- 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
The
1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second National Championship during the 80's in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs. #2 matchup between the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners and the Hurricanes.Miami's first three games were against ranked opponents in what was labeled a rebuilding year so when, after some late game theatrics by
Michael Irvin against rival Florida State, the Hurricanes were 3-0, the national media started to take notice.Oklahoma was also seen as quite the juggernaut, averaging 428.8 yards rushing per game with their potent wishbone offense. Miami was able to hold Oklahoma to just 179 yards on the ground, winning the game 20-14.
Also having notable seasons were Syracuse, LSU and Florida State. Syracuse finished the season 11-0-1 and ranked #4 after a controverisal Sugar Bowl game in which Auburn kicked a late field goal to end the game in a tie. LSU went 10-1-1, ending the season ranked #5. This was LSU's first ten win season in 26 years and their highest ranking since 1961.
Florida State finished ranked #2, their only loss to Miami, and began a streak of 14 years where FSU either finished in the top 5 or played for the national championship. The Noles beat Rose Bowl champion Michigan State and SEC champion Auburn on the road and beat Nebraska in the
Fiesta Bowl .Conference Standings
"W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, Conf. = Conference Record"
Notable Rivalry Games
*South Carolina 20,Clemson 7
*Auburn 10, Alabama 0
*Kansas 17, Kansas State 17
*LSU 41, Tulane 36
*Oklahoma 17, Nebraska 7
The year 1987 saw the first meeting, since 1946, between the
#1 and #2 Progress
The Oklahoma Sooners were #1, and their Big 8 Conference rivals, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, were #2, during the first eleven polls taken in 1987. Beginning with the September 29 poll, Miami was ranked #3. For polls 4 through 11, the ranking remained 1.Oklahoma 2.Nebraska 3.Miami. With the Big Eight champion contracted to play in the Orange Bowl in Miami, the hometown Hurricanes were an obvious choice. The only question was whether the Big 8 team would be the Sooners or the Huskers.
In the 12th poll, issued on the Tuesday before the annual Nebraska-Oklahoma game, 9-0-0 Nebraska was voted #1 and 10-0-0 Oklahoma #2. The two teams met at Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 21, 1987, with Oklahoma winning 17-7. In the last three polls, Oklahoma stayed at #1 and Miami at #2.
Bowl Games
*Rose Bowl: #8 Michigan State 20, #16 USC 17
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*Cotton Bowl: #13 Texas A&M 35, #12 Notre Dame 10
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*Florida Citrus Bowl: #14 Clemson 35, #19 Penn State 10
*Orange Bowl: #2 Miami (FL) 20, #1 Oklahoma 14
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*John Hancock Bowl: #11 Oklahoma State 35, West Virginia 33
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*Peach Bowl: #17 Tennessee 27, #21 Indiana 22
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*Aloha Bowl: #10 UCLA 20, Florida 16
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Final AP Poll
#Miami, FL
#Florida State
#Oklahoma (Big 8 Champion)
#Syracuse
#LSU
#Nebraska
#Auburn (SEC Champion)
#Michigan State (Big 10 Champion)
#UCLA (Pac 10 Champion)
#Texas A&M (SWC Champion)
#Oklahoma State
#Clemson (ACC Champion)
#Georgia
#Tennessee
#South Carolina
#Iowa
#Notre Dame
#Southern California
#Michigan
#Arizona State
#Texas
#Indiana
Final Coaches Poll
# Miami (FL)
# Florida St.
# Oklahoma
# Syracuse (NY)
# Louisiana St.
# Nebraska
# Auburn (AL)
# Michigan St.
# Texas A&M
# Clemson (SC)
# UCLA
# Oklahoma St.
# Tennessee
# Georgia
# South Carolina
# Iowa
# Southern California
# Michigan
# Texas
# Indiana
Heisman Trophy
#Winner: Tim Brown, Notre Dame, Sr. WR
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Other Major Awards
*Maxwell (Player):Don McPherson, Syracuse
*Camp (Back): Tim Brown, Notre Dame
*O'Brein Award (QB): Don McPherson, Syracuse
*Rockne (Lineman): N/A
*Lombardi (Linebacker): Chris Spielman, Ohio State
*Outland (Interior): Chad Hennings, Air Force
*Coach of the Year:
Notes and References
*cite web
title = 1987 (12-0-0): Dominance From Start To Finish
url = http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/043002aac.html
*cite web
title = # 4: 1987 Florida State Seminoles
publisher = Florida College Sports
date = Tuesday, January 23, 2007
url = http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/043002aac.html
*cite web
title = Great wins by LSU in the last 40+ years in football
url = http://dandydon.com/greatwins.html
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