# 1990 Miami Hurricanes football team

The 1990 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Hurricanes' 65th season of football. The Hurricanes were led by second-year head coach Dennis Erickson and played their home games at the Orange Bowl. Coming off the school's third national championship in six years in 1989, Miami came in to the 1990 season favored by most experts to repeat as national champions. However, a season opening loss to BYU and a later defeat by Notre Dame dashed those chances and the Canes finished the season 10–2 overall. They were invited to the Cotton Bowl where they defeated Texas, 46–3.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 8 | 7:30 pm | at No. 16 BYU | No. 1 | Cougar StadiumProvo, UT | ESPN | L 21–28 | 66,235 |
| September 15 | 3:30 pm | at California | No. 10 | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA | ABC | W 52–24 | 47,000 |
| September 29 | 8:00 pm | Iowa | No. 10 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL | PPV | W 48–21 | 70,420 |
| October 6 | 2:00 pm | No. 2 Florida State | No. 9 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL (rivalry) | CBS | W 31–22 | 80,396 |
| October 13 | 4:00 pm | Kansas | No. 3 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL | Raycom | W 34–0 | 54,211 |
| October 20 | 3:30 pm | at No. 6 Notre Dame | No. 2 | Notre Dame StadiumSouth Bend, IN (rivalry) | CBS | L 20–29 | 59,075 |
| October 27 | 1:00 pm | at Texas Tech | No. 8 | Jones StadiumLubbock, TX | Raycom | W 45–10 | 50,028 |
| November 3 | 4:00 pm | Pittsburgh | No. 8 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL | | W 45–0 | 50,412 |
| November 17 | 4:00 pm | Boston College | No. 3 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL | | W 42–12 | 50,942 |
| November 24 | 7:30 pm | Syracuse | No. 2 | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL | ESPN | W 33–7 | 66,196 |
| December 1 | 4:00 pm | at San Diego State | No. 3 | Jack Murphy StadiumSan Diego, CA | ESPN | W 30–28 | 34,201 |
| January 1 | 1:30 pm | vs. No. 3 Texas | No. 4 | Cotton BowlDallas, TX (Cotton Bowl) | CBS | W 46–3 | 77,425 |
| HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | 1 (24) | 1 (27) | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 3 (6) | 2 (15) | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 (3) | 3 (2) | 4 | 3 (1) |
| Coaches | 1 (25) | 1 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 4 (4) | 2 (7) | 9 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 (3) | 2 (3) | 4 (2) | 3 (2) |

## Season summary
### BYU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hurricanes | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| • Cougars | 0 | 17 | 11 | 0 | 28 |

### California

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Hurricanes | 10 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 52 |
| Golden Bears | 14 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 24 |

### Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawkeyes | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| • Hurricanes | 14 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 48 |

### Florida State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Seminoles | 0 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 22 |
| • Hurricanes | 10 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 31 |

### Notre Dame

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hurricanes | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| • Fighting Irish | 10 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 29 |

### San Diego State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Miami (FL) | 7 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 30 |
| San Diego St | 0 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 28 |
at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California
* Date: December 1, 1990
* Game attendance: 34,201
Game information :
MIA – Carroll 55-yard pass from Erickson (Huerta kick)
SDS – Trakas 25-yard field goal
SDS – R. Rowe 3-yard pass from McGwire (Trakas kick)
MIA – Huerta 44-yard field goal
MIA – McGuire 5-yard run (Huerta kick)
SDS – Trakas 43-yard field goal
MIA – Huerta 29-yard field goal
SDS – Wright 9-yard run (Trakas kick)
MIA – Hill 11-yard pass from Erickson (Huerta kick)
MIA – Huerta 22-yard field goal
SDS – Arey 13-yard pass from McGwire (pass good)
Top passers
MIA – Erickson 17/39, 264 Yds, 2 TD, INT
SDS – McGwire 32/53, 323 Yds, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
MIA – McGuire 19/30, TD
SDS – Wright 22/112, TD
Top receivers
MIA – Hill 6/112, TD
SDS – R. Rowe 9/102, TD :

### Cotton Bowl

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Miami (FL) | 12 | 7 | 14 | 13 | 46 |
| Texas | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Cotton Bowl • Dallas, Texas
* Date: January 1, 1991
* Game attendance: 73,521
* Referee: Jimmy Harper
* TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tim Brant, and John Dockery
Game information :
Miami (FL)
Craig Erickson 17/26, 272 Yds, 4 TD
Texas :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MIA | TEX |
| 1 | 8:53 | | | | Miami (FL) | 28-yard field goal by Huerta | 3 | 0 |
| 1 | 5:26 | | | | Miami (FL) | 50-yard field goal by Huerta | 6 | 0 |
| 1 | 0:11 | | | | Miami (FL) | Carroll 12-yard touchdown reception from Erickson, 2-point pass failed | 12 | 0 |
| 2 | 7:43 | | | | Texas | 29-yard field goal by Pollak | 12 | 3 |
| 2 | 4:17 | | | | Miami (FL) | Carroll 24-yard touchdown reception from Erickson, Huerta kick good | 19 | 3 |
| 3 | 11:46 | | | | Miami (FL) | Interception returned 34 yards for touchdown by D. Smith, Huerta kick good | 26 | 3 |
| 3 | 6:09 | | | | Miami (FL) | Hill 48-yard touchdown reception from Erickson, Huerta kick good | 33 | 3 |
| 4 | 10:56 | | | | Miami (FL) | Bethel 4-yard touchdown reception from Erickson, Huerta kick no good (blocked) | 39 | 3 |
| 4 | 9:23 | | | | Miami (FL) | Conley 26-yard touchdown run, Huerta kick good | 46 | 3 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 46 | 3 |

## Awards and honors

* Craig Erickson, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
* Russell Maryland, Outland Trophy

### Jack Harding University of Miami MVP Award

* Russell Maryland, DT

## 1991 NFL Draft

| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Team |
| Russell Maryland | Defensive tackle | 1 | 1 | Dallas Cowboys |
| Randal Hill | Wide receiver | 1 | 23 | Miami Dolphins |
| Shane Curry | Defensive end | 2 | 40 | Indianapolis Colts |
| Wesley Carroll | Wide receiver | 2 | 42 | New Orleans Saints |
| Robert Bailey | Defensive back | 4 | 107 | Los Angeles Rams |
| Craig Erickson | Quarterback | 5 | 131 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Mike Sullivan | Guard | 6 | 153 | Dallas Cowboys |
| Roland Smith | Defensive back | 8 | 220 | Miami Dolphins |
| Randy Bethel | Tight end | 10 | 251 | New England Patriots |