Our countdown from 10 to 1 - going from most memorable, valuable and greatest - continues at No. 7 with …

After capturing the 1988 national title and extending their school record winning streak to 23 games in 1989, the 11-0 and No. 1 Fighting Irish finally lost, 27-10 at No. 7 Miami in the regular season finale.

Head coach Lou Holtz's juggernaut still had hopes for winning the national title. If No. 4 Notre Dame could defeat No. 1 Colorado - college football's lone unbeaten team - in the Orange Bowl, and No. 2 Miami would lose to SEC champ and 10-1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the title would return to Notre Dame.

During the week of practice for the Buffaloes, Holtz inadvertently caused a stir when an eavesdropping Colorado camera crew caught him telling his Irish that the No. 1 Buffaloes were "living a lie," and would start "grab-bagging" in the second half.

Colorado had dedicated its season to deceased senior quarterback Sal Aunese, its starter in 1987 and 1988 who died in Sept. 1989 from stomach cancer.

Game Notes

• Colorado got the better of Notre Dame throughout the first half but had no points to show for it in a scoreless first 30 minutes. The Buffaloes 1) lost a fumble at the Irish 19, 2) missed a 23-yard field goal attempt and 3) had a first-and-goal at the one but failed to score when a fake field goal attempt was stopped by defensive lineman Troy Ridgley and cornerback Stan Smagala at the one.

• Notre Dame opened the second half with consecutive touchdown drives of 69 and 46 yards, the latter after an interception by linebacker Ned Bolcar. Senior fullback Anthony Johnson scored from the four for the first score, and sophomore flanker Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, replacing the injured Ricky Watters at tailback, sprinted for a 35-yard score.

• The Irish closed the game with an 82-yard drive that took 17 plays - all runs - and milked 8:55 off the clock. It culminated with a seven-yard Johnson TD with 1:32 remaining to seal the verdict.

Offense: Although Ismail was named the Offensive MVP with his 16 carries that netted 108 yards, the Irish offensive line with tackles Dean Brown and Mike Brennan, guards Tim Grunhard and Tim Ryan and center Mike Heldt was the centerpiece that racked up 279 yards rushing. It helped senior fullback Anthony Johnson rush for a career-high 89 yards, and the fourth quarter drive was a classic.

Defense: Led by quarterback Darian Hagan and running back Eric Bieniemy, Colorado and its triple option entered the contest averaging 473 yards total offense and 34 points per game. But All-Americans Chris Zorich at nose guard, Bolcar at linebacker and cornerback Todd Lyght spearheaded holding it to 282 yards and six points, that coming on a 39-yard Hagan run on the last play of the third quarter.

After Miami defeated Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, there was a bittersweet emotion that the Irish ended up No. 2 in the final polls despite staying No. 1 almost the entire year, playing the nation's No. 1 schedule and then defeating 11-0 and No. 1 Colorado in the Orange Bowl.

It says something about Notre Dame's bowl history that vanquishing a No. 1 team in a bowl doesn't merit a higher ranking, but there were other more dramatic moments or spectacular finishes, most of which resulted in a No. 1 finish.

This marked the seventh time in nine tries that Notre Dame defeated an unbeaten or No. 1-ranked team, if not both, in a bowl game. Six of them came in the 20-year period from Jan. 1 1971 through Jan. 1 1990, an unparalleled feat in college football bowl history.

Holtz campaigned on behalf of his team to be voted the national title based on the following facts:

• Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 in 11 consecutive weeks, until the loss to Miami in the regular-season finale.

• After falling from No. 1 in the final week, the Irish defeated the new No. 1, 21-6.

• Notre Dame's schedule was ranked the nation's toughest by the NCAA and the Irish defeated the teams that finished No. 4 (Colorado), No. 7 (Michigan), No. 8 (USC), No. 15 (Penn State), No. 16 (Michigan State), No. 17 (Pitt) and No. 18 (Virginia), or seven of the top 18.

No dice. Miami was voted by a 2-1 margin No. 1 because the bottom line was the Hurricanes won the head-to-head meeting. The 11-1 Hurricanes received 38 first-place votes for 1,449 points, while the 12-1 Irish had 19 first-place votes for 1,428 points. No. 3 Florida State had the other two No. 1 votes despite two losses.

Four years later, Holtz wondered loudly why the same logic didn't apply to Notre Dame when FSU was voted No. 1 over the Irish despite the Seminoles losing the head-to-head battle to Notre Dame in November.