1991 NCAA Division I-A football season
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The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split champion for the second consecutive season. Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll.
The Hurricanes sported a 22-0 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl and a victory over preseason #1 and perennial rival Florida State. The last game ended with the FSU place kicker missing a field goal wide right, which would become a theme in the Miami-FSU rivalry, this game later taking on the moniker Wide Right I.
The Huskies could claim an early season victory over #9 Nebraska, a second straight Pac 10 championship and a 20 point victory over Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
The Florida Gators captured their first SEC title in school history in dominating fashion. Alabama finished second in the SEC in 1991 with an 11-1 record, but even they were annihilated 35-0 by Steve Spurrier and his Gators.
The SEC would expand from 10 to 12 members, adding the Arkansas Razorbacks from the SWC and South Carolina from the independent ranks in football and the Metro Conference in other sports. The two schools, however, would not begin SEC play until the 1992 season.
Independent Florida State joined the ACC. Known as a basketball conference, the ACC would never be the same. Dominant from the moment they joined, Florida State would go undefeated in conference play for years and win the conference title every year left in the 90s.
The Big East began to sponsor football, adding powerhouse Miami as well as other independents, though conference play wasn't yet fully integrated and standings weren't kept.
The All-American Bowl played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama was discontinued as Birmingham officials prepared to host the SEC title game, which would begin in 1992.
Contents |
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, Conf. = Conference Record
| Conference Champion |
| Pacific Ten Conference | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | Conf. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Huskies | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 8-0 | |
| California Golden Bears | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 6-2 | |
| Stanford Cardinal | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 6-2 | |
| UCLA Bruins | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 6-2 | |
| Arizona State Sun Devils | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 4-4 | |
| Arizona Wildcats | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 3-5 | |
| Washington State Cougars | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 3-5 | |
| USC Trojans | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 2-6 | |
| Oregon Ducks | 3 | 9 | 0 | .273 | 1-7 | |
| Oregon State Beavers | 1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | 1-7 | |
| Southeastern Conference | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | Conf. | |
| Florida Gators | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 7-0 | |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | 11 | 1 | 0 | .971 | 6-1 | |
| Tennessee Volunteers | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 5-2 | |
| Georgia Bulldogs | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 4-3 | |
| Mississippi State Bulldogs | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 4-3 | |
| LSU Tigers | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | 3-4 | |
| Vanderbilt Commodores | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | 3-4 | |
| Auburn Tigers | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | 2-5 | |
| Ole Miss Rebels | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | 1-6 | |
| Kentucky Wildcats | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 0-7 | |
| Southwest Conference | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | Conf. | |
| Texas A&M Aggies | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | 8-0 | |
| Arkansas Razorbacks | 6 | 6 | 0 | .500 | 5-3 | |
| Baylor Bears | 8 | 4 | 0 | .667 | 5-3 | |
| Texas Tech Red Raiders | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 5-3 | |
| Texas Longhorns | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | 4-4 | |
| TCU Horned Frogs | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | 4-4 | |
| Houston Cougars | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 3-5 | |
| Rice Owls | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 2-6 | |
| SMU Mustangs | 1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | 0-8 | |
| Western Athletic Conference | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | Conf. | |
| Brigham Young Cougars | 8 | 3 | 2 | .692 | 7-0-1 | |
| San Diego State Aztecs | 8 | 4 | 1 | .654 | 6-1-1 | |
| Air Force Falcons | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | 6-2 | |
| Utah Utes | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 4-4 | |
| Hawaiʻi Rainbows | 4 | 7 | 1 | .375 | 3-5 | |
| UTEP Miners | 4 | 7 | 1 | .373 | 2-5-1 | |
| Wyoming Cowboys | 4 | 6 | 1 | .409 | 2-5-1 | |
| Colorado State Rams | 3 | 8 | 0 | .273 | 2-6 | |
| New Mexico Lobos | 3 | 9 | 0 | .250 | 2-6 | |
| Independents | ||||||
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | Conf. | |
| Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 10 | 3 | 0 | .769 | - | |
- Rose Bowl: Washington 34, Michigan 14
- Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame 39, Florida 28
- Gator Bowl: Oklahoma 48, Virginia 14
- Cotton Bowl: Florida St. 10, Texas A&M 2
- Fiesta Bowl: Penn. St. 42, Tennessee 17
- Florida Citrus Bowl: California 37, Clemson 13
- Orange Bowl: Miami-FL 22, Nebraska 0
- Hall of Fame Bowl: Syracuse 24, Ohio St. 17
- John Hancock Bowl: UCLA 6, Illinois 3
- Copper Bowl: Indiana 24, Baylor 0
- Holiday Bowl: BYU 13, Iowa 13
- Freedom Bowl: Tulsa 28, San Diego St. 17
- Peach Bowl: East Carolina 37, N.C. State 34
- Blockbuster Bowl: Alabama 30, Colorado 25
- Liberty Bowl: Air Force 38, Mississippi St. 15
- Aloha Bowl: Georgia Tech 18, Stanford 17
- Independence Bowl: Georgia 24, Arkansas 15
- California Bowl: Bowling Green 28, Fresno St. 21
- Miami-FL
- Washington
- Penn St.
- Florida St.
- Alabama
- Michigan
- Florida
- California
- East Carolina
- Iowa
- Syracuse
- Texas A&M
- Notre Dame
- Tennessee
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Georgia
- Clemson
- UCLA
- Colorado
The Heisman is given to the Most Outstanding Player of the year
Winner: Desmond Howard, Michigan, Jr. WR
- 2. Casey Weldon, Florida St., Sr. QB
- 3. Ty Detmer, BYU, Sr. QB
- 4. Steve Emtman, Washington, Jr. DT
- 5. Shane Matthews, Florida, Jr. QB
- Maxwell (MVP) - Desmond Howard, Michigan
- Camp (Back) - Desmond Howard, Michigan
- Butkus (Linebacker) - Erick Anderson, Michigan
- Lombardi (Lineman) - Steve Emtman, Washington
- Outland (Interior) - Steve Emtman, Washington
- AFCA Coach of the Year - Bill Lewis, East Carolina
- FWAA Coach of the Year - Don James, Washington
| Preceded by 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season |
D1A Seasons 1991 |
Succeeded by 1992 NCAA Division I-A football season |