The 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season was the main college football season sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Both the Miami Hurricanes and the Washington Huskies finished the season undefeated (12–0) and with the top ranking in a nationally recognized poll.

Under the conference-bowl selection alignments of the time, the Hurricanes and Huskies could not meet in a decisive title game because Washington was slotted into the Rose Bowl as the Pac-10 champions, and the other spot in the Rose Bowl was automatically given to the Big Ten champions (in 1991, that was Michigan).

The Rose Bowl's selection terms later thwarted potential title matchups of undefeated teams following the 1994 and 1997 seasons.

Following the 1998 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) realignment, several Pac-10 and Big Ten teams were able to play in a BCS title game instead of being forced to play a non-title contender in the Rose Bowl; these include the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2002, 2006 and 2007, the USC Trojans in 2004 and 2005 and the Oregon Ducks in 2010.

11 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, but their season was defined by a dramatic November victory over then No.

That game ended with the FSU place kicker missing a field goal, wide right, which would become a theme in the Florida State–Miami football rivalry; this game later took on the moniker "Wide Right I."

4 Michigan, the Big Ten champions who featured Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard; it was Washington's second consecutive Rose Bowl win.

The Florida Gators captured their first official SEC title in school history (they had previously won the 1984 SEC title, but it was later vacated) in dominating fashion.

Alabama finished second in the SEC with an 11–1 record, but were shutout 35–0 by the Gators.

The NCAA adopted the following rule changes for the 1991 season: Neither of the 1990 champions, Colorado and Georgia Tech, cracked the top five in the preseason poll for 1991.

3 Michigan and won 51–31, the most points the Wolverines had ever allowed on their home turf.

1 Florida State posted another high-scoring win over a top-ten opponent, defeating No.

5 Oklahoma posted a 29–8 win at Iowa State, but nevertheless fell out of the top five in the next poll.

3 Washington posted a second straight lopsided shutout, 48–0 over Toledo.

13 Tennessee on a blocked field goal attempt as time expired.

23 Georgia to clinch the SEC title and a Sugar Bowl berth.

2 Miami, the first time that the two rivals had met while ranked in the top two spots of the AP Poll.

Kicker Gerry Thomas’s 34-yard attempt went wide right, delivering a 17–16 victory to Miami—the first of several FSU-Miami games in the 1990s and early 2000s which featured late-game kicking miscues by the Seminoles.

25 Illinois 20–0; by clinching their respective conference titles, the Huskies and Wolverines ensured that they would meet each other in the Rose Bowl.

3 Florida State suffered their second straight loss to an in-state rival, falling 14–9 to No.

With Washington contractually bound to the Rose Bowl and no opportunity for a de facto national championship matchup, No.

1 Miami opted for the hometown Orange Bowl as their postseason game.

15 Colorado had finished in a tie both in their game against each other and at the top of the Big 8 standings; the Cornhuskers, with a higher ranking and better overall record, would face the Hurricanes.

4 Michigan would meet in the Rose Bowl’s annual Pac-10 vs. Big Ten showdown.

As of the September 10th poll, Florida State remained the overwhelming choice for No.

Those two Sunshine State teams would continue to be 1 and 2 as their November 16 meeting approached.

In the Pacific Northwest, Washington won its Apple Cup game by 35 points on November 23 and finished the regular season at 11–0; the Huskies took over the No.

After the end of the regular season, the coaches moved the Washington Huskies to the No.

They would keep the top spot after their Rose Bowl win over Michigan to split the National Title.