Setup
Nebraska came into the game ranked #1 in both major polls, with a 12-0 record, having steamrolled just about every opponent on the 1983 schedule, except for close road wins at Oklahoma State (14-10) and at Oklahoma (28-21). Led by Heisman Trophy winning I-back Mike Rozier, future NFL #1 draft pick Irving Fryar at wingback and with All-American quarterback and Heisman finalist Turner Gill calling the signals, the Huskers of 1983 were a formidable outfit, averaging 52 points a game and having rolled up tallies of 84-13, 72-29, 69-19, and 67-13 against Minnesota, Iowa State, Colorado, and Kansas, respectively. In the third quarter against Colorado, Nebraska managed to score seven touchdowns in 12 minutes. They did have notable weaknesses, however. They had a fairly mediocre defense that was vulnerable to the pass, especially across the middle of the field, and they also had a fairly average kicking game. Both of these weaknesses would haunt the Cornhuskers on the night.
Miami, coached by Howard Schnellenberger, came in the quiet achiever, having been blown out 28-3 by Florida in their opening game and thought by many to be not much of a challenge to the much higher-fancied Cornhuskers. Nevertheless, they had won 10 straight games following their opening defeat, to emerge as a solid #5 in the Associated Press poll, while ranked one spot higher in the UPI poll. They were led by freshman quarterback Bernie Kosar, who had completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 2,328 yards and 15 touchdowns and had started all 11 games.
Also, earlier in the day second-ranked Texas had been upset in the 1984 Cotton Bowl Classic by Georgia by the score of 10-7; third-ranked Auburn Tigers squeaked out a 9-7 win over Michigan in the 1984 Sugar Bowl; and fourth-ranked Illinois fell to UCLA 45-9 in the 1984 Rose Bowl. This combination of upsets gave Miami the chance to leapfrog to No. 1, should they defeat the Cornhuskers.
Read more about this topic: 1984 Orange Bowl