What was supposed to be a historic first meeting between Miami and FIU instead became one of the ugliest days in college football history.
Twenty years ago, on Oct. 14, 2006, the crosstown rivals squared off before over 50,000 fans at the Orange Bowl, but the game spiraled into an all-out brawl that neither program would soon forget.
Tempers boiled over in the third quarter after Miami took a 14-0 lead. Following a Hurricanes touchdown and extra point, FIU players clashed with UM players, setting off a melee that spread across the field into pure chaos.
Players poured in from both sidelines, trading punches and kicks as coaches and officials struggled to restore order.
In one of the wildest moments, an injured FIU player swung his crutch at several Miami players.
The fallout was immediate and unprecedented.
Officials ejected 13 players during the game, which resumed and ended in a 35-0 Miami victory.
But the punishment didn’t stop there: Thirty-one players were suspended for one game, 18 from FIU and 13 from Miami.
Both universities issued public apologies, and what should have been a landmark moment in Miami-Dade County instead became one of the ugliest chapters in South Florida football history.
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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.