1987 Fiesta Bowl
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| Date | January 2, 1987 |
| Stadium | Sun Devil Stadium |
| City | Tempe, Arizona |
| MVP | D.J. Dozier, Shane Conlan |
| Favorite | Miami |
| National anthem | |
| Halftime show | |
| Attendance | 73,098 |
| United States TV Coverage | |
| Network | NBC |
| Announcers | Charlie Jones, Bob Griese, Jimmy Cefalo, Bob Costas (pregame), Ahmad Rashad (sideline) |
The 1987 Fiesta Bowl Game was a college football bowl game sponsored by Sunkist. It was part of the 1986-1987 bowl season of the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Fiesta Bowl has been played annually since 1971. The 1987 game was played on January 2, 1987, at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The game pitted the #1 Miami Hurricanes against the #2 Penn State Nittany Lions and was televised on NBC.
Penn State was the designated home team, but was overshadowed by the heavily favored Hurricanes. However, in one of the most historic upsets in college football, the Nittany Lions won, 14-10. Penn State wore blue, home jerseys, while Miami wore their road white jerseys.
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[edit] Pre-game buildup
This game, perhaps the most hyped game in college football up until then, has been called by many commentators as a battle between "Good versus Evil."[1]
Miami entered the game with a seemingly unstoppable team. The Hurricanes had outscored their opponents during the season 420-136 en route to a perfect regular season. They had held the #1 ranking since handing the reigning champion (and eventual #3) Oklahoma Sooners their only loss during the fourth week of the season. The 1986 Heisman Trophy winner, Vinny Testaverde starred at quarterback, All-Americans Jerome Brown and Bennie Blades on defense, and future NFL star Michael Irvin at wide receiver. The team was flashy, swaggering, and arrogant; all these attributes translated into dominating performances on the field.
Penn State came into the game with a different pedigree. Also 11-0 and undefeated, the Nittany Lions had nonetheless looked rather beatable, with close wins against Cincinnati, Maryland, and Notre Dame, all teams with .500 records or worse. However, the Lions relished their underdog status and their ability to shut teams down with a stifling, highly rated defense. They had All-Americans at linebacker (Shane Conlan), defensive tackle (Tim Johnson), running back (D.J. Dozier) and offensive tackle (Chris Conlin). "We were a team that couldn't be intimidated, and that's what Miami liked to do to other players," linebacker Pete Giftopoulos observed recently. "How are you going to intimidate a bunch of steel-town kids from Pittsburgh, Ohio, Pennsylvania? You just can't do that." [2]
The Fiesta Bowl was looking to do something special that year. With Miami and Penn State, the top 2 teams in the nation, both independent teams unaffiliated with any conferences or bowl tie-ins, the Fiesta Bowl noticed an opportunity to create a #1-2 matchup in what was widely seen as a second-tier bowl[3] Furthermore, by signing a contract with Sunkist, the Fiesta Bowl had created the first title sponsorship of a bowl game, something that has become commonplace since.
The behavior of the players contributed to the atmosphere of the game. In one famous incident, while the Penn State players arrived in suits and ties, the Miami football players arrived in Arizona dressed alike, in combat fatigues.
A second, perhaps more memorable moment, occurred at a pre-game steak fry, where each team was asked to deliver a short skit. Penn State's players wore suits and ties. Miami's players wore their black sweat suits, only because, according to Miami RB Alonzo Highsmith, the Fiesta Bowl officials told them to.
As part of Penn State's skit, John Bruno, Penn State's punter, dragged out a garbage can labeled with masking tape as "Jimmy Johnson's Hair Spray" and made a few good-natured jokes. At this time, DT Jerome Brown unexpectedly stood up and unzipped his sweat suit to reveal his fatigues. "Did the Japanese sit down and eat with Pearl Harbor before they bombed them?" he said. "No. We're outta here." At this point, Bruno offered a poignant observation that is still fondly remembered by many Penn State fans, "Excuse me," he said. "But didn't the Japanese lose the war?" Although Brown made an immediate effort to leave, Coach Johnson required him and the rest of the Canes to sit out the remainder of Penn State's routine before going. Indeed, when the routine ended, the entire Miami team stood up and proceeded defiantly toward their buses.[4]
Recently, in an article in the Miami Herald, Michael Weinreb offered his interpretation of the cause of the Hurricane walkout. Apparently, the writer was told that Brown had taken offense to a comment Bruno had made while reflecting on the diversity he experienced as a football player at Penn State. Bruno, a fun-loving joker, widely respected by his Penn State teammates, had characterized his team as "one big family" and suggested that "we even let the black guys eat with us at the training table once a week."[5] Today, as it was twenty years ago, there is a widespread understanding among Penn Staters, and particularly those who knew John Bruno (who died in 1993 from melanoma), that even if he did utter the latter phrase, he would have delivered it with only positive intentions.[6]
[edit] Game Summary
Miami vastly outgained Penn State on the field, 445 yards to 162, with 22 first downs compared to the Nittany Lions' 8. However, the Hurricanes were hampered by 7 turnovers, including 5 interceptions by the Heisman-winning Testaverde.
The majority of the game was a seesaw battle. Miami's only touchdown was the result of a John Shaffer fumble that the Hurricanes recovered at the Penn State 23. Miami then took four plays to score the go-ahead touchdown.
The Nittany Lions responded with their only sustained drive of the night, going 74 yards in 13 plays, culminating in Shaffer's 4-yard scamper into the end zone. The halftime score was a 7-7 tie.
After Miami scored a field goal to retake the lead, Shane Conlan grabbed his second interception of the night, returning it 39 yards to the Miami 5. The first Penn State snap was fumbled, but the Nittany Lions recovered. D.J. Dozier then followed with a 6-yard run for the go-ahead touchdown.
Miami still had over 8 minutes on the clock, but fumbled on their next possession. With Penn State unable to move the ball, Miami began their last drive on their own 23 with 3:07 left in the game. A 4th-down completion to Brian Blades went for 31 yards and moved Miami into Penn State territory.[7] With a minute left, Testaverde hit Michael Irvin at the Penn State 10. The connection put the Hurricanes inside the 5 with 45 seconds left. Even with a national championship at stake, though, Penn State linebacker Pete Giftopoulos said the Penn State defense stayed calm. "We had some great leaders -- (seniors) Shane Conlan, Timmy Johnson, Bob White," he said. "They were key character people. To not see any fear in their eyes helped me as a junior and helped the other players to play the game. ... Nobody was losing it in the huddle, nobody was screaming. Everyone was like, 'Here's the play; let's do it.'"
On second-and-goal, Testaverde dropped back, but Tim Johnson broke free and sacked him. On third down, Testaverde threw incomplete into the flat. On fourth-and-goal, with 18 seconds left, Testaverde threw to the end zone, but was intercepted by Giftopoulous. The interception, Giftopoulos' second of the game (and Testaverde's fifth), ensured Penn State's second national title in five years.[8]
[edit] Scoring summary
[edit] First quarter
- None
[edit] Second quarter
- Miami (Fla.) - Melvin Bratton 1-yard touchdown run (Cox kick good). (6:38) 7-0 Miami, Fla.
- Penn State - John Shaffer 4-yard touchdown run (Manca kick good). (1:14) 7-7 Tie
[edit] Third quarter
- None
[edit] Fourth quarter
- Miami, Fla. - 38-yard field goal by Mark Seelig. (11:49) 10-7 Miami, Fla.
- Penn State - 6-yard touchdown run by D.J. Dozier (Manca kick good). (8:13) 14-10 Penn State
[edit] Game's Legacy
This was a game of many firsts:
- The first bowl game to have title sponsorship
- The highest ratings share of any college football game in history: 25.1% of households tuned in to watch the Fiesta Bowl, or over 70 million viewers.
[edit] See also
- Fiesta Bowl
- Penn State Nittany Lions football
- Miami Hurricanes football
- NCAA football bowl games, 1986-87
[edit] Sources
- Espn.com E-Ticket - Michael Weinreb, The Night College Football Went To Hell
- Penn State Official Athletic Site
- University of Miami Official Athletic Site
| Preceded by 1986 Fiesta Bowl |
1987 Fiesta Bowl 1987 |
Succeeded by 1988 Fiesta Bowl |
[edit] References
- ^ Michael Weinreb, The Night College Football Went To Hell
- ^ Dan O'Sullivan, 1987 - Penn State 14, Miami 10
- ^ Michael Weinreb, The Night College Football Went To Hell
- ^ Michael Weinreb, The Night College Football Went To Hell
- ^ Michael Weinreb, The Night College Football Went To Hell
- ^ [1]
- ^ Penn State 2005 Football Media Guide
- ^ Michael Weinreb, The Night College Football Went To Hell
- ^ Penn State 2005 Football Media Guide
