The Huskers had pulled within one with 48 seconds to play, but Miami strong safety Ken Calhoun stepped in front of a Turner Gill attempted two-point conversion pass to preserve the win. Coming into the game, the 11-0 top-ran ked Huskers were the favorites, but they quickly found themselves on the short end of a 17-0 score. UM quarterback Bernie Kosar directed that lead on two touchdown passes to tight end Glenn Dennison and a Jeff Davis 45-yard field goal.

The second period was all Nebraska as Dean Steinkuhler's controversial 19-yard "fumblerooskie" and Turner Gill's 1-yard run closed the gap to 17-14.

A Nebraska field goal tied it at 17 in the third, but Alonzo Highsmith and Albert Bentley scored touchdowns at the end of long Kosar-led drives. Nebraska responded at the close of the third with a Jeff Smith 1-yard run and, after UM missed a field goal in the fourth, Smith ran it in from the 24 with :48 on the clock. Then, the Nebraska comeback hopes were dashed when the conversion pass was batted away.

Hurricane freshman quarterback Bernie Kosar passed for 300 yds, the second highest total in Orange Bowl history.