The fact we beat OU in Norman that year, I'd say it was virtually certain Miami wins the NC if we could've taken care of business against the Vols.
The '86 Sugar Bowl still ****es me off to this day. We were clearly a better team than Tennessee. Unfortunately, the players were more focused on partying on Bourbon street than winning a football game. Players were showing up at their hotel room at all hours the night before the game.
One of the reasons Jerome Brown took the '87 Fiesta Bowl so seriously is he didn't want the team to lose focus like they did in New Orleans.