The 1992 Cornell Rams Football Team

The 1992 Cornell Rams football team was the most outstanding in the history of Division 3 football, and unfortunately, the Rams weren’t chosen to participate in the NCAA Division 3 football playoffs. According to a news article written by the Cedar Rapids Gazette on November 16, 1992, the 1992 Cornell Rams football team was the first football team in the Midwest Conference to go 10-0 in the 70 years of the league. Despite all the history they made, the 1992 undefeated team was not chosen to participate in the Divison NCAA football playoffs. “Yes, I’m disappointed. But I’m not totally surprised.” Coach Miller said in the Gazette article. The news of the Rams missing the playoffs came after winning the Midwest Conference championship in blowout fashion 40-14, winning the school their first Conference championship in over 3 decades. The team that was chosen to make the NCAA playoffs over the Rams in 92 was Carleton College. Although Carleton was ranked below Cornell in 92,  they were still chosen to make the playoffs. “The thing I’m most disappointed about is that we were replaced by a team that ranked behind us.” Miller said in a Gazette article. Before the Rams played in the Midwest Conference championship game, they beat their long-time rival Coe College. Simultaneously Carleton was losing by 63 to St. John a team that was ranked below them(Gazette article). 

Unlike professional sports where the playoffs are decided by team records and stats, the NCAA college playoffs are decided by a committee. In today’s game if a team wins a Conference championship they get an automatic entry into the college playoffs, unlike in 1992. “I’m sure what Coe did last year and Norbert three years ago in first-round playoff games gave the selection committee a tough choice.” In 1991 when Coe made the NCAA Division 3 playoffs they lost by 73(!) to St. John’s. Coe only managed to score 2 points in a playoff game and when Norbert made the NCAA Division 3 playoffs in 1989 they lost by 48 against Central. The committee thought the that 1992 Rams were going to end up like Coe in 1991 and Norbert in 1989 nevertheless, the 1992 Rams were not defeated by an opponent on the football field but they were defeated by the committee, they lost before they could step on the field. The committee ruined Ram’s opportunity to showcase their talents and gain respect on the main stage. However, the Rams still made history, “they’ve had a great year. Their record probably will never be beaten. That’s something they will have all of their lives”(Gazette article). Coach Miller said. 

The Rams in 1992 were led by head coach Steve Miller, quarterback Matt Miller, the son of Coach Steve Miller, and senior defensive back Brent Sands who had an interception in 9 straight games the season. The 1992 season was the 6th season that coach Miller coached the Rams football team. A Cornell alumni, Miller was a quarterback for the Rams in 1964 and led the team to a conference championship in his senior year. Before the 1992 season coach Miller had a decent winning record of 24-21 at Cornell and by the end of the season he added 10 more wins improving his Cornell record to 34-21. Before he coached the Rams to a 10-0 season, Miller coached at Carroll College, leading Carroll to the Division 3 College football playoffs in 1976. Fun fact, the offensive coordinator and assistant coach for the Rams during the undefeated season was a Coe College alum and a former Coe College coach, Rick coles joined the right side of the rivalry two seasons before the undefeated season in 1990(Cornell College 1992 yearbook). 

Coach Miller expected a big season from the Rams in 1992, with the team going from 45 players in 1991 to 65 players in 1992 “The depth improvement…will allow us to be competitive with every opponent.” He added, “If we stay healthy, we’ll score some points.” Miller said(Cornell football 1992). Coach Miller’s expectations were met the season, the team scored an average of 34.2 points per game and scored a combined 342 points. In the Conference championship game against Beloit, the Rams’s offense scored 41 points. The Rams jumped to an early 20-0 lead in the first quarter of the game, eventually winning the game 41-14. The Rams in 1992 had an insane rushing attack. In the Conference championship game, they ran for 291 yards, starting running back Jason Bennett had 75 yards, and the Mount Vernon raised quarterback Matt Miller had 72 yards, combining for 147 yards out of the 291. The Ram’s offense finished the 1992 season with 2,236 rushing yards on 440 rushing attempts while averaging 4.7 yards per attempt and scoring 30 rushing touchdowns. Their passing number wasn’t jaw-dropping since they were a running team but their low passing number won them 10 games. Nevertheless, the Rams finished the season with 1,205 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns(Cornell Rams Year-To-Data Team Statistical Summery 11/30/1992). 

Although the Ram’s offense was working like a well-oiled machine throughout the 92 season, the saying “defense wins championships” was also true for the Rams in 1992. The Rams had a stud safety in Brent Sands. Sands was one of the captains on the 92 team and was also the defensive signal caller. In 1992 Sands had 9(!) straight games with an interception. Ironically, the conference championship game was the only game Sands did not get an interception. The 9 straight game with an interception to this day still stands as a Divison 3 record for most consecutive games with an interception. The Rams in 1992 had 18 total interceptions as a team and Sands had 9 of them. The 5’8 strong safety made first-team all-American in 1992 and he was named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He set the school record for interception(9) and pass defection(21) in a season. In addition, Sand’s defense recorded two shutouts in back-to-back weeks against Lake Forest and Knox. Against Lake Forest, the Rams won 36-0 and against Knox, the Rams won 33-0. During the 92 season, the Rams’ defense only gave up 13.1 points per game and only gave up more than 20 points in one game which was against Buena Vista in the first game of the season. 

Furthermore, the 1992 team had 7 all-conference first-team players, including quarterback Matt Miller, running back Jason Bennett, and superstar safety Brent Sands. 5 other players from the 92 team made second-team all-conference. No doubt the 1992 Rams were the best football team in Cornell history. However, it is safe to note that the 1937 Rams football team also went undefeated but they only played 9 games which is not to say they weren’t a good football team. However, no other football team in Cornell history has gone undefeated since the 1992 Rams. Although the 1995 Rams were super close with a 9-1 record(Steve Miller was also the coach). The 1992 Rams football finished with a better record than any other team in the Midwest Conference, making the unstoppable 10-0 1992 Cornell Rams the greatest team in the history of the Midwest Conference. The Rams were disappointed in missing the playoffs but they were for sure proud of their accomplishment. “It was the best team I’ve ever been involved in.” Senior starting center Kevin Schrad had sad in the 1992 yearbook. Kevin Schrad liked how there were not a lot of individual superstars who tried to be the hero of the team, the 1992 Cornell Rams football played together and won together and this made them the greatest football team in Cornell history and the greatest team in the history of the Midwest Conference.