The 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners , led by head coach Barry Switzer , win the national championship.
Oklahoma finished the season 11–1, with their only loss to Miami at home, in a game in which future NFL star Troy Aikman was lost for the season. The Sooners regrouped and went undefeated the rest of the way, finishing the season with a win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl.
Michigan would finish No. 2, the highest finish of a Bo Schembechler led team. The team shined on defense, led by All-Americans Mike Hammerstein and Mark Messner .
Tennessee finished the season with a victory over No. 2 Miami in the Sugar Bowl . This team won the school's first SEC championship in 16 years and was nicknamed the "Sugar Vols". The SEC title was the first of three for coach Johnny Majors .
Air Force Falcons, under Fisher DeBerry had what is considered their best season ever, defeating Texas in the Bluebonnet Bowl and finishing No. 8 in the AP Poll (No. 5 in the Coaches' Poll).
This year's edition of the Iron Bowl is widely considered to be one of the greatest ever. Despite Auburn having Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson on its side, Alabama won this game with a last second field goal.
This would be the last year for the I-A/I-AA hybrid Missouri Valley Conference in football. Five of the seven teams in the conference (Drake , Illinois State , Indiana State , Southern Illinois , and West Texas State ) had been playing Division I-AA football since the 1982 season, while Tulsa and Wichita State would remain I-A, becoming independents the following season.
Rule changes [ ]
Kickoffs that sail through the end zone untouched will be placed at the 20-yard line, rescinding a rule adopted in 1984 that required the ball be placed at the 30-yard line.
Offensive lineman will be allowed to use extended arms and open hands on all blocks, not just retreat blocks.
The use of two goalposts is prohibited. All goalposts must now be of the "tuning fork" or "slingshot" style, with the crossbar rising from a single post.
The seven-man officiating crew is now mandatory for all Division I-A conferences.
Conference standings [ ]
1985 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 18 Maryland $
6
–
0
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
No. 19 Georgia Tech
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
1
Virginia
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Clemson
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
North Carolina
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Duke
2
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
NC State
2
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Wake Forest
1
–
6
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 1 Oklahoma $
7
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
No. 11 Nebraska
6
–
1
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Oklahoma State
4
–
3
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Colorado
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Iowa State
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Kansas
2
–
5
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Kansas State
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Missouri
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 10 Iowa $
7
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 2 Michigan
6
–
1
–
1
10
–
1
–
1
Illinois
5
–
2
–
1
6
–
5
–
1
No. 14 Ohio State
5
–
3
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Michigan State
5
–
3
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Minnesota
4
–
4
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Purdue
3
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Wisconsin
2
–
6
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Indiana
1
–
7
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Northwestern
1
–
7
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Bowling Green $
9
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
Miami
7
–
1
–
1
8
–
2
–
1
Central Michigan
6
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Western Michigan
4
–
4
–
1
4
–
6
–
1
Northern Illinois
4
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Ball State
3
–
6
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Eastern Michigan
3
–
6
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Toledo
3
–
6
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Kent State
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Ohio
2
–
7
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
1985 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Tulsa $
3
–
0
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
West Texas State
3
–
1
–
1
6
–
3
–
1
Illinois State
3
–
1
–
1
6
–
3
–
2
Indiana State
2
–
2
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Wichita State
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Southern Illinois
1
–
3
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Drake
1
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
$ – Conference champion Tulsa also played Houston and East Carolina and recorded those games as conference games, but the league did not count them toward Tulsa's finish. The conference was a hybrid of NCAA Division I-A and I-AA programs. Tulsa and Wichita State were I-A and the other teams were I-AA.
1985 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Fresno State $
7
–
0
–
0
11
–
0
–
1
Cal State Fullerton
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
UNLV
4
–
2
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Long Beach State
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Utah State
3
–
4
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
San Jose State
2
–
4
–
1
2
–
8
–
1
Pacific (CA)
2
–
5
–
0
5
–
7
–
0
New Mexico State
0
–
7
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
1985 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 7 UCLA $
6
–
2
–
0
9
–
2
–
1
Arizona
5
–
2
–
0
8
–
3
–
1
Arizona State
5
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Washington
5
–
3
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
USC
5
–
3
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Oregon
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Washington State
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Stanford
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Oregon State
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
California
2
–
7
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 4 Tennessee $
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
1
–
2
No. 5 Florida
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
1
–
1
No. 13 Alabama
4
–
1
–
1
9
–
2
–
1
No. 20 LSU
4
–
1
–
1
9
–
2
–
1
Georgia
3
–
2
–
1
7
–
3
–
2
Auburn
3
–
3
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Ole Miss
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
1
Vanderbilt
1
–
4
–
1
3
–
7
–
1
Kentucky
1
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Mississippi State
0
–
6
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
$ – Conference champion Florida ineligible for SEC championship due to NCAA probation. Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 6 Texas A&M $
7
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 12 Arkansas
6
–
2
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 17 Baylor
6
–
2
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Texas
6
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
SMU
5
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Houston
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Rice
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Texas Tech
1
–
7
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
TCU
0
–
8
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Western Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 8 Air Force +
7
–
1
–
0
12
–
1
–
0
No. 16 BYU +
7
–
1
–
0
11
–
3
–
0
Utah
5
–
3
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Hawaii
4
–
3
–
1
4
–
6
–
2
Colorado State
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
7
–
0
San Diego State
3
–
4
–
1
5
–
6
–
1
New Mexico
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Wyoming
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
UTEP
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll
1985 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 3 Penn State
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
No. 9 Miami (FL)
–
–
10
–
2
–
0
Army
–
–
9
–
3
–
0
No. 15 Florida State
–
–
9
–
3
–
0
West Virginia
–
–
7
–
3
–
1
Southern Miss
–
–
7
–
4
–
0
Syracuse
–
–
7
–
5
–
0
Virginia Tech
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Pittsburgh
–
–
5
–
5
–
1
Cincinnati
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Notre Dame
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
South Carolina
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Southwestern Louisiana
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Navy
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Temple
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Boston College
–
–
4
–
8
–
0
Memphis State
–
–
2
–
7
–
2
Rutgers
–
–
2
–
8
–
1
East Carolina
–
–
2
–
9
–
0
Louisville
–
–
2
–
9
–
0
Tulane
–
–
1
–
10
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
AP Final Poll [ ]
Oklahoma
Michigan
Penn State
Tennessee
Florida
Texas A&M
UCLA
Air Force
Miami (FL)
Iowa
Nebraska
Arkansas
Alabama
Ohio State
Florida State
BYU
Baylor
Maryland
Georgia Tech
LSU
Final Coaches Poll [ ]
Oklahoma
Michigan
Penn St.
Tennessee
Air Force
UCLA
Texas A&M
Miami (FL)
Iowa
Nebraska
Ohio St.
Arkansas
Florida St.
Alabama
Baylor
Fresno St.
Brigham Young
Georgia Tech
Maryland
LSU
Notable rivalry games [ ]
Alabama 25, Auburn 23
Arizona 16, Arizona State 13
Florida 38, Florida State 14
Georgia 24, Florida 3
Georgia Tech 20, Georgia 16
Iowa 57, Iowa State 3
LSU 31, Tulane 19
Michigan 31, Michigan State 0
Michigan 27, Ohio State 17
Minnesota 27, Wisconsin 18
Navy 17, Army 7
Notre Dame 37, USC 3
Oklahoma 27, Nebraska 7
Oklahoma 13, Oklahoma State 0
Oklahoma 14, Texas 7
Oregon 34, Oregon State 13
Stanford 24, California 22
Texas A&M 42, Texas 10
USC 17, UCLA 13
Washington State 21, Washington 20
AP Poll No. 1 and No. 2 progress [ ]
WEEKS
No. 1
No. 2
Event
PRE-1
Oklahoma
Auburn
Auburn 49, LA-Lafayette 7
Sep 7
2–4
Auburn
Oklahoma
Tennessee 38, Auburn 20
Sep 28
5–6
Iowa
Oklahoma
Oklahoma 14, Texas 7
Oct 12
7
Iowa
Michigan
Iowa 12, Michigan 10
Oct 19
8–9
Iowa
Florida
Ohio State 22, Iowa 13
Nov 2
10
Florida
Penn State
Georgia 24, Florida 3
Nov 9
11–12
Penn State
Nebraska
Oklahoma 27, Nebraska 7
Nov 23
13
Penn State
Air Force
Miami 58, Notre Dame 7
Nov 30
14–15
Penn State
Miami
Oklahoma 25, Penn State 10
Jan 1
Bowl games [ ]
Rose Bowl : No. 13 UCLA 45, No. 4 Iowa 28
Fiesta : No. 5 Michigan 27, No. 7 Nebraska 23
Sugar Bowl : No. 8 Tennessee 35, No. 2 Miami (FL) 7
Cotton Bowl Classic : No. 11 Texas A&M 36, No. 16 Auburn 16
Orange Bowl : No. 3 Oklahoma 25, No. 1 Penn State 10
Florida Citrus Bowl : No. 17 Ohio State 10, No. 9 Brigham Young 7
Gator Bowl : No. 18 Florida State 34, No. 19 Oklahoma State 23
Holiday Bowl : No. 14 Arkansas 18, Arizona State 17
Peach Bowl : Army 31, Illinois 29
Sun Bowl : No. 20 Arizona 13, Georgia 13
Independence Bowl : Minnesota 20, Clemson 13
Liberty Bowl : Baylor 21, No. 12 LSU 7
Aloha Bowl : No. 15 Alabama 24, USC 3
Bluebonnet Bowl : No. 11 Air Force 24, Texas 16
California Bowl : Fresno State 51, No. 20 Bowling Green 7
Hall of Fame Classic : No. 18 Georgia Tech 17, Michigan State 14
Freedom Bowl : Washington 20, Colorado 17
Cherry Bowl : Maryland 35, Syracuse 18
Heisman Trophy voting [ ]
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is given to the Most Outstanding Player of the year
Winner:
Bo Jackson , Auburn , RB (1,509 points)
2. Chuck Long , Iowa, QB (1,464 points)
3. Robbie Bosco , Brigham Young, QB (459 points)
4. Lorenzo White , Michigan State, RB (391 points)
5. Vinny Testaverde , Miami-Fl, QB (249 points)
6. Jim Everett ,[2] Purdue QB (77 points)
7. Napoleon McCallum , Navy RB (72 points)
Other annual awards [ ]
References [ ]
Pre-NCAA
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NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
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NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III