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 80s 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, and. Syracuse finished the season 11-0-1 and ranked #4 after a controversial Sugar Bowl game in which 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 Seminoles beat Rose Bowl champion Michigan State and SEC champion Auburn on the road and beat Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl.

Notable rivalry games

 * Michigan State 17, Michigan 11
 * 20,Clemson 7
 * Auburn 10, Alabama 0
 * 17, Kansas State 17
 * 41, 36
 * Oklahoma 17, Nebraska 7
 * Miami 26, 25
 * USC 17 UCLA 13 (decided Rose Bowl berth)
 * Pitt 10, Penn State 0

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".

#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 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
 * Sugar Bowl: #6 Auburn 16, #4 Syracuse 16
 * #13 35, #12 Notre Dame 10
 * Fiesta Bowl: #3 31, #5 Nebraska 28
 * #14 Clemson 35, #19 Penn State 10
 * Orange Bowl: #2 Miami (FL) 20, #1 Oklahoma 14
 * Hall of Fame Bowl: Michigan 28, Alabama 24
 * Gator Bowl: #7 30, #9  13
 * John Hancock Sun Bowl: #11 Oklahoma State 35, 33
 * Holiday Bowl: #18 Iowa 20, Wyoming 19
 * 33, Air Force 28
 * #17 Tennessee 27, #21 22
 * All-American Bowl: 22,  16
 * #15 Georgia 20, Arkansas 17
 * #10 UCLA 20, Florida 16
 * Washington 24, 12
 * 30, 27

Final AP Poll

 * 1) Miami (FL)
 * 2) Oklahoma
 * 3) Syracuse
 * 4) Nebraska
 * 5) Auburn
 * 6) Michigan State
 * 7) UCLA
 * 8) Oklahoma State
 * 9) Clemson
 * 10) Georgia
 * 11) Tennessee
 * 12) Iowa
 * 13) Notre Dame
 * 14) Southern California
 * 15) Michigan
 * 16) Texas
 * 1) Notre Dame
 * 2) Southern California
 * 3) Michigan
 * 4) Texas
 * 1) Texas

Final Coaches Poll

 * 1) Miami (FL)
 * 2) Oklahoma
 * 3) Syracuse
 * 4) Nebraska
 * 5) Auburn
 * 6) Michigan State
 * 7) Clemson
 * 8) UCLA
 * 9) Oklahoma State
 * 10) Tennessee
 * 11) Georgia
 * 12) Iowa
 * 13) Southern California
 * 14) Michigan
 * 15) Texas
 * 1) Iowa
 * 2) Southern California
 * 3) Michigan
 * 4) Texas

Heisman Trophy

 * 1) Winner: Tim Brown, Notre Dame, Sr. WR
 * 2) Don McPherson, Syracuse, Sr. QB
 * 3) Gordie Lockbaum, Holy Cross, Sr. TB
 * 4) Lorenzo White, Michigan State, Sr. TB
 * 5) Craig Heyward, Pittsburgh, Jr. RB

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: