The Hurricanes were led by sixth-year head coach Butch Davis and played their home games at the Orange Bowl.

The 2000 Miami Hurricance finished the season by soundly beating the University of Florida Gators in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

[7] Despite beating the Number 1/2 ranked football teams during the 2000 season and losing only 1 game, the BCS computer model (which chose the two finalists for the NCAA college football season) did not select the University of Miami to play in the National Championship Game, which some fans and analysts thought was a flaw in the BCS.

Several University of Florida football players showed signs of the fight with bruises on their faces in PR leading up to the game.

With their core 2000 roster intact, including Heisman candidates Ken Dorsey and Clinton Portis, Miami would start the 2001 season ranked Number 1.