. ▁ ▁The ▁Orange ▁Bowl ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁Orange ▁Bowl ▁featured ▁" Game ▁of ▁the ▁Century " - type ▁b illing ▁as ▁the ▁und efe ated ▁and ▁top - rank ed ▁Oklahoma ▁So on ers ▁faced ▁off ▁against ▁und efe ated ▁and ▁second - rank ed ▁Miami ▁for ▁the ▁national ▁championship . ▁ ▁Adding ▁to ▁the ▁h ype ▁was ▁the ▁recent ▁on - field ▁history ▁between ▁the ▁teams . ▁ ▁Oklahoma ▁was ▁a ▁dominant ▁force ▁in ▁college ▁football , ▁winning ▁the ▁national ▁championship ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁losing ▁just ▁one ▁game ▁in ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁preceding ▁two ▁years . ▁ ▁Miami , ▁though , ▁had ▁proven ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁th orn ▁in ▁Oklahoma ' s ▁side , ▁as ▁the ▁So on ers ' ▁losses ▁in ▁' 8 5 ▁and ▁' 8 6 ▁had ▁both ▁come ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁Miami . ▁ ▁Now , ▁with ▁the ▁national ▁championship ▁on ▁the ▁line , ▁Miami ▁sought ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁three - loss es - in - three - year s ▁for ▁Oklahoma , ▁and ▁also ▁their ▁first ▁post season ▁bow l ▁win ▁under ▁Jimmy ▁Johnson ▁after ▁three ▁straight ▁bow l ▁losses , ▁two ▁in ▁which ▁they ▁strugg led ▁and ▁lost ▁their ▁ch ances ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁national ▁champion ships . ▁ ▁Further ▁fuel ▁for ▁the ▁fire ▁was ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁growing ▁personal ▁anim os ity ▁between ▁former ▁Ark ansas ▁player ▁Johnson ▁and ▁Oklahoma ▁head ▁coach ▁Barry ▁Sw itzer , ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁former ▁Ark ansas ▁player .