The 1990 college football season kicked off with chaos off the field and a sense of familiarity on it. Miami and Notre Dame had gone a combined 22-1 against the rest of the nation in 1989, and the Hurricanes' 27-10 win over the Irish on Nov. 25 had basically decided the national title. In 1990, they predictably began the season ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively; Florida State, the only team to beat either in 1989, began the year ranked fourth, and the others in the preseason top 10 had all finished the previous season 12th or better. Though each year produces its own upstarts, the sport's balance of power seemed crystal clear heading into the 1990s.

Off the field, everything was as blurry as could be. With Penn State's impending move to the Big Ten, the first major run of conference realig

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