(10 of 10)
For the Orange Bowl's 50th renewal, Miami, the game's original loser, was a sentimental but not a financial favorite. Committeemen estimate that $10 million could be lost in tourist trade. So no one paved the way for Miami (10-1), which had a hard road after losing its opener to Florida, 28-3. The Hurricanes are coached by Howard Schnellenberger, a former pro assistant of Don Shula's and head coach for the Baltimore Colts. Having immediately lost his star quarterback this year to injury, Schnellenberger had to choose quickly from three freshmen and selected Bernie Kosar to run a sophisticated pro-style passing offense. Kosar is 6 ft. 5 in. tall and favors throwing to a tight end named Glenn Dennison, who has not only good hands but noticeably large ones. The Hurricanes have an ungigantic but fierce defense. Like Nebraska, Notre Dame was far bigger, but the Irish could not score against Miami. "I would rather play Harvard," says Bob Devaney.
Winning the national championship is a quest for the three friends, Rozier, Gill and Fryar. "We could have won three in a row," Fryar says.
"It has been right there in front of us, and it just slipped away." Two years ago, the Cornhuskers failed in the Orange Bowl by one touchdown to Clemson. Last season, they lost only to Penn State, in the final minute.
"For a long while," says Rozier, "I thought the refs cheated us in the Penn State game. But I finally came to realize that refs don't win or lose. You do." For a moment, he is in thought. "We have a God-given talent. Where else could it come from? You're taught the plays, the holes, but not how to run. We're beatable—everybody is—but I think we're special."
Not the victory but the action. Not the goal but the game. In the deed the glory. —By Tom Callahan
*J.E. Shue and J.G. Yont were Nebraska stalwarts in 1893.