The 1989 NCAA Football Championship: A Season of Undefeated Aspirations and Defining Moments
The 1989 college football season was a year of compelling narratives, culminating in a dramatic finish that saw the Notre Dame Fighting Irish claim the national championship. This season was marked by undefeated teams, pivotal matchups, and the emergence of future stars. From the regular season battles to the bowl game showdowns, the journey to the national title was filled with memorable moments.
Regular Season Highlights: The Rise of Contenders
The preseason AP Poll set the stage for a season of high expectations, with Michigan at No. 1 and defending champion Notre Dame at No. 2. Nebraska, Miami, and Florida rounded out the top five. Early in the season, Notre Dame secured a 36-13 victory over Virginia in the Kickoff Classic, while USC suffered a 14-13 defeat against Illinois.
As the season progressed, key matchups began to shape the landscape of college football. On September 16, Notre Dame, ranked No. 1, triumphed over No. 2 Michigan in a highly anticipated game. Miami, Nebraska, and Florida also secured important wins, solidifying their positions in the top five.
September also brought tragedy to the Colorado Buffaloes, as quarterback Sal Aunese passed away from stomach cancer. Despite their loss, the Buffaloes continued to perform strongly, moving up in the polls.
By the end of September, Notre Dame, Miami, and Nebraska remained undefeated, with Florida and Michigan rounding out the top five. October saw Notre Dame continue their dominance with a 40-7 victory over Purdue, while Miami defeated Michigan State 26-20. However, Florida suffered a setback with a 21-14 loss to Tennessee.
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The undefeated teams continued to clash, with Notre Dame defeating Stanford 27-17 and Miami overwhelming Cincinnati 56-0. Colorado and Nebraska also remained undefeated, setting the stage for a dramatic November.
Key Games and Defining Moments
October 21 saw Notre Dame come back from a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat USC 28-24. Miami was idle, while Colorado, Nebraska, and Michigan continued their winning streaks.
On October 28, Notre Dame dominated Pittsburgh 45-7, while Miami suffered a 24-10 defeat against Florida State. This loss shook up the rankings, with Colorado, Nebraska, and Michigan moving up.
November 4 was a pivotal day, with Notre Dame shutting out Navy 41-0 and Colorado securing a 27-21 victory over Nebraska. Michigan, Alabama, and Florida State also won their respective games.
November 11 saw Notre Dame overwhelm SMU 59-6, while Colorado clinched the Big 8 title with a 41-17 victory over Oklahoma State. Michigan, Alabama, and Florida State continued their winning ways.
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As the regular season drew to a close, Notre Dame defeated Penn State 34-23, while Colorado finished their undefeated season with a 59-11 victory over Kansas State. Michigan and Florida State also secured important wins.
However, the November 25 rematch between Notre Dame and Miami resulted in a 27-10 victory for the Hurricanes, disrupting Notre Dame's undefeated season and shaking up the national championship picture. Michigan secured the Big Ten championship with a 28-18 victory over Ohio State, while Alabama and Florida State were idle.
Bowl Game Scenarios and Controversies
The bowl game selections were significantly impacted by Notre Dame's loss to Miami. The Orange Bowl initially aimed for a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between Notre Dame and Colorado. However, with Notre Dame's loss, the Orange Bowl became a No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup, leaving Miami, the No. 2 team, to play No. 7 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
The final poll of the regular season featured Colorado at No. 1, Miami at No. 2, Michigan at No. 3, and Notre Dame at No. 4. However, controversy arose as some argued that Florida State, despite their two losses, had a better season overall.
The 1989 Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. West Virginia
The 1989 Sunkist Fiesta Bowl, played on January 2, was the 18th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. It featured the top-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the third-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers. With both teams undefeated, the Fiesta Bowl was the stage for the "national championship" for the second time in three years.
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As in 1987, the Fiesta Bowl featured two independents squaring off for the national title. Also, as in 1987, the game was played on January 2, but this was because New Year's Day fell on a Sunday in 1989 and, per protocols, all of the bowls that would normally take place that day were played on January 2. This was the last national championship game before the start of the Bowl Coalition system in 1992, which was intended to ensure that the national championship would be decided on the field in bowl games such as this one.
The game began with a significant setback for West Virginia, as quarterback and Heisman candidate Major Harris separated his shoulder on the third play. Despite Harris's injury, Notre Dame took control of the game, ultimately claiming their record eleventh national championship. Though Harris would return to the game he was severely hampered by his injury. Coach Nehlen later admitting that WVU had to abandon a large portion of its gameplan due to the injury of Harris. WVU also suffered the loss of three other starters during the 1st half which did not help matters.
Billy Hackett started the scoring with a 45-yard field goal to give Notre Dame an early 3-0 lead. Running back Anthony Johnson then scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, but the ensuing extra point missed, and the score remained 9-0. Early in the second quarter, Rodney Culver added a 5-yard touchdown run to increase Notre Dame's lead to 16-0.
In the third quarter, Reggie Ho added a 32-yard field goal to increase the Irish lead to 26-6. WVU quarterback Harris hit Grantis Bell for a 17-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 26-13. He later left the game with an injury. Rice threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Frank Jacobs. Rice later took it in himself for the 2-point conversion, giving Notre Dame a 34-13 lead. WVU scored with a 3-yard touchdown run by Reggie Rembert, who also converted the 2-point conversion, making the score 34-21.
Notre Dame retained its top ranking in the final AP poll, while West Virginia fell to fifth.
Other Bowl Game Results
- Orange Bowl: No. 4 Notre Dame 21, No. 1 Colorado 6
- Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Miami (FL) 33, No. 7 Alabama 25
- Rose Bowl: No. 3 Michigan 22, No. 12 USC 14
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 5 Florida State 41, No. 6 Nebraska 17
- Cotton Bowl: No. 8 Tennessee 31, No. 9 Arkansas 27
Division I-AA Championship
The 1989 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. The game was played on December 16, 1989, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia.
Georgia Southern finished their regular season with an 11-0 record. Ranked first in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded first in the tournament, the Eagles defeated Villanova, Middle Tennessee State, and Montana to reach the final.
Stephen F. Austin finished their regular season with a 9-1-1 record (5-0-1 in conference); their only loss was an away game against Boise State. Ranked third in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded third in the tournament, the Lumberjacks defeated Grambling State, Southwest Missouri State, and second-seed Furman to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Stephen F. Austin in the championship game.
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