1990–91 NCAA football bowl games

Number of bowl teams per state.

The 1990-91 NCAA College Football Bowl Games featured 19 games, starting early in December 1990 and ending on New Year's Day 1991. They followed the 1990 regular season and ended in controversy. Going into the postseason, Colorado had a 10-1-1 record and was ranked #1 in both Coaches' and AP polls. After a relatively unimpressive (and controversial) 10-9 victory over #5 Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl and an impressive victory by the undefeated (10-0-1) #2 Georgia Tech in the Citrus Bowl, the Buffaloes lost their #1 ranking to the Yellow Jackets in the Coaches' Poll, creating a split championship. This controversial ending, along with the dual undefeated champions of the following year, led to the creation of the Bowl Coalition.

Bowl Games

NOTE: Rankings used are the final regular season AP Rankings whenever noted

California Bowl

• San Jose State 48, Central Michigan 24

Independence Bowl

• Louisiana Tech 34, Maryland 34

Aloha Bowl

• Syracuse 28, Arizona 0

Liberty Bowl

• Air Force 23, (24) Ohio State 11

Blockbuster Bowl

• (6) Florida State 24, (7) Penn State 17

All-American Bowl

• NC State 31, (23) Southern Miss 27

Peach Bowl

• Auburn 27, Indiana 23

Freedom Bowl

• Colorado State 32, Oregon 31

Holiday Bowl

• Texas A&M 65, (13) BYU 14

Copper Bowl

• Cal 17, Wyoming 15

John Hancock Bowl

• (22) Michigan State 17, (21) USC 16

Hall of Fame Bowl

• (14) Clemson 30, (16) Illinois 0

Orange Bowl

• (1) Colorado 10, (5) Notre Dame 9

Florida Citrus Bowl

• (2) Georgia Tech 45, (19) Nebraska 21

Fiesta Bowl

• (18) Louisville 34, (25) Alabama 7

Cotton Bowl Classic

• (4) Miami 46, (3) Texas 3

Gator Bowl

• (12) Michigan 35, (15) Ole Miss 3

Rose Bowl

• (8) Washington 46, (17) Iowa 34

Sugar Bowl

• (10) Tennessee 23, Virginia 22

Final rankings