1991 Washington Huskies football team The 1991 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the 1991 college football season . Head coach Don James , in this 17th season at Washington , was assisted by coordinators Keith Gilbertson ( offense ) and Jim Lambright ( defense ) , both head coaches themselves within two years . The 1991 team was arguably the finest team in school history and split the national championship with the Miami Hurricanes , who were also 12 – 0 , and won the AP Poll by four votes , while Washington took the coaches ' poll by nine . Washington could not have played Miami in a bowl game because the Pac - 10 champion was bound by contract to play in the Rose Bowl against the Big Ten champion . The UW Huskies soundly defeated # 4 Michigan 34 – 14 in the 1992 Rose Bowl ; the final score differential was narrowed by a late touchdown by Tyrone Wheatley of Michigan . With a minute remaining in the game , Washington was on the Michigan five - yard line , but opted to stay on the ground an run out the clock with the third - string quarterback leading the offense . With the # 1 pick of the 1992 NFL Draft on the defensive line , junior Steve Emtman , the 1991 UW Huskies were led by their defense , and are among the most dominant teams in college football history . Eleven UW Huskies were selected in the 1992 NFL Draft , led by Emtman , a dominating yet under - recruited defensive tackle from Cheney . Emtman won both the Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy , and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting , won by Desmond Howard of Michigan . Defensive back Dana Hall was also selected in the first round . A fantasy article in " Sports Illustrated " titled " The Dream Game " had the Huskies narrowly defeat Miami in a playoff . Overview . The Huskies were ranked # 4 in the 1991 pre - season , and dominated at their six home games within the friendly raucous confines of Husky Stadium , which included two lopsided shutouts . The Dawgs ' three closest games in 1991 were on the road : against Nebraska , California , & USC . Behind 6 – 14 at halftime in Lincoln on ABC to # 9 Nebraska in the second game of the season , UW rallied to outscore NU in Lincoln 30 – 7 in the second half to win by 15 , and were graciously applauded at game - end by the Cornhusker fans . In mid - October , the # 7 Cal Bears were the next - best team in the Pac - 10 in 1991 ; the Huskies won by a touchdown in Berkeley to go to 6 – 0 . In November in Los Angeles , the Huskies entered the game against USC undefeated at 8 – 0 and won a 14 – 3 defensive struggle , a second - straight victory over the previously - dominant Trojans . Many of the points scored against the 1991 Huskies in their other games , including the last touchdown in the Rose Bowl , came in the fourth quarter against the reserves , as head coach Don James was concerned more about meaningful game - time experience for underclassman , rather than victory margins and / or shutouts . Like the rest of the Pac - 10 in 1991 , the Huskies played just eight Pac - 10 conference games , missing one opponent ; they did not play UCLA in 1991 or 1992 . The 1991 Bruins finished at 9 – 3 ( 6 – 2 in conference ) , in the top twenty in both polls ( # 18 , 19 ) . UCLA lost to Tennessee of the SEC and both Bay Area teams , Cal and Stanford , but won their bowl game . Team players in the NFL . The following UW Huskies were selected in the 1992 NFL Draft :