College football is chaotic. We know this. But if you weren't around or paying attention back then, you have no idea how weird the 1990 college football national championship actually was. It wasn't just a close race. It was a complete, logic-defying meltdown that ended with two different teams claiming the throne.
Colorado and Georgia Tech.
Try explaining that to a playoff-era fan today. They'd think you’re joking. Imagine if the season ended today and half the country said one team won, while the other half pointed at a different trophy. That’s exactly what happened in 1990. It was the peak of the "split title" era, and honestly, it’s the reason people begged for a playoff system for decades.
The Fifth Down That Changed Everything
You can't talk about the 1990 college football national championship without talking about the "Fifth Down Game." It’s one of the most infamous officiating blunders in sports history.
On October 6, 1990, the Colorado Buffaloes were playing Missouri. Colorado was trailing late. They were on the goal line. Because of a massive officiating oversight, the refs lost track of the downs. Colorado essentially got five tries to get into the end zone instead of four. They scored on that extra down. They won the game 33-31.
If the refs had done their job? Colorado loses that game. If Colorado loses that game, they aren't even in the conversation for a national title. But they didn't lose. The result stood. Missouri fans are still rightfully bitter about it.
The Buffaloes, coached by Bill McCartney, were a powerhouse. They had Eric Bieniemy. They had a terrifying defense. But that one extra play in Columbia, Missouri, created a permanent asterisk in the minds of every other fanbase in the country. It’s the kind of thing that would break Twitter today. Back then, it just fueled a season-long argument that never really got resolved.
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The Georgia Tech Surge
While Colorado was dealing with "Fifth Down" drama and a tie against Tennessee, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were quietly putting together a masterpiece. Bobby Ross had that team humming. They were the only unbeaten team left at the end of the year.
11-0-1.
They weren't flashy in the way Miami or Florida State were. They were just consistent. Their tie came against a very good North Carolina team, but otherwise, they handled their business. Entering the bowl season, they were ranked No. 2 in the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll. Colorado was No. 1.
Then came the Orange Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl.
Colorado had to play Notre Dame. It was a brutal, ugly game. The Buffaloes won 10-9, but only after a clipping penalty nullified a Raghib "Rocket" Ismail punt return touchdown that would have won it for the Irish. It was another "what if" moment in a season full of them. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech absolutely demolished Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl, winning 45-21.
The stage was set for a split.
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Two Trophies, One Year
When the final votes came in, the college football world fractured.
The AP Poll—voted on by journalists—stuck with Colorado. They liked the Buffaloes' strength of schedule. They saw a team that played a gauntlet and came out on top, despite the tie and the "Fifth Down." Colorado officially claimed their share of the 1990 college football national championship.
But the Coaches Poll? They went a different way.
The coaches moved Georgia Tech up to No. 1. Maybe they were reward the "unbeaten" status. Maybe they were subtly protesting the Fifth Down debacle. Whatever the reason, the Yellow Jackets got their trophy too.
It’s easy to look back and say one team deserved it more. Colorado had wins over ranked opponents like Washington, Oklahoma, and Nebraska. Georgia Tech’s schedule wasn't quite as heavy at the top, but they didn't have a "Fifth Down" hanging over their heads. It was the classic debate: dominance vs. perfection.
Why the 1990 Season Matters Now
We often complain about the current playoff system. We argue about the "eye test" or whether a three-loss team belongs in a 12-team field. But 1990 reminds us how much worse it used to be.
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Before the Bowl Coalition, the Bowl Alliance, or the BCS, we just had vibes. We had writers and coaches checking boxes and hoping for the best. The 1990 college football national championship was the catalyst for change. It proved that the "poll era" was fundamentally broken because it couldn't provide a definitive answer.
If you look at the rosters from that year, the talent was insane.
- Colorado: Eric Bieniemy, Alfred Williams, Kanavis McGhee.
- Georgia Tech: Shawn Jones, Ken Swilling, Marco Coleman.
These weren't fluke teams. They were elite squads that deserved a chance to settle it on the field. They never got it. Instead, they’re forever linked in history books as co-champions, two programs that took very different paths to the same mountaintop.
The Stats That Defined the Year
Colorado's schedule was actually ranked as the toughest in the nation by several metrics at the time. They played five top-25 teams in their first six games. That’s a suicide mission. Most teams today wouldn't dream of scheduling that way. That's why the AP voters stayed loyal; they respected the bruises.
Georgia Tech, on the other hand, had the best defense in the ACC. They were allowing very few points and showed a level of discipline that Colorado sometimes lacked. Their blowout of Nebraska was the exclamation point. It was a "statement game" before that phrase was even a cliché.
Actionable Takeaways for History Buffs
If you’re trying to settle a debate about the 1990 college football national championship with your friends, here is the nuance you need to bring to the table:
- Mention the Clipping Call: Everyone remembers the Fifth Down, but Colorado doesn't win the Orange Bowl without that late penalty on Notre Dame. It’s the second-most controversial play of their season.
- Point to the Tie: Both teams had a tie. Colorado tied Tennessee (ranked No. 8 at the time) in the Pigskin Classic. Georgia Tech tied an unranked North Carolina team. In the eyes of some, Colorado's tie was "better."
- Look at the Coaches Poll Switch: It is very rare for a team to win their bowl game and drop from No. 1 in a poll, but that's essentially what happened in the Coaches Poll as they jumped Tech over Colorado.
- Watch the Replays: Most of these games are available in "vault" formats online. Watching the speed of 1990 Georgia Tech vs. the physicality of 1990 Colorado shows two completely different, but equally valid, styles of championship football.
The 1990 season didn't just give us a winner; it gave us a decades-long conversation about fairness and the soul of the sport. It remains the ultimate example of why we play the games—and why we eventually decided we needed a playoff to finish them.