1980s ranking

Top 25 games of the 1980s in the database

Wins receive a small preference, but exceptional losses and ties remain eligible. Select any game for its available box score and statistics.

1983PostseasonNeutral site
W 31-30 vs. Nebraska
No. 5 Miami vs. No. 1 Nebraska · 1-point margin
Ranking 46/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
80
Game score
Full Game · 1983 Miami vs. Nebraska (Bowl Full Game)
1987PostseasonNeutral site
W 20-14 vs. Oklahoma
No. 2 Miami vs. No. 1 Oklahoma · 6-point margin
Ranking 49/50 · Closeness 24/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
78
Game score
Full Game · 1987 Miami vs. Oklahoma (Bowl Full Game)
1987Week 6Away
W 26-25 vs. Florida State
No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 3 Miami · 1-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
77
Game score
1988Week 8Away
L 30-31 vs. Notre Dame
No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Miami · 1-point margin
Ranking 47/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
76
Game score
Full Game · Catholics vs. Convicts: Notre Dame vs. Miami (Full Game)
1986PostseasonNeutral site
L 10-14 vs. Penn State
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 1 Miami · 4-point margin
Ranking 49/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
75
Game score
Full Game · 1986 Penn State vs. Miami (Bowl Full Game)
1988Week 14Home
W 18-16 vs. Arkansas
No. 3 Miami vs. No. 8 Arkansas · 2-point margin
Ranking 41/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
74
Game score
1987Week 15Home
W 20-16 vs. South Carolina
No. 2 Miami vs. No. 9 South Carolina · 4-point margin
Ranking 41/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
72
Game score
1989PostseasonNeutral site
W 33-25 vs. Alabama
No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 Alabama · 8-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
70
Game score
1988Week 4Away
W 31-30 vs. Michigan
No. 15 Michigan vs. No. 1 Miami · 1-point margin
Ranking 36/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
70
Game score
1986Week 5Home
W 28-16 vs. Oklahoma
No. 1 Miami vs. No. 6 Oklahoma · 12-point margin
Ranking 45/50 · Closeness 18/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
68
Game score
1984Week 3Away
L 14-22 vs. Michigan
No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 5 Miami · 8-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
66
Game score
1986Week 2Away
W 23-15 vs. Florida
No. 13 Florida vs. No. 2 Miami · 8-point margin
Ranking 37/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
64
Game score
1989Week 13Home
W 27-10 vs. Notre Dame
No. 7 Miami vs. No. 1 Notre Dame · 17-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 13/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
62
Game score
1988PostseasonNeutral site
W 23-3 vs. Nebraska
No. 2 Miami vs. No. 6 Nebraska · 20-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 10/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
59
Game score
1985Week 10Away
W 35-27 vs. Florida State
No. 10 Florida State vs. No. 11 Miami · 8-point margin
Ranking 31/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
58
Game score
1989Week 9Away
L 10-24 vs. Florida State
No. 9 Florida State vs. No. 2 Miami · 14-point margin
Ranking 41/50 · Closeness 16/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
57
Game score
1981Week 4Away
L 7-14 vs. Texas
No. 4 Texas vs. No. 14 Miami · 7-point margin
Ranking 34/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
57
Game score
1981Week 9Home
W 17-14 vs. Penn State
Unranked Miami vs. No. 1 Penn State · 3-point margin
Ranking 25/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
57
Game score
1980Week 5Home
W 10-9 vs. Florida State
No. 13 Miami vs. No. 16 Florida State · 1-point margin
Ranking 23/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
57
Game score
1984Week 14Home
L 45-47 vs. Boston College
No. 16 Miami vs. No. 8 Boston College · 2-point margin
Ranking 28/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
56
Game score
Full Game · The Hail Flutie Game: Boston College at Miami (Full Broadcast)
1983Week 12Away
W 17-16 vs. Florida State
Unranked Florida State vs. No. 5 Miami · 1-point margin
Ranking 21/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
55
Game score
1984PostseasonNeutral site
L 37-39 vs. UCLA
No. 14 UCLA vs. No. 13 Miami · 2-point margin
Ranking 25/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
53
Game score
1982Week 6Away
L 14-16 vs. Notre Dame
No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 17 Miami · 2-point margin
Ranking 25/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
53
Game score
1989Week 5Away
W 26-20 vs. Michigan State
Unranked Michigan State vs. No. 2 Miami · 6-point margin
Ranking 24/50 · Closeness 24/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
53
Game score
1981Week 10Away
W 27-19 vs. Florida State
No. 14 Florida State vs. No. 13 Miami · 8-point margin
Ranking 25/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
52
Game score

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-week AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero ranking points.

Closeness, 30 points: the score margin is subtracted from 30, with margins of 30 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Result, 5 points: a featured-team win receives five points; losses and ties receive zero.

Regular-season rankings are matched to the AP Top 25 for the game's recorded week. Postseason games use the final regular-season AP poll published before bowl and playoff results. Overtime uses period scoring when available, then explicit overtime notes as a fallback. Older games and smaller programs may have less complete poll or period data.

Miami Top 25 Games of the 1980s

Top 25 games of the 1980s in the database

How each game earns up to 100 points

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