Victory!

Notre Dame gets the last word with a 29-20 win over Miami

By Brian McMahon
1990 Scholastic Football Review

History will say that the Notre Dame/Miami rivalry was best known for tunnel brawls, name-calling, a seething animosity that led to its discontinuance.

But, fittingly, the last scheduled meeting between the two schools manifested what was truly special – and what will be missed about the series: great football.

“This is a great game, a great series,” said Lou Holtz after the Irish had won the final act, 29-20. “We respect each other. It’s why you come to Notre Dame, why you come to Miami – to play this type of game.”

‘This type of game’ saw the Irish pound out 305 yards on the ground against a Miami defense that entered the game ranked second in the nation at stopping the run. It featured a Notre Dame defense that held Miami’s potent offense to just three points in the second half and forced three turnovers in its own territory. And college football’s most electrifying player pulled off football’s most exciting play.

Raghib “Rocket” Ismail’s 94-yard kickoff return late in the first quarter drew the Irish even with the Hurricanes just when things were looking bleak for the home team.

It started with Notre Dame’s first possession of the game. Rodney Culver fumbled on his own 25 and Miami’s Eric Miller recovered. Six plays later, Hurricane fullback Stephen McGuire rumbled into the end zone from one yard out for a quick 7-0 Miami lead. Notre Dame took the ball and marched to the Miami eight yard line, but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Craig Hentrich. The next Irish possession, Rick Mirer threw an interception in Notre Dame territory, putting the Irish defense in a hole again. They held the Hurricanes to three points, but the visitor’s momentum was building. Then Rocket struck.

Huerta’s kickoff came down on the Notre Dame six in Ismail’s rather capable hands. His legs nearly betrayed him, though, when he slipped before regaining his balance and heading up field. Ismail burst through a huge seam, cut left, and was gone. Instant 10-10.

“I was surprised they kicked it right to me,” he admitted nonchalantly. “I just let all my blocking do the work. I saw a crease and got through it. Then I saw the kicker and figured I had a good chance.”

“What can you say about the Rocket,” said Miami Head Coach Dennis Erickson afterward. “You work against it all week in practice, you know what to do. Then you get in the game, he gets the ball… and he’s gone.”

Holtz had the luxury of not having to analyze Ismail’s performance, which wound up being 100 rushing and 268 all-purpose yards, but instead appreciated him, saying, “He’s the best football player in the country.”

While lsmail’s heroics were to be expected, it was the play of Notre Dame’s defense that provided the surprise of the day. Despite Miami’s ten first quarter points, Notre Dame’s defense was playing well; with Miami’s scores all coming after Notre Dame turnovers in Irish territory.

After Ismail’s return, Miami quarterback Craig Erickson led his team onto the field in an attempt to turn the game back in the ‘Canes’ favor. The Irish defense would have none of that, though, and took matters into its own hands. Strong safety Greg Davis picked off an Erickson pass intended for Randall “Thrill” Hill at Notre Dame’s 34 yard line.

Eight plays later, Hentrich gave the Irish their first lead of the game, 13-10. Undaunted, Erickson brought the Hurricanes back. The senior Heisman candidate led the ‘Canes on an impressive nine play, 80 yard drive, finding the mark on all four of his passes for 58 yards. The drive ended with Erickson scoring on a keeper from the one, recapturing the lead for Miami, 17-13. It was the last time Miami would make it to the end zone.

Hentrich added his third field goal before the end of the half to pull the Irish to within one, 17-16. The Irish threatened one more time before the break but self-destructed again, this time in the form of a Ricky Watters fumble at the Miami 20-yard line.

A Miami miscue contributed to the Irish regaining the lead – a lead they would not relinquish. Scott Kowalkowski nailed McGuire coming out of the backfield, forcing a fumble that George “Boo” Williams fell on at the Miami 25. Notre Dame’s defense, for the first time all season, was a factor. The fumble was the second turnover of the day by the Hurrieanes, who were held to negative eight yards rushing in the third quarter.

After the game, linebacker Michael Stonebreaker joked that “we [the defense] were just setting you all up the first few weeks.”

Taking over after the fumble, Notre Dame drove to the Miami nine, where Miami linebacker Darrin Smith blitzed on third down, burying Mirer and setting up Hentrich for his fourth field goal of the afternoon and a 19-17 Irish lead.

Hentrich added another field goal before the end of the third quarter and Miami answered with a 25-yard field goal of their own by Huerta, cutting Notre Dame’s lead to 22-20. Miami’s defense forced the Irish to punt and Erickson trotted onto the field with 93 yards and eleven minutes between him and a touchdown. On the first two plays from scrimmage he completed passes of 40 and 17 yards. Just when it seemed like Notre Dame’s secondary was auditioning for the scapegoat’s role, it came up with a big play to end Miami’s hopes for a comeback. Erickson, under a heavy rush from nose tackle Chris Zorich and outside linebacker Andre Jones on third down at Notre Dame’s 33 rolled right and sent a pass toward wide receiver Lamar Thomas. Thomas slipped and fell at the 15, leaving Todd Lyght alone to corral the ball at the eight and return it to Notre Dame’s 23 yard line.

“Our front three got good pressure on Erickson,” said Lyght of the play that sealed Miami’s fine. “He was looking for the open zone.” Notre Dame ran on six straight plays, three by the Rocket totalling 50 yards, down to Miami’s 21. On third and four, the Irish tried a play that Holtz had implemented that morning.

”The touchdown play we kind of made up at breakfast today,” said Culver, who scored on the play. “I brushed the end and came off into the open field and Rick gave me a great pass to catch.” If only “fullback dump,” as the play is called, had been that simple. Mirer took the snap, dropped back and, pressured by an all-out blitz, coolly “threw it at the back of [Culver’s] head.” Culver pulled it in and headed left behind a block from Tony Brooks.

As he neared the end zone, Miami’s Darryl Wiliams grabbed him by the jersey collar and Culver pulled his excess Miami baggage into the end zone. Hentrich nailed his second point after on the day to go with his Notre Dame-record five field goals, and the Irish led by nine, 29-20.

Needing two scores to win with only six minutes remaining, Miami drove to the Irish 25 before Leonard Conley, who had gained a meager 19 yards for the day, went around the right end for 23 yards before fumbling at the Irish two yard line after a hit by Davis. Stonebreaker recovered and the Irish ran out the last 4:44.

Conley’s fumble symbolized the Canes’ second half fortunes. After the play, he lay face down on the Stadium turf, pounding his fists in frustration. “They are a tremendous offensive football team,” Holtz said afterward. “To hold them to three points in the second half is rather amazing.”

“You just can’t make the mistakes we made in the second half and expect to win,” said coach Erickson. “Notre Dame controlled the ball in the third quarter and it really paid off for them.”

As Erickson stepped away from the microphone and headed out of the interview tent, he stopped to hug Ismail and Lyght. Clearly the animosity that called for state troopers to be stationed in the tunnel near both locker rooms had been replaced by mutual respect.

“We’d like to keep playing them,” the Miami coach said. “I’ve said before, you’ve got two great teams involved and it’s a shame its over.”

“It’s a game our players will remember for the rest of their lives,” reflected Holtz. “I know I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”