The Miami Hurricanes defeated the Georgia Southern Eagles 56-0 to win its 58th consecutive home game in the Orange Bowl, setting the NCAA record for consecutive home victories !
The previous record of 57, held by the Alabama Crimson Tide, for wins in Tuscaloosa, though the Tide routinely played "home" games in Birmingham, as well.
For nearly a decade, not one opponent celebrated on the Orange Bowl field.
That’s because the Hurricanes won an NCAA-record 58 games in a row at home.
This streak for the ages lasted through three U.S. Presidents, two head football
coaches (Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson) and even Hurricane Andrew. It began on
Oct. 12, 1985, with a 38-0 rout of Cincinnati, and didn’t end until Washington won 38-
20 on Sept. 24, 1994.
The Hurricanes broke the record of 57 in a row set by Alabama at Bryant-Denny
Stadium in Tuscaloosa from 1963-82. And Miami’s streak was clearly more formidable.
The Crimson Tide never played a top-ranked team, didn’t face arch-rivals Auburn
or Tennessee, and met LSU only once during the streak because their major games
were played in Birmingham. The Hurricanes defeated 17 ranked teams, including 12 in
the top 10 and six in the top five.
Four times they toppled the No. 1 team – Oklahoma 28-16 in 1986; Oklahoma
20-14 in the 1988 Orange Bowl Classic; Florida State 31-0 in 1988; and Notre Dame
27-10 in 1989.
The most common opponent during the streak was Florida State, which lost four
times, outscored 122-61. Notre Dame and Cincinnati each lost three times, with Notre Dame being
outscored 109-17 and Cincinnati being outscored 151-3.
Miami was the top-ranked team 25 times during the streak. Network television
carried 26 of the 58 games.
The streak leaders:
• Passing: Gino Torretta: 4,638 yards, 33 touchdowns
• Rushing: Leonard Conley, 1,245 yards
• Receiving: Michael Irvin, 78 catches, 1,316 yards
• Touchdowns Rushing: Stephen McGuire: 20
• Touchdown Receptions: Lamar Thomas: 15
• Interceptions: Bennie Blades: 12
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