Match-up: #1 Nebraska vs. #3 Miami
Date: January 1st, 1995
Outcome: 24-17 Nebraska
Before the 1995 Orange Bowl Tom Osborne said "If I don't win this national championship, they'll probably put it on my tombstone, but I don't care. I'll be dead."
It's hard to believe a sizable portion of Nebraska's fan base once wanted Tom Osborne fired. Actually it's not that surprising when you look at college football on the whole. According to odds makers in Vegas, Willie Taggart is tied for 13th on their list of coaches most likely to be fired this year and the dude hasn't even coached a down for Oregon yet. Yes, welcome to college football, where you're already on the hot-seat before you're even offered the job.
Osborne was a missed field goal away from winning it the year before against Florida State. He was a missed 2-point conversion away from winning it all in the famous 1984 Orange Bowl against Miami. In 1982 he was one horrendously blown call at Penn State away from capturing it all.
Now all Osborne had to do was beat Miami, a team that had beaten him 23-3 and 22-0 the last 2 times they had met in the Orange Bowl, and Nebraska would sew up the #1 ranking in the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll.
The first quarter looked to be more of the same. Miami led 10-0. The Blackshirts were getting diced into mincemeat and Dr. Tom was choking in a big game once again.Tommie Frazier was back after sitting out most of the season due to a blood clot in his leg. But Tommie was struggling and the TV crew seemed to be afraid the blood clot in his leg would come back and rupture at any moment because they kept zooming in on Frazier's legs after every damn play.
Miami's defense featured 2 future NFL stars in Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp and the latter was teeing off on Nebraska's offense throughout the first half. Sapp was having the time of his life, jumping around and high-stepping every time he made a play. Perhaps he should have saved some of that energy for the 2nd half.
After Frazier threw an interception in double-coverage on Nebraska's 2nd drive Osborne made the switch to Brook Berringer who put Nebraska on the board after dropping a beautiful pass over Miami's defense and into the hands of Mark Gilman for a 19 yard touchdown.
That made the score 10-7 and the score would hold until halftime. And now no 1995 Orange Bowl story would be complete without Osborne's prophetic halftime speech.
This speech is easily the most legendary speech in Nebraska football history and perhaps college football history. Not because of how pumped up it made everybody, but because Tom Osborne perfectly predicted how the rest of the game would go. Down 3, he told his players Miami would strike early in the 3rd quarter. Osborne told them not to become flustered, but to "keep hammering them."
And then, of course, Osborne said this:
"Fellas, now listen to me. I'll promise you this: If you guys will keep your hands down, they're going to get a critical penalty at a time that's going to kill them. We do not want a dead-ball foul, you understand that? So I don't want anyone being a banty rooster. I don't want anybody pushing or shoving."
And yes, Tom Osborne actually used the words "banty rooster." The 2nd half unfolded exactly how Osborne said it would. Miami came out and quickly scored on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Frank Costa to Johnathan Harris. It was now 17-7.
Just as the prophecy foretold.
Late in the 3rd quarter a Miami lineman pushed Christian Peter after the whistle had blown. Now if there was any member of Nebraska's defense who was most likely to retaliate and sock this punk from Miami in the face, it was Christian Peter. But heeding Osborne's words, Peter abstained from being a banty rooster and Miami was flagged for a 15-yard penalty that pushed their offense inside their own 5 yard line.
The next play Dwayne Harris sacked Frank Costa in the end-zone for a safety and it was now 17-9.
Unfortunately, Brook Berringer would throw a costly interception a few drives later on the 4 yard-line and Osborne would yank him out of the game in favor of Frazier.
After a quick 3 and out on his first drive, Frazier was unstoppable for the rest of the game. Commentator Chris Collinsworth, who just a drive before said Nebraska's option attack was worthless against the likes of Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp, was left eating his words by the spoonful as Tommie Frazier drove Nebraska down the field with the help of a beautifully timed option pitch to Lawrence Phillips to set up the first of Corey Schlesinger's 2 touchdowns. After a successful 2 pt. conversion, it was now tied at 17.
Just as Osborne had predicted, Nebraska had worn Miami out. Warren Sapp, who spent the entire first half dancing up and down the field every time he made a play, could now be seen desperately gasping for air as he came off the field. In fact, Nebraska gained over 100 yards in the 4th quarter while holding Miami to -30 yards.
With 2:30 minutes left and down by 7, Miami tried to march down the field. Tried is a very generous word here as they had nothing left in the tank. The Blackshirts devoured Frank Costa, sacking him twice and picking him off on 4th and 19 to seal the win.
Of all of Nebraka's National Championship wins, this game is perhaps the most satisfying and had all the makings of a storybook ending.
-The nice-guy coach who never abandoned his principles finally winning a championship: Check
-The win coming against Big, Bad Miami, the antithesis of Nebraska: Check
-Beating that Miami team in their own home stadium: Check
-A fullback from small town Nebraska scoring the final two touchdowns: Check
I mean seriously, how often does a FULLBACK score the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns in a national championship game?
Only in Nebraska.
Nebraskans wouldn't have to wait nearly as long for Osborne's 2nd national championship. Next Saturday I'll review the 1996 Fiesta Bowl against Florida, a game which still causes Steve Spurrier to check in with his therapist weekly.
In the meantime, you can check out my thoughts on Nebraska's previous two national championship victories below:
The Bobfather vs. The Bear: 1972 Orange Bowl Thoughts
1971 Orange Bowl Thoughts
Date: January 1st, 1995
Outcome: 24-17 Nebraska
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| Osborne being carried off the field after defeating #3 Miami 24-17 for his first national championship |
Before the 1995 Orange Bowl Tom Osborne said "If I don't win this national championship, they'll probably put it on my tombstone, but I don't care. I'll be dead."
It's hard to believe a sizable portion of Nebraska's fan base once wanted Tom Osborne fired. Actually it's not that surprising when you look at college football on the whole. According to odds makers in Vegas, Willie Taggart is tied for 13th on their list of coaches most likely to be fired this year and the dude hasn't even coached a down for Oregon yet. Yes, welcome to college football, where you're already on the hot-seat before you're even offered the job.
Osborne was a missed field goal away from winning it the year before against Florida State. He was a missed 2-point conversion away from winning it all in the famous 1984 Orange Bowl against Miami. In 1982 he was one horrendously blown call at Penn State away from capturing it all.
Now all Osborne had to do was beat Miami, a team that had beaten him 23-3 and 22-0 the last 2 times they had met in the Orange Bowl, and Nebraska would sew up the #1 ranking in the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll.
The first quarter looked to be more of the same. Miami led 10-0. The Blackshirts were getting diced into mincemeat and Dr. Tom was choking in a big game once again.Tommie Frazier was back after sitting out most of the season due to a blood clot in his leg. But Tommie was struggling and the TV crew seemed to be afraid the blood clot in his leg would come back and rupture at any moment because they kept zooming in on Frazier's legs after every damn play.
Miami's defense featured 2 future NFL stars in Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp and the latter was teeing off on Nebraska's offense throughout the first half. Sapp was having the time of his life, jumping around and high-stepping every time he made a play. Perhaps he should have saved some of that energy for the 2nd half.
 |
| Careful there big guy, you might need some of that energy in the 4th quarter |
After Frazier threw an interception in double-coverage on Nebraska's 2nd drive Osborne made the switch to Brook Berringer who put Nebraska on the board after dropping a beautiful pass over Miami's defense and into the hands of Mark Gilman for a 19 yard touchdown.
That made the score 10-7 and the score would hold until halftime. And now no 1995 Orange Bowl story would be complete without Osborne's prophetic halftime speech.
This speech is easily the most legendary speech in Nebraska football history and perhaps college football history. Not because of how pumped up it made everybody, but because Tom Osborne perfectly predicted how the rest of the game would go. Down 3, he told his players Miami would strike early in the 3rd quarter. Osborne told them not to become flustered, but to "keep hammering them."
And then, of course, Osborne said this:
"Fellas, now listen to me. I'll promise you this: If you guys will keep your hands down, they're going to get a critical penalty at a time that's going to kill them. We do not want a dead-ball foul, you understand that? So I don't want anyone being a banty rooster. I don't want anybody pushing or shoving."
And yes, Tom Osborne actually used the words "banty rooster." The 2nd half unfolded exactly how Osborne said it would. Miami came out and quickly scored on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Frank Costa to Johnathan Harris. It was now 17-7.
Just as the prophecy foretold.
Late in the 3rd quarter a Miami lineman pushed Christian Peter after the whistle had blown. Now if there was any member of Nebraska's defense who was most likely to retaliate and sock this punk from Miami in the face, it was Christian Peter. But heeding Osborne's words, Peter abstained from being a banty rooster and Miami was flagged for a 15-yard penalty that pushed their offense inside their own 5 yard line.
The next play Dwayne Harris sacked Frank Costa in the end-zone for a safety and it was now 17-9.
Unfortunately, Brook Berringer would throw a costly interception a few drives later on the 4 yard-line and Osborne would yank him out of the game in favor of Frazier.
After a quick 3 and out on his first drive, Frazier was unstoppable for the rest of the game. Commentator Chris Collinsworth, who just a drive before said Nebraska's option attack was worthless against the likes of Ray Lewis and Warren Sapp, was left eating his words by the spoonful as Tommie Frazier drove Nebraska down the field with the help of a beautifully timed option pitch to Lawrence Phillips to set up the first of Corey Schlesinger's 2 touchdowns. After a successful 2 pt. conversion, it was now tied at 17.
The blackshirts quickly got the ball back for Nebraska and Tommie Frazier led Nebraska back down the field with, you guessed it, the option. This time he kept it himself for a 27 yard gain. A few plays later Schlesinger scored the go-ahead touchdown from 14 yards out. Nebraska was now up 24-17.
Just as Osborne had predicted, Nebraska had worn Miami out. Warren Sapp, who spent the entire first half dancing up and down the field every time he made a play, could now be seen desperately gasping for air as he came off the field. In fact, Nebraska gained over 100 yards in the 4th quarter while holding Miami to -30 yards.
With 2:30 minutes left and down by 7, Miami tried to march down the field. Tried is a very generous word here as they had nothing left in the tank. The Blackshirts devoured Frank Costa, sacking him twice and picking him off on 4th and 19 to seal the win.
Of all of Nebraka's National Championship wins, this game is perhaps the most satisfying and had all the makings of a storybook ending.
-The nice-guy coach who never abandoned his principles finally winning a championship: Check
-The win coming against Big, Bad Miami, the antithesis of Nebraska: Check
-Beating that Miami team in their own home stadium: Check
-A fullback from small town Nebraska scoring the final two touchdowns: Check
I mean seriously, how often does a FULLBACK score the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns in a national championship game?
Only in Nebraska.
Nebraskans wouldn't have to wait nearly as long for Osborne's 2nd national championship. Next Saturday I'll review the 1996 Fiesta Bowl against Florida, a game which still causes Steve Spurrier to check in with his therapist weekly.
In the meantime, you can check out my thoughts on Nebraska's previous two national championship victories below:
The Bobfather vs. The Bear: 1972 Orange Bowl Thoughts
1971 Orange Bowl Thoughts
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