1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

The 1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Fiesta Bowl, L 28–31 vs. Florida State
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 6
APNo. 6
1987 record10–2 (6–1 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTom Osborne (18th season)
Offensive schemeI formation
Defensive coordinatorCharlie McBride (7th season)
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
(Capacity: 73,650)
1987 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

[1]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 51:30 pmUtah State*No. 2
W 56–1275,910
September 124:00 pmNo. 3 UCLA*No. 2
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
ESPNW 42–3376,313
September 262:30 pmat No. 12 Arizona State*No. 2
ABCW 35–2871,264
October 33:00 pmSouth Carolina*No. 2
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
ESPNW 30–2176,061
October 101:30 pmKansasNo. 2
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 54–276,053
October 171:30 pmat No. 12 Oklahoma StateNo. 2
CBSW 35–050,440
October 241:30 pmKansas StateNo. 2
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 56–376,106
October 311:30 pmat MissouriNo. 2
W 42–755,594
November 71:30 pmIowa StateNo. 2
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
W 42–376,001
November 212:30 pmNo. 2 OklahomaNo. 1
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, Nebraska
CBSL 7–1776,663
November 283:00 pmat ColoradoNo. 5
ESPNW 24–752,026
January 112:30 pmvs. No. 3 Florida State*No. 5
NBCL 28–3172,112
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Roster and coaching staff
1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
C 59 Jeff Anderson So
C 53 Mark Antonietti Jr
OG 58 R.G. Arneson So
SE 81 Chip Bahe So
TE 87 Tom Banderas Sr
WB 18 Vance Behrens Sr
WB 21 Richard Bell So
QB 12 Clete Blakeman Sr
OT 69 Bill Bobbora So
WB 33 Dana Brinson Jr
FB 29 Bryan Carpenter Jr
IB 32 Ken Clark So
IB 1 Ray Coleman Jr
FB 45 Doug Dalton Sr
QB 14 Jerry Dunlap So
OT 77 Jim Ernest Jr
QB 4 Gerry Gdowski So
OT 67 Doug Glaser So
OT 73 Derrick Green Sr
SE 19 Morgan Gregory So
OG 74 Mike Griffin So
WB 82 Hendley Hawkins Sr
FB 48 Micah Heibel Sr
WB 27 Jim Holscher Sr
OT 70 Corey Bill Hudson Sr
IB 6 Keith Jones Sr
OG 65 Andy Keeler Jr
IB 40 Jon Kelley Sr
FB 34 Tyreese Knox Jr
TE 85 Monte Kratzenstein So
OT 57 Keven Lightner Sr
OG 61 John McCormick Sr
SE 83 Tim McCoy So
TE 43 Todd Millikan Jr
OG 76 John Nelson Jr
TE 86 Keith Neubert Sr
C 63 John Nichols Sr
C 54 Chris O'Gara So
IB 20 Terry Rodgers So
OG 64 John Roschal So
OT 72 Brad Rother So
FB 25 Sam Schmidt So
WB 2 Von Sheppard Sr
OT 62 Bob Sledge Jr
SE 88 Rod Smith Sr
OG John Strasheim
QB 9 Steve Taylor Jr
WB 31 Jamie Worden Jr
C 68 Jake Young So
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
S 23 Mark Blazek Jr
OLB 81 Kurt Broer Jr
DT 95 Paul Brungardt Fr
LB 49 Chris Caliendo So
CB 7 McCathorn Clayton Sr
SS 17 Reggie Cooper Fr
CB 17 Jon Crippen Fr
OLB 88 Mike Croel Fr
CB 28 John Custard Jr
LB 47 LeRoy Etienne Jr
LB 51 Brad Ferguson So
LB 38 Steve Forch Sr
CB 10 Charles Fryar Jr
DT 84 Willie Griffin Jr
LB 36 Bob Hansen So
CB 8 Lorenzo Hicks Jr
S 4 Tim Jackson Jr
DE 80 Jeff Jamrog Sr
LB 55 Randall Jobman So
DT 98 Lee Jones Sr
CB 5 Tahaun Lewis Fr
DT 94 Jeff Long So
DE 93 Jon Marco Jr
S 2 Dan McArdle So
CB 3 Kurt McCallum So
DE 42 Jeff Mills So
MG 74 Mike Murray So
DE 90 Harlan Opie Sr
DT 97 Tony Palmer Sr
MG 96 Lawrence Pete Jr
MG 92 Sean Putnam Jr
S 18 John Richman So
DT 78 Tim Rother Sr
S 26 Marvin Sanders So
DT 66 Kurt Skradis Jr
DT 99 Neil Smith Sr
DE 56 Steve Stanard Jr
DE 89 Broderick Thomas Jr
S 11 Jeff Tomjack Sr
DT 75 Ray Valladao So
S 41 Scott Vampola So
CB 27 Cartier Walker Jr
DE 83 Kenny Walker So
S 5 Brian Washington Sr
MG 91 Kent Wells So
LB 37 Doug Welniak Sr
S 1 Rick Wendland So
LB 24 Dante Wiley Jr
S 15 Wendell Wooten Jr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
PK 44 Gregg Barrios So
PK 39 Dave Cheloha Jr
PK 16 Chris Drennan So
P 46 John Kroeker Jr
P/PK 13 Craig Schnitzler Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Charlie McBride
       7th season as DC/LB coach
       11th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Colorado
  • Ron Brown
       1st season as WR/TE coach
       1st year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Brown
  • Dan Young
       5th season as OL/K coach
       5th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Reed
  • Milt Tenopir
       14th season as OL coach
       14th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Sterling
  • Tony Samuel
       2nd season as OLB coach
       2nd year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Nebraska
  • George Darlington
       DB coach
       15th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Rutgers
  • Frank Solich
       5th season as RB coach
       9th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Nebraska
  • Boyd Epley
       19th season as S&C coach
       19th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Nebraska
  • Jack Pierce
       9th year at Nebraska
  • John Melton
       15th season as TE/WB coach
       26th year at Nebraska
       Alma mater: Wyoming
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 2011-01-17

Game summaries

Utah State
Utah State at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Utah State 0 336 12
• Nebraska 7 21217 56

Nebraska QB Steve Taylor rushed for 157 yards, breaking a 35-year-old Cornhusker quarterback record, and Nebraska returned two punts for touchdowns, tying its own Big 8 record. Nebraska rolled over Utah State with 515 rushing yards while holding the Aggies to -1 yard.

UCLA
UCLA at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
UCLA 7 3716 33
• Nebraska 0 141414 42

Memorial Stadium recorded its 150th consecutive sellout as #2 Nebraska defeated #3 UCLA. This was the first time two teams from the Top 3 had played in Lincoln. Nebraska QB Steve Taylor's five TD passes tied a Big 8 record set in 1938.

Arizona State
Nebraska at Arizona State [box score]
1 234Total
• Nebraska 0 14714 35
Arizona State 0 6157 28

Following a late ASU game-tying score resulting from a fumble by Nebraska QB Steve Taylor, Nebraska IB Keith Jones tore off a 62-yard run with 3:37 remaining to set up the winning series as Nebraska triumphed over the #12 Sun Devils.

South Carolina
South Carolina at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
South Carolina 0 7140 21
• Nebraska 3 10017 30

South Carolina was leading 21-13 in the 3rd as Nebraska QB Steve Taylor left the game with a shoulder injury. After that, Nebraska regained the momentum, holding the Gamecocks to just 9 yards total, recovering a fumble to set up a score, and adding a late interception and field goal to put up the win.

Kansas
Kansas at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Kansas 0 002 2
• Nebraska 17 101413 54

Nebraska cruised against a weak Kansas team, as Nebraska QB Clete Blakeman filled in for injured starting QB Steve Taylor.

Oklahoma State
Nebraska at Oklahoma State [box score]
1 234Total
• Nebraska 7 1477 35
Oklahoma State 0 000 0

Nebraska continued their 26-year winning streak against the Cowboys, putting a stop to #12 Oklahoma State's best start and best winning streak since 1945. Cowboys RB Thurman Thomas, at that time the NCAA rushing leader, was held to just 7 yards in 9 carries.

Kansas State
Kansas State at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Kansas State 0 300 3
• Nebraska 21 14147 56

Nebraska secured their 26th consecutive winning season, tying the NCAA record, and rolled up 459 rushing yards using 17 rushing players, while the Cornhusker defense prevented a touchdown for the third game in a row.

Missouri
Nebraska at Missouri [box score]
1 234Total
• Nebraska 7 2177 42
Missouri 0 700 7

The NCAA touchdown pass record from 1938 was tied by Nebraska for the second time in this season as the Cornhusker offense scored in all four quarters for the 4th game in a row, though the defense finally allowed their first touchdown in 15 quarters.

Iowa State
Iowa State at Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Iowa State 0 030 3
• Nebraska 14 1477 42

The Cornhuskers locked up their 19th consecutive 9-win season while piling up 666 total yards of offense as they rocketed to a 28-0 halftime lead before coasting to another win.

Oklahoma
See also: 1987 Oklahoma Sooners football team and Nebraska–Oklahoma football rivalry
#2 Oklahoma Sooners (10–0) at #1 Nebraska Cornhuskers (9–0)
1 2 34Total
Oklahoma 0 0 14317
Nebraska 7 0 007

at Memorial Stadium • Lincoln, Nebraska

Billed as "Game of the Century II", this first-ever #1 vs. #2 matchup in Memorial Stadium brought a halt to the Cornhuskers' title hopes. Nebraska had taken away Oklahoma's #1 ranking before this game, and gave it back as the Cornhuskers struggled to move the ball after their first and only score. The Sooners went on to win their 4th straight Big 8 Championship.

Colorado
Nebraska at Colorado [box score]
1 234Total
• Nebraska 0 1077 24
Colorado 0 070 7

Nebraska recovered from the Oklahoma loss and obtained their revenge for last year's loss to Colorado by taking out their frustrations on the Buffaloes in Boulder. Nebraska IB Keith Jones' 248 yards lifted him into a career 3rd-place ranking among Cornhusker runners.

Florida State
Florida State vs Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
• Florida State 0 2137 31
Nebraska 14 0140 28

Nebraska lost after leading by 4 midway through the 4th. A Seminole defender stripped the ball from Nebraska IB Tyreese Knox as he ran in from the FSU 2, which set up a 97-yard FSU march for the winning touchdown with 3:07 left to play.

Rankings
See also: 1987 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Ranking Movement
PollPreWk 1Wk 2Wk 3Wk 4Wk 5Wk 6Wk 7Wk 8Wk 9Wk 10Wk 11Wk 12Wk 13Wk 14Final
AP 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 5 5 5 6
Coaches 6

Awards

[2]

Award Name(s)
All-America 1st team John McCormick, Neil Smith, Steve Taylor, Broderick Thomas
All-Big 8 1st team LeRoy Etienne, Steve Forch, Keith Jones, Kevin Lightner, John McCormick, Tim Rother, Neil Smith, Steve Taylor, Broderick Thomas
All-Big 8 2nd team Tom Banderas, Charles Fryar, Bob Sledge, Rod Smith, Jake Young
All-Big 8 honorable mention Mark Blazek, Lee Jones

NFL and pro players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1987 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.[3]

Name Team
Richard Bell Pittsburgh Steelers
Dana Brinson San Diego Chargers
Ken Clark Indianapolis Colts
Reggie Cooper Dallas Cowboys
Mike Croel Denver Broncos
LeRoy Etienne San Francisco 49ers
Tim Jackson Dallas Cowboys
Keith Jones Cleveland Browns
Jeff Mills San Diego Chargers
Keith Neubert New York Jets
Lawrence Pete Detroit Lions
Tim Rother Los Angeles Raiders
Neil Smith Kansas City Chiefs
Steve Taylor Edmonton Eskimos
Broderick Thomas Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenny Walker Denver Broncos
Brian Washington Cleveland Browns
Kent Wells New York Giants

References
  1. "Football - 1987 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
  2. 1987 Husker Honors
  3. All Time NFL Huskers
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