Miami football 1986 team ranks highest on most-hated teams ever list
247Sports’ Brad Crawford just ranked ‘College football’s 10 most-hated teams of all time,’ and Miami football was sure to make the list. The 1986 Hurricanes were ranked as the first-most hated team of all time. It was perfect. The best part about being a Miami fan is knowing that your team is one of the most hated programs in the country.
The 1986 Miami football team is one of the best in college football history to not win a National Championship. One of the best teams to not win the National Championship.
In reality, the bad boy image began earlier in the 1986 season during the coin toss when Miami defeated Oklahoma for the second straight season. The Hurricanes refused to shake hands with Oklahoma and curse language was exchanged from both teams. Miami was threatened with a penalty flag for refusing to shake hands.
The ’86 Hurricanes were caught up in “fights and fraud and alleged shoplifting and other unsavory shenanigans involving more than 40 players,” wrote SI ‘s Rick Reilly. “Miami may be the only squad in America that has its team picture taken from the front and from the side.”
It was also flat-out loaded, an NFL developmental squad, and not inclined toward modesty. The top-ranked ‘Canes showed up in Tempe, Ariz., for the national title game rocking military fatigues, in stark contrast to the coats and ties sported by the charges of “St. Joe ” Paterno, as Johnson dubbed his counterpart. In that famed Fiesta Bowl game, Heisman Trophy winner
Miami dominated offensively and defensively in 1987. The offense was sixth nationally averaging 34.4 points per game. Miami’s defense allowed 10.4 PPG to rank second nationally. The1987 Miami football team had numerous future NFL first-round draft picks, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer and several future Pro Bowlers.
Here is what 247 had to say:
The birth of swag, so they say. Miami was so talented in this era, the Hurricanes caused instant chaos for the opposition. This is when “The U” became college football’s bad boys. Then-Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly said it best, “Miami may be the only squad in America that has its team picture taken from the front and from the side.”
On a team loaded with future NFL talent, coach Jimmy Johnson basically didn’t believe in suspensions and handled all disciplinary action in-house. That included several slap-on-the-wrist penalties for alleged shoplifting and fraud infractions. Miami’s swag wasn’t enough in the national championship game against Penn State after the Hurricanes infamously stepped off the plane in military fatigues. Heisman-winning Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw five interceptions and the Hurricanes fell, 14-10, for their only loss of the season. The widespread hate started the previous season when Johnson and the Hurricanes blasted Notre Dame by 51 points in a “Catholics vs. Criminals” showdown. Over five seasons with the Hurricanes, Johnson went 52-9 with a national title in 1987 and three top-3 finishes, putting together one of the greatest runs of all-time.
Trinton is the owner of CanesToday. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, he is a freshman in high school and wants to graduate from the University of Miami
