1991 Cotton Bowl...

I had heard about this game, specifically, the thug-like behavior of the Miami Hurricanes, but had never seen it.

In this game, Miami was flagged a crazy 16 times for 202 yards... and STILL won, 46-3!

Well, I found a copy of the game on DVD just watched it last night and am ashamed to admit I found myself enthralled by the ridiculous actions of the Miami players, literally laughing out loud several times. It was almost like watching a train wreck in that I couldn't turn away.

My question is, to those who saw this game, where does it rank in terms of misbehavior of an entire team for an entire game? Were the rules of today in place then, I could see 300 yards in penalties for Miami.

 

Probably right at the top. It's discussed at length on the ESPN 30 for 30 "The U."

That game was when the public turned against Miami for good. It's part of why people were so gleeful when Alabama handed the Canes their asses in the 1993 Sugar Bowl.

 

That 30 for 30 is one of the reasons I went looking for a copy of this game, Steak... Erickson had to be a real douche canoe.

 

If you count the penalties Texas declined, Miami probably came pretty close to 300 yards in that game.

And I've never seen a team as utterly humiliated by their opponent like Texas was that day. That game was over before the kick off.

 

Erickson's teams at Oregon State weren't exactly choirboys, either. It will be interesting to see what he does with Utah's offense this season, though I can't imagine him sublimating his ego to Kyle Whittingham. I really don't think Erickson ever has given ANY thought to how a player acts: If the dude helps him win, he plays. (I know most coaches are like that -- but not to Erickson's extent.)

 

That game is in my top five all time of most enjoyable watching experiences.

My memory is a bit hazy as to the gory details, I just remember the overall awesomeness, but didn't they go after Texas' All-American tackle Fred Thomas on the first play? I think someone led him around by the face mask.

 

Here's Randall Hill running up the tunnel after a touchdown, and coming back with "guns" blazing:

 

It was Stan Thomas.

The backstory on that is that Thomas popped off all week about what Texas going to do to Miami and what he, personally, was going to do to Russell Maryland.

Didn't quite work out that way.

 

Looks like the game is on YouTube in two parts:

Part 1:

Part 2:

 

It was also soon after this that the NCAA started cracking down on post-touchdown and post-play celebrations.

 

As bad as this was, the game that really started that crackdown was Miami's game at Cal earlier in that season. I think that was talked about in the 30 for 30.

 

At the 10 minute mark of the broadcast John Dockery says: "This week in Dallas, Miami's behavior? Perfect."