1988 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Notre Dame winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title via a 34-21 defeat of previously unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona.

Notre Dame had several notable victories this season, including a 19–17 victory over #9 Michigan, won on a last drive field goal, which started off the championship season. The season's marquee game was a 31–30 victory over #1 Miami. Entering the game, Miami had a 36 game regular season winning streak, 20 straight road victories and a 16 game winning streak overall. This year was also the first time Notre Dame and USC had ever met when ranked #1 and #2. Most notable about this game is Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz's decision to leave behind two of his stars, Tony Brooks and Ricky Watters because they were late, cementing discipline as the main theme of this championship team.

This year's edition of the UCLA-USC rivalry game featured a second ranked USC and a fourth ranked UCLA. For the second year in a row the Rose Bowl berth was on the line but for USC it also had national title implications as the rivalry game with Notre Dame was the following week. USC beat UCLA but lost to Notre Dame, and then lost to Michigan in the Rose Bowl.

Oklahoma State running back Barry Sanders ran the Wing T offense all the way to the Heisman Trophy and numerous rushing records.

Bowl games

 * Rose Bowl: #11 Michigan 22, #5 USC 14
 * Sugar Bowl: #4 13, #7 Auburn 7
 * Cotton Bowl Classic: #9 UCLA 17, #8 Arkansas 3
 * Fiesta Bowl: #1 Notre Dame 34, #3 West Virginia 21
 * #13 Clemson 13, #10 Oklahoma 6
 * #2 Miami (FL) 23, #6 Nebraska 3
 * Hall of Fame Bowl: #17 23, #16 LSU 10
 * #19 Georgia 34, Michigan State 27
 * Sun Bowl: #20 Alabama 29, 28
 * Holiday Bowl: #12 Oklahoma State 62, #15 Wyoming 14
 * Freedom Bowl: 20,  17
 * 28, Iowa 23
 * Florida 14, 10
 * Indiana 34, South Carolina 10
 * #18 24, #14  22
 * 38, 18
 * 35, 30

Final AP Poll

 * 1) Notre Dame
 * 2) Miami (FL)
 * 3) Michigan
 * 4) West Virginia
 * 5) UCLA
 * 6) Southern California
 * 7) Auburn
 * 8) Clemson
 * 9) Nebraska
 * 10) Oklahoma State
 * 11) Arkansas
 * 12) Oklahoma
 * 13) Georgia
 * 14) Alabama
 * 15) LSU
 * 16) Indiana
 * 1) Alabama
 * 2) LSU
 * 3) Indiana
 * 1) Indiana

Final Coaches Poll

 * 1) Notre Dame
 * 2) Miami (FL)
 * 3) Michigan
 * 4) West Virginia
 * 5) UCLA
 * 6) Auburn
 * 7) Clemson
 * 8) Southern California
 * 9) Nebraska
 * 10) Oklahoma State
 * 11) Arkansas
 * 12) Oklahoma
 * 13) Georgia
 * 14) Alabama
 * 15) Indiana
 * 16) Wyoming
 * 1) Alabama
 * 2) Indiana
 * 3) Wyoming
 * 1) Wyoming

Heisman Trophy

 * 1) Winner: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, Jr. RB
 * 2) Rodney Peete, Southern California, Sr. QB
 * 3) Troy Aikman, UCLA, Sr. QB
 * 4) Steve Walsh, Miami (FL), Jr. QB
 * 5) Major Harris, West Virginia, So. QB

Other major awards

 * Maxwell (Player): Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State
 * Camp (Back): Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State
 * Davey O'Brien Award (QB): Troy Aikman, UCLA
 * Rockne (Lineman): N/A
 * Lombardi (Linebacker): Tracy Rocker, Auburn
 * Outland (Interior): Tracy Rocker, Auburn
 * Coach of the Year: Don Nehlen, West Virginia