1993 NCAA Division I-A football season


The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, in both the AP and Coaches poll.
Under the Bowl Coalition, undefeated Big 8 champ and #2 ranked Nebraska hosted ACC champ and #1 ranked Florida State in the Orange Bowl. This produced a clear champion in the Coaches Poll and the AP poll, despite Florida State's loss to Notre Dame 31–24 during the regular season, in a game known by many as the "Game of the Century". This much hyped clash between #1 and #2 was the site of the first ever "live" broadcast of the ESPN College GameDay show and did not fail to live up to expectations as Irish defensive back Shawn Wooden batted down a Charlie Ward pass in the end zone with three seconds left to play. Despite the win over Florida State, Notre Dame's title chances ended the very next week when the Fighting Irish lost to #17 Boston College. Further controversy surrounded the inclusion of one-loss Florida State in the national title game over undefeated West Virginia, who was ranked #2 by the final regular season coaches' poll but not the AP.
Despite beating Florida State in the regular season, Notre Dame finished #2 in the two major polls. Florida State, during the 1993 regular season played #2 Notre Dame, #2 Nebraska, #3 Miami, #7 Florida, #13 North Carolina, #15 Virginia, and #17 Clemson. FSU went 3–1 vs top 7 teams while playing only 1 home game in the 4 contests.
Florida State's Charlie Ward threw for 3,032 yards, completed 70 percent of his passes and became the first player to win the Heisman Trophy and the national championship in the same season since Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett in 1976.
The Alamo Bowl played its inaugural game.
The Sunshine Classic was no longer sponsored by Blockbuster Entertainment, and was now known as the Carquest Bowl.

Rule changes

Five teams changed conferences and one team dropped its football team prior to the season. As such, the total number of Division I-A schools decreased to 106.
School1992 Conference1993 Conference
Arkansas State IndiansI-A IndependentBig West
Cal State Fullerton TitansBig WestDropped Program
Louisiana Tech BulldogsI-A IndependentBig West
Northern Illinois HuskiesI-A IndependentBig West
Penn State Nittany LionsI-A IndependentBig Ten
Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' CajunsI-A IndependentBig West

Conference standings

#1 and #2 progress

were the unanimous choice for #1 beginning with the October 19 poll and the three after that, receiving all 62 votes. After Notre Dame's 31-24 defeat of Florida State on November 13, Notre Dame got all 62 first place votes in the next poll.
WEEKS#1#2EventDate
PRE - 7Florida StateAlabamaTennessee 17, Alabama 17Oct 16
8 - 11Florida StateNotre DameNotre Dame 31, Florida St. 24Nov 13
12Notre DameFlorida StateBoston College 41, Notre Dame 39Nov 20
13-15Florida StateNebraskaFlorida State 18, Nebraska 16Jan 1

Bowl games

Final AP Poll

  1. Florida State
  2. Notre Dame
  3. Nebraska
  4. Auburn
  5. Florida
  6. Wisconsin
  7. West Virginia
  8. Penn State
  9. Texas A&M
  10. Arizona
  11. Ohio State
  12. Tennessee
  13. Boston College
  14. Alabama
  15. Miami
  16. Colorado
  17. Oklahoma
  18. UCLA
  19. North Carolina
  20. Kansas State
  21. Michigan
  22. Virginia Tech
  23. Clemson
  24. Louisville
  25. California

    Final Coaches Poll

  26. Florida St.
  27. Notre Dame
  28. Nebraska
  29. Florida
  30. Wisconsin
  31. West Virginia
  32. Penn St.
  33. Texas A&M
  34. Arizona
  35. Ohio St.
  36. Tennessee
  37. Boston College
  38. Alabama
  39. Oklahoma
  40. Miami
  41. Colorado
  42. UCLA
  43. Kansas St.
  44. Michigan
  45. Virginia Tech
  46. North Carolina
  47. Clemson
  48. Louisville
  49. California
  50. Southern California

    Awards and honors

Heisman Trophy

The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is given to the Most Outstanding Player of the year
Winner: Charlie Ward, Florida State, Quarterback

Preseason and in-season