they lost to UCLA, 39–37.
The Hurricanes were the defending national champions from the 1983 college football season. Having defeated number one ranked Auburn, and then Florida, they rose to be ranked number one before their game at Michigan. They remained in the top ten after that loss. They lost again to Florida State. They beat a ranked Notre Dame team in South Bend to return to the top 10. The Hurricanes earned three more wins, but then suffered two of the most notable losses in college football history.
On November 10, at the Miami Orange Bowl, Maryland defeated the Hurricanes with the largest comeback in college football history. Down 31–0 at halftime, Frank Reich, who had been injured, came off the bench and led the comeback. At the start of the third quarter, Reich led the Terrapins on multiple scoring drives. Three touchdowns in the third quarter and a fourth at the start of the final quarter turned what was a blowout into a close game. Maryland completed a 42–9 second half, and won 42–40.This comeback from 31 points down has since been exceeded by the Michigan State Spartans' 41–38 comeback win in 2006 over the Northwestern Wildcats during which Michigan State trailed 38–3 in the third quarter.
Two weeks later at the Orange Bowl stadium, the Hurricanes faced the Boston College Eagles in a nationally televised game that has become known as "Hail Flutie". It has been regarded by FOX Sports writer Kevin Hench as among the most memorable moments in sports. The game is most notable for a last-second Hail Mary pass from quarterback Doug Flutie to wide receiver Gerard Phelan to give Boston College the win.
Schedule
Game summaries Auburn
Bernie Kosar 21/38, 329 Yds, 2 TD Alonzo Highsmith 21 Rush, 140 Yds Eddie Brown 8, Rec 157 Yds Ocala Star-Banner. "Miami Charge Drops Auburn." 1984 Aug 28. Retrieved 2018-Sep-19. Eugene Register-Guard. 1984 Aug 28. Retrieved 2018-Sep-19.
Florida
Bernie Kosar 25/33, 300 Yds Willie Smith 11 Rec, 152 Yds College Football Belt . Retrieved 2014-Dec-24.
Michigan
Gainesville Sun. 1984 Sep 9. Retrieved 2018-Sep-23.
Purdue
Gainesville Sun. 1984 Sep 16. Retrieved 2018-Sep-29.
Florida State
Rice
Notre Dame
Gainesville Sun. 1984 Oct 7.
At Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Louisville
Kosar 22/36, 330 Yds Highsmith 18 Rush, 100 Yds Smith 10 Rec, 124 Yds Brown 5 Rec, 113 Yds Gainesville Sun. 1984 Nov 04. Retrieved 2018-Nov-16.
Maryland
Boston College
UCLA (Fiesta Bowl)
Roster PlayerClassPosSummaryBernie Kosar*QB262 Cmp, 416 Att, 3642 Yds, 25 TDVinny TestaverdeQB17 Cmp, 34 Att, 184 Yds, 0 TDAlonzo Highsmith*RB146 Att, 906 Yds, 6.2 AvgDarryl Oliver*RB92 Att, 407 Yds, 4.4 AvgMelvin BrattonRB49 Att, 279 Yds, 5.7 AvgWarren WilliamsRB29 Att, 140 Yds, 4.8 AvgSteve StaffierRB9 Att, 48 Yds, 5.3 AvgTodd StanishRB9 Att, 28 Yds, 3.1 AvgEric HamRB8 Att, 11 Yds, 1.4 AvgEddie Brown*WR59 Rec, 1114 Yds, 18.9 AvgStanley Shakespeare*WR38 Rec, 621 Yds, 16.3 AvgDavid KintighWR4 Rec, 62 Yds, 15.5 AvgBrian BladesWR3 Rec, 50 Yds, 16.7 AvgKenny OliverWR1 Rec, 17 Yds, 17.0 AvgWillie Smith*TE66 Rec, 852 Yds, 12.9 AvgAlfredo RobertsTE5 Rec, 50 Yds, 10.0 AvgCharles HenryTE1 Rec, 1 Yds, 1.0 AvgPaul Bertucelli*OLJuan Comendeiro*OLDave Heffernan*OLIan Sinclair*OLAlvin Ward*OLMike MooreOLWillie Lee Broughton*DLDallas Cameron*DLJulio Cortes*DLKevin Fagan*DLJoe Kohlbrand*DLPaul O'ConnorDLJohn McVeigh*LBWinston Moss*LBBruce FlemingLBKen Calhoun*DBDarrell Fullington*DBGreg Jones*DBWillie Martinez*DBLucious DelegalDBReggie SuttonDBRick TutenPSteve MiniePJ.C. PennyKR
Other: LB #45 George Mira Jr. (FR)
References