The 1989 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the
University of Miami
The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...
during the
1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Hurricanes' 64th season of football. The Hurricanes were led by first-year head coach
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Brian Erickson (born March 24, 1947) is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach for the Salt Lake Stallions of the Alliance of American Football league. He was also the head coach at the University of Idaho ( ...
and played their home games at the
Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game in th ...
. They finished the season 11–1 overall. They were invited to the
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed onl ...
where they defeated
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, 33-25, to win the school's third national championship.
Schedule
Personnel
Roster
Coaching staff
Support staff
Rankings
Game summaries
at Wisconsin
California
at Missouri
at Michigan State
Cincinnati
San Jose State
Backup Gino Torretta, making his second consecutive start for the injured Craig Erickson, threw for a school-record 468 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Hurricanes picked up their 48th win in 49 games.
at Florida State
Prior to the Miami-Florida State game, University of Miami mascot
Sebastian the Ibis
Sebastian the Ibis is the mascot for the Miami Hurricanes of anthropomorphic_American_white_ibis.html" ;"title="iami_University._He_is_an_Anthropomorphism.html" "title="iami_University.html" ;"title=" _[Miami_University._He_is__...
_was_tackled_by_a_group_of_police_officers_for_attempting_to_put_out_Osceola_and_Renegade.html" ;"title="iami University"> [Miami University. He is ...
was tackled by a group of police officers for attempting to put out Osceola and Renegade">Chief Osceola's flaming spear. Sebastian was wearing a fireman’s helmet and yellow raincoat and holding a fire extinguisher. When a police officer attempted to grab the fire extinguisher, the officer was sprayed in the chest. Sebastian was handcuffed by four officers but ultimately released. Miami quarterback Gino Torretta, who started the game in place of injured Craig Erickson, told ESPN, "Even if we weren't bad boys, it added to the mystique that, 'Man, look, even their mascot's getting arrested.'"
The Hurricanes avenged a close loss from the previous year in South Bend. This game marked the seventh time in seven attempts that Miami defeated a #1 ranked team during the 1980s.
vs. Alabama (Sugar Bowl)