9 7 8 8 0 0 | 3 3 Auburn 0 0 3 | |
The 1984 Sugar Bowl was the 50th edition to the annual game. It featured the third ranked Auburn Tigers, and the eighth ranked Michigan Wolverines. Auburn won the game by a 9–7 margin.
The only scoring in the first half was on a 4-yard touchdown run by Michigan quarterback Steve Smith. It was set up by a 19-yard completion from Smith to Triando Makray, and 38 yards rushing by Rick Rogers. Michigan took a 7–0 lead into halftime. Michigan finished the first quarter with a 116–61 differential in yardage.
Auburn used a tremendous rushing attack throughout the game. They finished with 301 rushing yards on 21 first downs. Midway through the third quarter, Auburn kicker Al Del Greco kicked a 31-yard field goal, making it 7–3 Michigan. In the fourth quarter, Del Greco added two more field goals, of 32 and 19 yards, to seal the victory for the Auburn Tigers, 9–7.
Despite Auburn's victory and a loss in the Cotton Bowl by No. 2 Texas earlier in the day to Georgia (whom Auburn beat in Athens on November 12), the Tigers were not voted national champions in either of the wire-service polls. The No. 5 Miami Hurricanes vaulted past Auburn to the top spot with their 31–30 victory over top-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.