1984 Orange Bowl - Nebraska Final TD + 2 point attempt

Facing a critical fourth down late in the 1984 Orange Bowl, Nebraska IB Jeff Smith dashes 25 yards for a touchdown on a spectacular option play. Coach Tom Osborne makes a gutsy call to go for the two-point conversion and the win. The Miami Hurricanes would go on to win 31-30 and collect their first national championship. A definitive moment in Nebraska football and college football history. Go Big Red!

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Nebraska
• Football
• Cornhuskers
• Miami
• 1983
• 194
• Orange
• Bowl
• Turner
• Gill
• Mike
• Rozier
• Irving
• Fryar
• Osborne

[wolverineme119]

@mylegsareswollen Very good points, but that didn't stop Tom Osborne and Nebraska from winning 3 championships in 4 years running the option offense :)

[mylegsareswollen]

This is one of the most significant games in college football history. With Miami winning this game, they redfined the Division 1 football by introducing speed as a significant element of defensive play. It was essentially the beginning of the end of the option and the wishbone attacks as a dominant offensive scheme in Div 1. Miami coming on the scene also ushered in the dominance of pro style passing attacks, which again, altered Div 1 significantly.

[TheCAFProduction]

I know it turned out to be fail, but you have to respect a coach who has the guts to go for it.

[madhazzer]

GHAHAHAHHAHA. CORNHOLERS LOSE, CORNHOLERS LOSE

[wolverineme119]

@lingotech You got me there, that's true, Nebraska was usually trying to go for power like they did in the 80s and recruited very athletic offensive linemen like Steinkuhler. Their defense wasn't like Miami's in any way because despite being possibly the greatest team to ever take the field, they allowed more points than they should have.

[klapp08]

@tishhead "Not the victory but the action; Not the goal but the game; In the deed the glory."

[klapp08]

@tishhead Who gives a damn about a title that was given to you by a bunch of sportswriters that never even played football? You're looking at it from the viewpoint of a spectator craving bragging rights through the title "national champions", instead of looking at it with the integrity that Osborne and these players had--how could they truly feel like champions if they had forced a tie to achieve it? Ties ruin the point of a game, and it was time to decide a winner. And Miami won, fair & square.

[cainepittman2]

@ericberryisgod maybe that but that sarted overtime so the best team could win.

[ericberryisgod]

@cainepittman2

I know I'm in the minority on that opinion. Most of the fans like overtime, I admit it can produce some exciting games as well, but I wish they'd at least make them start from the 50 instead of the 25. Make teams earn a shot at a field goal instead of starting them well in range. But I still feel college football would be better served with ties still a part of the game. Unless that is they finally come to their senses and institute playoffs, then we can start talking OT.