Dumbest College Football upset: 1990 BYU over Miami

[Rory Sparrow]

Those 1988-92 Miami teams might have been the best ever assembled in CFB history. In 88 they lost to ND by one point. In 89, they won the title. In 91, they won the title. In 92, they went undefeated until losing to Bama in the Sugar Bowl.

In 1990, Miami was ranked #1. They would end the year betting #3 Texas 46-3 in the Cotton Bowl. They were stacked with NFL players on both offense and defense.

BYU would finish 1990 by losing 65-14 to #13 Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl. But with a roster of short white guys, they somehow beat Miami 28-21 at the start of the season.

The most amazing part of the upset is that BYU didn't even play that well. They were scoreless in the 1st quarter. They had 4 turnovers in the first half alone along with a missed FG. Detmer completed some passes, but most of these were hitches or screens where the receiver was immediately tackled. Such a strange game.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Those 1988-92 Miami teams might have been the best ever assembled in CFB history. In 88 they lost to ND by one point. In 89, they won the title. In 91, they won the title. In 92, they went undefeated until losing to Bama in the Sugar Bowl.

In 1990, Miami was ranked #1. They would end the year betting #3 Texas 46-3 in the Cotton Bowl. They were stacked with NFL players on both offense and defense.

BYU would finish 1990 by losing 65-14 to #13 Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl. But with a roster of short white guys, they somehow beat Miami 28-21 at the start of the season.

The most amazing part of the upset is that BYU didn't even play that well. They were scoreless in the 1st quarter. They had 4 turnovers in the first half alone along with a missed FG. Detmer completed some passes, but most of these were hitches or screens where the receiver was immediately tackled. Such a strange game.

Where does Purdue clown pounding tOSU last year rank on your list?

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Ohio State has been really good the last several years, but those Miami teams were more like Saban's Alabama teams. Clearly the cream of the crop.

 

[modo]

Carlos Huerta...........fucking Wannstedt

 

[modo]

Miami was going long ball much of the game and BYU was playing deep.....Erickson seemed like he had a hard time hitting open guys...

Conversely BYU had time to throw as Miami looked like they were not getting pressure.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

*Miami goes up 14-10 with a minute and a half left in the 1st half, then they go into a prevent defense that allows Detmer to drive the length of the field for a TD. On the play before the TD, BYU tries a terrible "HR throwback" play to Detmer where Miami has a DB on him, and the DB drops the easy INT.

*Miami scores early in the 3rd quarter to go up 21-17. Later in the period and up 21-20, they make the bizarre decision to go for it on 4th and 1 from their own 30. They get stopped and BYU scores the game-winning TD with the short field.

*Before the TD, BYU has to convert a 4th down play. They try to roll Detmer out to pick up the first, but Miami's LB is there to tackle Detmer 5 yards behind the LOS. He somehow misses the tackle, and Detmer eventually gets the 1st down.

*BYU had to convert a 2 point conversion to make the score 28-21, which they did.

*Due to their defense forcing turnovers and punts, Miami had the ball FIVE TIMES in the 4th quarter after BYU went up 28-21, and didn't score a single point. They basically spent the entire 4th quarter on BYU's half of the field. Amazing.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Miami was going long ball much of the game and BYU was playing deep.....Erickson seemed like he had a hard time hitting open guys...

Conversely BYU had time to throw as Miami looked like they were not getting pressure.

Yeah, it was hard to tell if BYU was overplaying the run, but Erickson threw a ton of 20-yard incompletions that were simply bad passes. And they were leading for the majority of the game. You'd think at some point Miami would just simplify things and pound the ball with Stephen McGuire.

Miami's defense was equally strange. Some plays they'd be on Detmer before he could set up. Other plays, he'd have all day to find a receiver. Texas A&M basically blitzed their safeties on every down in their 65-14 win over BYU...you'd think Miami could have done the same just with their OLBs.

 

[modo]

Yeah, it was hard to tell if BYU was overplaying the run, but Erickson threw a ton of 20-yard incompletions that were simply bad passes. And they were leading for the majority of the game. You'd think at some point Miami would just simplify things and pound the ball with Stephen McGuire.

Miami's defense was equally strange. Some plays they'd be on Detmer before he could set up. Other plays, he'd have all day to find a receiver. Texas A&M basically blitzed their safeties on every down in their 65-14 win over BYU...you'd think Miami could have done the same just with their OLBs.

BYU was throwing some quick passes at times. And to give Detmer some credit he was able to escape the rush and extend plays.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

BYU was throwing some quick passes at times. And to give Detmer some credit he was able to escape the rush and extend plays.

Agreed. But Miami seemed to be able to tackle the BYU WRs right away on the quick passes, they even got a couple fumbles from hitting the WR...Detmer did his damage when Miami let him sit back and throw the ball downfield. If I am Miami, I bring it every play and pound Detmer into submission.

Detmer escaping from the grasp of guys like Russell Maryland was ridiculous. Detmer was the size of Maryland's thigh.

 

[cubby chubby]

1990? Isn’t is about nap time for you FOG’s. Lol

 

[baselman1974]

To be honest I thought Erickson had better on BYU in that game or owed a lot of to mafia. . No way Miami should’ve lost that game.

 

[Aquineas]

<snip>
In 1990, Miami was ranked #1. They would end the year betting #3 Texas 46-3 in the Cotton Bowl. They were stacked with NFL players on both offense and defense.
</snip>

In Austin, Longhorn fans old enough to remember those mock Heisman tropy poses have a deep hatred for Miami.

 

[bamainatlanta]

I just don't understand how NCAA Football didn't go with a national playoff after the debacles of 89, 90, 91.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

In Austin, Longhorn fans old enough to remember those mock Heisman tropy poses have a deep hatred for Miami.

I remember another game from around that time period where Texas was ranked 2nd or 3rd in the nation and lost 66-3 to a mediocre UCLA team.

 

[baselman1974]

I just don't understand how NCAA Football didn't go with a national playoff after the debacles of 89, 90, 91.

The money was rolling in. NCAA didn’t care. I’m still pissed about Johnny Manziel ruining NCAA Football video game. By far it was the better product than Madden.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

The money was rolling in. NCAA didn’t care. I’m still pissed about Johnny Manziel ruining NCAA Football video game. By far it was the better product than Madden.

I still play my PS2 NCAA 07 game. Its still superior to Madden in terms of gameplay, and the dynasty mode is easily better than franchise mode.

 

[JesusHalasChrist]

When was the last time the Illini beat a ranked team?

 

[baselman1974]

When was the last time the Illini beat a ranked team?

During Ron Zook's years. Almost 10 years ago.

 

[FirstTimer]

The money was rolling in. NCAA didn’t care. I’m still pissed about Johnny Manziel ruining NCAA Football video game. By far it was the better product than Madden.

Huh?

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Huh?

Maybe he was upset at playing games online and having people "Speed Option" and "Fake Punt" all the time with Manziel...like how Vick was used in Madden?