# 1991 Cotton Bowl Classic

The 1991 Mobil Cotton Bowl Classic was a post-season college football game played on January 1, 1991. It pitted the #3 Texas Longhorns, champions of the Southwest Conference, against the independent #4 Miami Hurricanes.

## Team backgrounds

Miami entered the game having only lost to BYU and Notre Dame. Texas had stunned Penn State on the road 17-13 to open its season, then lost at home to Colorado 29-22 before winning nine straight games (including wins over then #4 Oklahoma and then #3 Houston to win the Southwest Conference championship).

## Game summary

Miami led 19-3 at halftime, but put the game out of reach with two touchdowns within five minutes in the third quarter. The Hurricanes also set Cotton Bowl and school records for most penalties (15) and most penalty yards (202) in a single game, many of which were for unsportsmanlike conduct. Partly as a result of controversy from this game, the NCAA instituted a new rule stipulating that excessive celebration would be a 15-yard penalty. In the pre-Internet era, many established newspaper reporters castigated the Hurricanes' players and coaches for Miami's actions, with some reporters demanding that coach Dennis Erickson be suspended or fired and that the game result be vacated and the win given to Texas. These calls were ignored.

## Aftermath

The next season, Miami claimed the AP Poll National Championship by going 12-0, ending with a 22-0 victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
Texas went 5-6 in their next season, did not play in another New Year's Day bowl game until 1995, and did not win another New Year's Day bowl game until the 1998 Cotton Bowl victory.

## Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Miami | Texas |
| 1 | 8:53 | 3 | 4 | | Miami | 28-yard field goal by Carlos Huerta | 3 | 0 |
| 1 | 5:26 | 5 | 16 | | Miami | 50-yard field goal by Carlos Huerta | 6 | 0 |
| 1 | 0:11 | 2 | 9 | | Miami | Wesley Carroll 12-yard touchdown reception from Craig Erickson, 2-point pass failed | 12 | 0 |
| 2 | 7:43 | 9 | 46 | | Texas | 29-yard field goal by Michael Pollak | 12 | 3 |
| 2 | 0:11 | 2 | 21 | | Miami | Wesley Carroll 24-yard touchdown reception from Craig Erickson, Carlos Huerta kick good | 19 | 3 |
| 3 | 11:46 | – | – | | Miami | Interception returned 34 yards for touchdown by Darrin Smith, Carlos Huerta kick good | 26 | 3 |
| 3 | 6:09 | 3 | 63 | | Miami | Randal Hill 48-yard touchdown reception from Craig Erickson, Carlos Huerta kick good | 33 | 3 |
| 4 | 10:56 | 12 | 66 | | Miami | Randy Bethel 4-yard touchdown reception from Craig Erickson, Carlos Huerta kick no good (blocked) | 39 | 3 |
| 4 | 9:23 | 3 | 26 | | Miami | Leonard Conley 26-yard touchdown run, Carlos 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 |