Greatest Moments Ep.3: 1987 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Miami (FL) vs. #2 Penn State | @cfbhall feature

The Fiesta Bowl began in 1971 as a late December showcase for the champion of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), which included Arizona and Arizona State until 1978. Following those two schools transfer to the Pac-10, the Fiesta became unaffiliated with a conference champion, moved to an early New Year’s kickoff, and shopped for the best possible matchups.

After years of wandering in the desert as a lower-tier bowl game, the Fiesta Bowl scored the coup of the twentieth century when it landed a #1 vs. #2 matchup in 1987. Not only did the Fiesta Bowl rise in national stature, its hosting of one of most compelling college football games in history helped to usher in the annual national championship game fans have come to expect in the twenty-first century!