1985 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners, led by head coach Barry Switzer, win the national championship.

1985 NCAA Division I-A season
Number of teams105
Preseason AP No. 1Oklahoma[1]
Post-season
Bowl games18
Heisman TrophyBo Jackson (running back, Auburn)
Champion(s)Oklahoma
Division I-A football seasons
← 1984
1986 →

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. 5 of the 7 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 1-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
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
1985 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
1985 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1985 Western Athletic Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
TeamW 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
Main article: 1985 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
  1. Oklahoma
  2. Michigan
  3. Penn State
  4. Tennessee
  5. Florida
  6. Texas A&M
  7. UCLA
  8. Air Force
  9. Miami (FL)
  10. Iowa
  11. Nebraska
  12. Arkansas
  13. Alabama
  14. Ohio State
  15. Florida State
  16. BYU
  17. Baylor
  18. Maryland
  19. Georgia Tech
  20. LSU

Final Coaches Poll
  1. Oklahoma
  2. Michigan
  3. Penn St.
  4. Tennessee
  5. Air Force
  6. UCLA
  7. Texas A&M
  8. Miami (FL)
  9. Iowa
  10. Nebraska
  11. Ohio St.
  12. Arkansas
  13. Florida St.
  14. Alabama
  15. Baylor
  16. Fresno St.
  17. Brigham Young
  18. Georgia Tech
  19. Maryland
  20. LSU

Notable rivalry games

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
Main article: 1985–86 NCAA football bowl games

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)

Other annual awards

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-10-02. Retrieved 2009-01-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-1985.html
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