ub urn ▁Tig ers , ▁led ▁by ▁head ▁coach ▁Pat ▁D ye ▁and ▁running ▁back ▁Bo ▁Jackson , ▁finished ▁ 1 1 – 1 ▁after ▁playing ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁t ough est ▁schedule . ▁Their ▁only ▁loss ▁came ▁against ▁No . 3 ▁Texas , ▁who ▁defeated ▁the ▁Tig ers , ▁ 2 0 – 7 . ▁A ub urn ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁defeat ▁No . 8 ▁Michigan , ▁ 9 – 7 , ▁in ▁the ▁Sug ar ▁Bowl . ▁Despite ▁entering ▁the ▁bow l ▁games ▁ranked ▁third ▁in ▁both ▁major ▁pol ls , ▁and ▁with ▁both ▁teams ▁ranked ▁higher ▁losing ▁their ▁bow l ▁games , ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁ended ▁ranked ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁AP ▁poll . ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁ranked ▁A ub urn ▁number ▁one ▁at ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁but ▁several ▁other ▁retro active ▁pol ling ▁found ▁A ub urn ▁at ▁number ▁one , ▁including ▁the ▁Bill ings ley ▁Report . ▁The ▁univers ally ▁recognized ▁national ▁champions ▁for ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁are ▁the ▁Miami ▁H urr ican es . ▁▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁season ▁ ▁Head ▁coach ▁Terry ▁Bow den ▁led ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁team ▁to ▁a ▁perfect ▁season ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁year ▁on ▁the ▁Pla ins . ▁The ▁Tig ers ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁und efe ated ▁team ▁in ▁major ▁college ▁football , ▁however ▁were ▁b anned ▁from ▁playing ▁on ▁television ▁or ▁post - season ▁games ▁due ▁to ▁NCAA ▁viol ations . ▁R ival ▁Alabama ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁SE C