1987 NCAA Division I-A season Number of teams 104 Preseason AP No. 1 Oklahoma [1] Bowl games 18 Heisman Trophy Tim Brown (wide receiver , Notre Dame )Champion(s) Miami (FL) (AP, Coaches, FWAA) 1988 →
The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the '80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners and the Hurricanes.
Miami's first three games were against ranked opponents, in what was labeled as a rebuilding year, 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 No. 4 after a controversial 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 No. 5. This was LSU's first ten win season in 26 years and their highest ranking since 1961.
Florida State finished ranked No. 2, their only loss to Miami, and began a streak of 14 years where FSU finished in the top 5. The Seminoles beat Rose Bowl champion Michigan State and SEC champion Auburn on the road and beat Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl .
This would be the first of two years SMU would not field a team due to the NCAA's death penalty .
Rule changes [ ]
If a roughing the passer penalty occurs on a completed pass, the 15-yard penalty is added to the end of the run.
Pushing an opponent in the back in the act of recovering a kick is permitted.
Kicking or swinging at an opponent and missing are considered personal fouls instead of non-contact fouls.
Uprights now must be 30 feet above the crossbar, same as in the NFL.
Conference and program changes [ ]
This was the first season Akron was a Division I-A football member.
Wichita State discontinued their football program after the 1986 season and have never fielded a team since then.
The loss of Wichita State and SMU and the gain of Akron decreased the number of teams to 104.
School
1986 Conference
1987 Conference
Akron Zips
Ohio Valley (I-AA)
I-A Independent
Wichita State Shockers
I-A Independent
Program Dropped
Conference standings [ ]
1987 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 12 Clemson $
6
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Virginia
5
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Wake Forest
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
NC State
4
–
3
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Maryland
3
–
3
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
North Carolina
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Duke
2
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Georgia Tech
0
–
6
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1987 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 3 Oklahoma $
7
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
No. 6 Nebraska
6
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 11 Oklahoma State
5
–
2
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Colorado
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Missouri
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Iowa State
2
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Kansas
0
–
6
–
1
1
–
9
–
1
Kansas State
0
–
6
–
1
0
–
10
–
1
Rankings from AP Poll
1987 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 8 Michigan State $
7
–
0
–
1
9
–
2
–
1
No. 16 Iowa
6
–
2
–
0
10
–
3
–
0
Indiana
6
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
No. 19 Michigan
5
–
3
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Ohio State
4
–
4
–
0
6
–
4
–
1
Minnesota
3
–
5
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Purdue
3
–
5
–
0
3
–
7
–
1
Illinois
2
–
5
–
1
3
–
7
–
1
Northwestern
2
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
1
Wisconsin
1
–
7
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1987 Mid-American football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Eastern Michigan $
7
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Kent State
5
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Miami
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Bowling Green
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Western Michigan
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Central Michigan
3
–
4
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Toledo
3
–
4
–
1
3
–
7
–
1
Ball State
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Ohio
0
–
8
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
1987 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
San Jose State $
7
–
0
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Fresno State
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Cal State Fullerton
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
UNLV
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Utah State
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Pacific (CA)
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Long Beach State
2
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
New Mexico State
0
–
7
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
1987 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 18 USC +
7
–
1
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
No. 9 UCLA +
7
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Washington
4
–
3
–
1
7
–
4
–
1
No. 20 Arizona State
3
–
3
–
1
7
–
4
–
1
Oregon
4
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Stanford
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Arizona
2
–
3
–
3
4
–
4
–
3
California
2
–
3
–
2
3
–
6
–
2
Washington State
1
–
5
–
1
3
–
7
–
1
Oregon State
0
–
7
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll
1987 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 7 Auburn $
5
–
0
–
1
9
–
1
–
2
No. 5 LSU
5
–
1
–
0
10
–
1
–
1
No. 14 Tennessee
4
–
1
–
1
10
–
2
–
1
No. 13 Georgia
4
–
2
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Alabama
4
–
2
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Florida
3
–
3
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Kentucky
1
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Mississippi State
1
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Vanderbilt
1
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Ole Miss
1
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1987 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 10 Texas A&M $
6
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Arkansas
5
–
2
–
0
9
–
4
–
0
Texas
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Texas Tech
3
–
3
–
1
6
–
4
–
1
Baylor
3
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
TCU
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Houston
2
–
4
–
1
4
–
6
–
1
Rice
0
–
8
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1987 Western Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Wyoming $
8
–
0
–
0
10
–
3
–
0
BYU
7
–
1
–
0
9
–
4
–
0
Air Force
6
–
2
–
0
9
–
4
–
0
UTEP
5
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
San Diego State
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
7
–
0
Hawaii
3
–
5
–
0
5
–
7
–
0
Utah
2
–
6
–
0
5
–
7
–
0
Colorado State
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
11
–
0
New Mexico
0
–
8
–
0
0
–
11
–
0
1987 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 1 Miami (FL)
–
–
12
–
0
–
0
No. 4 Syracuse
–
–
11
–
0
–
1
No. 2 Florida State
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
No. 15 South Carolina
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
Pittsburgh
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
Penn State
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
No. 17 Notre Dame
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
Southern Miss
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Rutgers
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Southwestern Louisiana
–
–
6
–
5
–
0
Memphis State
–
–
5
–
5
–
1
Northern Illinois
–
–
5
–
5
–
1
West Virginia
–
–
6
–
6
–
0
Tulane
–
–
6
–
6
–
0
Army
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Boston College
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
East Carolina
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Akron
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Cincinnati
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Louisville
–
–
3
–
7
–
1
Temple
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Tulsa
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Virginia Tech
–
–
2
–
9
–
0
Navy
–
–
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
Season summary [ ]
Notable rivalry games [ ]
Michigan State 17, Michigan 11
South Carolina 20, Clemson 7
Auburn 10, Alabama 0
Kansas 17, Kansas State 17
LSU 41, Tulane 36
Oklahoma 17, Nebraska 7
Miami 26, Florida State 25
USC 17 UCLA 13 (decided Rose Bowl berth)
Pitt 10, Penn State 0
Texas 16, Arkansas 14
Arizona State 24, Arizona 24
The year 1987 saw the first meeting, since 1946, between the University of Miami Hurricanes and Miami University . On November 7, in Florida, "Miami-FL" won 54–3 over "Miami-OH".
No. 1 and No. 2 progress [ ]
The Oklahoma Sooners were No. 1, and their Big 8 Conference rivals, the Nebraska Cornhuskers , were No. 2, during the first eleven polls taken in 1987. Beginning with the September 29 poll, Miami was ranked No. 3. For polls 4 through 11, the ranking remained 1.Oklahoma 2.Nebraska 3.Miami. For the remainder of polls 6 through 11, Florida State is ranked No. 4, with two Big 8 teams and two Florida independents ranked in the top 4. 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 No. 1 and 10–0–0 Oklahoma No. 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 No. 1 and Miami at No. 2.
Bowl games [ ]
Orange Bowl : No. 2 Miami (FL) 20, No. 1 Oklahoma 14
Fiesta Bowl : No. 3 Florida State 31, No. 5 Nebraska 28
Sugar Bowl : No. 6 Auburn 16, No. 4 Syracuse 16
Rose Bowl : No. 8 Michigan State 20, No. 16 USC 17
Cotton Bowl Classic : No. 13 Texas A&M 35, No. 12 Notre Dame 10
Florida Citrus Bowl : No. 14 Clemson 35, No. 19 Penn State 10
Hall of Fame Bowl : Michigan 28, Alabama 24
Gator Bowl : No. 7 LSU 30, No. 9 South Carolina 13
John Hancock Sun Bowl : No. 11 Oklahoma State 35, West Virginia 33
Holiday Bowl : No. 18 Iowa 20, Wyoming 19
Freedom Bowl : Arizona State 33, Air Force 28
Peach Bowl : No. 17 Tennessee 27, No. 21 Indiana 22
All-American Bowl : Virginia 22, BYU 16
Liberty Bowl : No. 15 Georgia 20, Arkansas 17
Aloha Bowl : No. 10 UCLA 20, Florida 16
Independence Bowl : Washington 24, Tulane 12
California Bowl : Eastern Michigan 30, San Jose State 27
Bluebonnet Bowl : Texas 32, Pittsburgh 27
Polls [ ]
Final AP Poll [ ]
Miami (FL)
Florida State
Oklahoma
Syracuse
LSU
Nebraska
Auburn
Michigan State
UCLA
Texas A&M
Oklahoma State
Clemson
Georgia
Tennessee
South Carolina
Iowa
Notre Dame
Southern California
Michigan
Arizona State
Final Coaches Poll [ ]
Miami (FL)
Florida State
Oklahoma
Syracuse
LSU
Nebraska
Auburn
Michigan State
Texas A&M
Clemson
UCLA
Oklahoma State
Tennessee
Georgia
South Carolina
Iowa
Southern California
Michigan
Texas
Indiana
Awards [ ]
Heisman Trophy [ ]
Winner: Tim Brown , Notre Dame, Sr. WR (1,442 points)
Don McPherson , Syracuse, Sr. QB (831)
Gordie Lockbaum , Holy Cross , Sr. TB (657)
Lorenzo White , Michigan State, Sr. TB (632)
Craig Heyward , Pittsburgh, Jr. RB (170)
Chris Spielman , Ohio State, Sr. LB (110)
Thurman Thomas , Oklahoma State, Sr. RB (99)
Gaston Green , UCLA, Sr. RB (73)
Emmitt Smith , Florida, Fr. RB (70)
Bobby Humphrey , Alabama, Jr. RB (63)
Source: [2] [3]
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:
References [ ]
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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