Miami Hurricanes Football History
The Miami Hurricanes are a college football powerhouse with five national championships, nine conference titles and over 40 bowl game appearances, including six high-profile Orange Bowl wins. Founded in 1926, the Miami Hurricanes were independent for much of their existence until the team joined the Big East in 1991. Since 2004, Miami has been a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Hurricanes rosters have featured future Pro Football Hall of Famers such as quarterback Jim Kelly, wide receivers Michael Irvin and Andre Johnson, center Jim Otto, safety Ed Reed, linebacker Ray Lewis and defensive tackles Warren Sapp and Cortez Kennedy. Miami has also fielded two Heisman Trophy winners, quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde in 1986 and Gino Torretta in 1992. Several of Miami's most successful head coaches, including Jimmy Johnson and Dennis Erickson, went on to coach in the NFL.
The Hurricanes have played in several of college football's greatest games. On New Year's Day 1984, Miami cemented its first of five national championships by defeating the heavily favored Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl. The team secured their second national title in 1987 with an undefeated season that culminated in the Hurricanes dominating the Oklahoma Sooners in the Orange Bowl. In November 1991, Miami won the “Wide Right I” game against Florida State after the Seminoles' kicker missed a game-winning field goal and advanced to the Orange Bowl, where they shut out the Cornhuskers.
The Hurricanes have in-state rivalries with the University of Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles as well as heated intra-division opposition from Virginia Tech. The feud between Miami and Florida State, which dates back to 1951, has been particularly fierce since the ’80s, as the two teams have taken turns spoiling each other's championship aspirations. During seasons when all three Florida teams play against one another, the squad with the most wins takes home the Florida Cup.
Miami Hurricanes Football Team Info
Conference: Atlantic Coast Conference
Team Colors: Orange, Green, White
Team Rivals: Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Tech Hokies, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Miami Hurricanes Football at Hard Rock Stadium
The Hurricanes play at Hard Rock Stadium, which is also home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins. The 64,767-seat facility in Miami Gardens is located just over 20 miles from the university’s Coral Gables campus and was most recently renovated in 2016. In 2017, Miami competed on their home turf during the annual Orange Bowl, which has been hosted at Hard Rock Stadium since 1996.
