Note: in the review that follows, title-contenders are shown in bold.

1993 saw the first year of the Bowl Coalition, in which the major conferences except those tied to the Rose Bowl (the Big Ten and Pac Ten) agreed to pit the two best teams against one another. The best teams were to be determined by average ranking in the AP and coaches poll, and the bowl site would be based on conference affiliations. As it turned out, the Coalition arrived just in time to create some controversy.

That controversy was fueled by a number of teams carrying great records into November. Three teams would finish the regular season undefeated, and two one-loss teams had legitimate claims to playing for the national title. As with all the seasons in the early 90s, the story begins with the Notre Dame-Michigan game, won by the Irish, 27-23. The Wolverines were headed for their worst season of the decade thus far (finishing a respectable 8-4), leaving the door wide open for Ohio State and conference newcomer Penn State. The Nittany Lions started off 5-0, but lost to Michigan 21-13, and followed that up with a 24-6 loss to Ohio State. The win made the Buckeyes 8-0, making them the prohibitive favorite to win the conference title. The other team making noise, Wisconsin, had won their first six games before losing to rival Minnesota, then 3-4. Just needing not to lose, the Buckeyes got a useful tie against the Badgers (14-14) and a win over Indiana to get to 9-0-1. That's when they were undressed 28-0 by the Wolverines. While the Buckeyes were unable to take care of business, the Badgers beat Michigan State 41-20 in Tokyo, Japan, of all places, sending them to the Rose Bowl.

Their Rose Bowl opponent would be 8-3 UCLA, though it was Arizona that made it to 7-0 before finally losing a game (to UCLA).

In the SEC, Florida impressed the nation by beating Tennessee 41-34 on the way to winning their first 5 games. Auburn, meanwhile, under its new head coach and national coach of the year Terry Bowden, had won their first six. The Tigers shocked the Gators 38-35 in Auburn. Defending national champion Alabama also won their first 5 games before tying Tennessee 17-17, but would end their winning streak a couple of weeks later in a 17-13 loss to 3-5 Louisiana State. Auburn finished a perfect season with a 22-14 win over 8-1-1 Alabama, but was on probation and was therefore ineligible for the SEC Championship or a postseason bowl. The Tide would end up being the West Division representative, and they would lose to Florida, 28-13.

The Gators had just gotten through an emotional game against in-state rival Florida State. The Seminoles season was an emotional roller coaster itself, beginning with a 28-10 pounding of a Miami team that had ended the Noles national championship hopes so often in recent years. But beating the Hurricanes didn't seem to be enough when the Noles lost a monumental #1 vs. #2 battle on the road against 9-0 Notre Dame, 31-24. That is, until one week later, when Boston College stunned the Irish at home, 41-39. The Seminoles were so highly regarded that the existence of other undefeated teams did not prevent them moving back to #1 in one poll. Then they played impressively beating a strong, 9-1 Florida team 33-21.

The undefeated teams were Auburn, Nebraska, and West Virginia. The Mountaineers had an amazing offense, but had played a relatively weak schedule. Their biggest test came in November when they beat a somewhat watered-down (but 8-1) Miami team 17-14. The Cornhuskers had also played a relatively weak schedule, getting past a fairly decent Oklahoma Sooners 21-7 to finish at 11-0. Auburn, of course, had played a strong schedule, but was on probation and was thus cheated out of playing two more strong teams (a rematch with Florida and a probable good bowl opponent).

So the season ended with the three undefeateds, Florida State, with its only loss a road game against a then #1 team; Notre Dame, with just the loss to Boston College and the big win over the Seminoles; one-loss Texas A&M (just an early stumble against Oklahoma), and 9-1-1 Tennessee, whose late-season performance had prompted many to say they were playing the best football in the country.