By Darin The matchup between the Miami Hurricanes and the No. 3 UCLA Bruins on December 5, 1998, was a football anomaly. Originally scheduled ten weeks earlier, the game was delayed due to the disruption caused by Hurricane Georges. The postponement shifted the stakes entirely: for UCLA, a victory meant a guaranteed trip to the inaugural BCS National Championship Game. They were ready to claim their spot, but a dramatically improved Miami team after a long layoff had other plans.
What ensued was an offensive supernova, a contest defined by two players setting unprecedented school records. UCLA quarterback Cade McNown was sensational, lighting up the Hurricanes’ secondary for an astonishing 513 passing yards. The Bruins’ offense looked unstoppable, determined to punch their ticket to the title game.
But the game belonged to Miami running back Edgerrin James. James delivered a career performance for the ages, utilizing every gap and breaking every tackle on his way to an unbelievable 299 rushing yards, setting a new school record. The two teams traded blows throughout the fourth quarter, but with the game hanging in the balance, it was James who found the final gear.
With only 50 seconds left on the clock, James barreled into the end zone for the winning touchdown. The Hurricanes completed the massive upset, defeating the Bruins 49-45. This devastating loss crushed UCLA’s BCS title aspirations and secured the contest’s place in college football lore as one of the wildest, most consequential regular-season games ever played.
