Wikipedia

1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team

The 1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team represented Oklahoma State University in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Cowboys finished the regular season with a 9–2 record. Thurman Thomas was in his senior year for the Cowboys. In his career at Oklahoma State, Thomas had 897 rushes for 4,595 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 21 100-yard rushing games. He was also a Heisman Trophy candidate and a first team selection on the College Football All-America Team in 1987. In the 1987 Sun Bowl, Thomas ran for 157 yards and four touchdowns in the 35–33 victory over West Virginia, keeping Barry Sanders on the sidelines for the majority of the game. Thomas left OSU as the school's all-time leading rusher and his number 34 is one of only three jerseys retired at Oklahoma State. Sanders replaced Thomas as starter the next year in 1988.

1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys football
Sun Bowl champion
Sun Bowl, W 35–33 vs. West Virginia
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 11
Record10–2 (5–2 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorLarry Coker (5th season)
Defensive coordinatorLouis Campbell (3rd season)
Home stadiumLewis Field
Seasons
← 1986
1988 →
1987 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Oklahoma $7–0–011–1–0
No. 6 Nebraska6–1–010–2–0
No. 11 Oklahoma State5–2–010–2–0
Colorado4–3–07–4–0
Missouri3–4–05–6–0
Iowa State2–5–03–8–0
Kansas0–6–11–9–1
Kansas State0–6–10–10–1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 5Tulsa*
W 39–2846,700[1]
September 12at Houston*
W 35–016,285[2]
September 19at Wyoming*
W 35–2920,852[3]
September 26Southwestern Louisiana*
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 36–044,100[4]
October 10ColoradoNo. 19
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 42–1742,800[5]
October 17No. 2 NebraskaNo. 12
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
CBSL 0–3550,440[6]
October 24at MissouriNo. 19
W 24–2037,638[7]
October 31Kansas StatedaggerNo. 12
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 56–740,150[8]
November 7at No. 1 OklahomaNo. 12
L 10–2975,004[9]
November 14at KansasNo. 17
W 49–1718,200[10]
November 21Iowa StateNo. 13
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 48–2733,400[11]
December 25vs. West Virginia*No. 11
CBSW 35–3343,240[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

Game summaries

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Colorado

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1 2 3 4 Total
Colorado 0 10 7 0 17
Oklahoma St 14 0 14 14 42
  • OSU - Sanders 4 Run (Blanchard kick)
  • OSU - Dykes 18 Gundy (Blanchard kick)
  • COL - Simmons 7 Run (Hannah kick)
  • COL - Hannah 32 FG
  • OSU - Williams 16 Gundy (Blanchard kick)
  • OSU - Thomas 5 Run (Blanchard kick)
  • COL - Bieniemy 6 Run (Hannah kick)
  • OSU - Limbrick 3 Run (Blanchard kick)
  • OSU - Sanders 73 punt return (Blanchard kick)
  • Passing: COL Aunese 5/11, 90 Yds, INT, OSU Gundy 21/28, 257 Yds, 2 TD, INT
  • Rushing: COL Flannagan 9/52, OSU Thomas 23/110
  • Receiving: COL Carl 3/61, OSU Dykes 8/114, TD

[14]

Roster

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1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
WR 11 Hart Lee Dykes Jr
QB 12 Mike Gundy So
RB 21 Barry Sanders So
RB 34 Thurman Thomas Sr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 53 Sim Drain III So
LB Ricky Shaw Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Larry Coker – Offensive coordinator
  • Houston Nutt – Quarterback/Wide receivers
  • Bill Shimek – Running backs
  • Steve Gardner – Tight ends
  • Brad Seely – Offensive line
  • Louis Campbell – Defensive coordinator/defensive backs
  • George Walstad – Defensive line
  • Kenith Pope – Defensive ends
  • Jonny Barr – Linebackers
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Awards and honors

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After the season

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The 1988 NFL draft was held on April 24–25, 1988. The following Cowboys were selected.[15]

Round Pick Player Position NFL club
240Thurman ThomasRunning backBuffalo Bills
492Ricky ShawLinebackerNew York Giants

References

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  1. ↑ "O-State outguns Tulsa, 39–28". Tulsa World. September 6, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Sanders' runs begin romp; Oklahoma State zaps UH". Times Record News. September 13, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "OSU tops Wyoming". The Salina Journal. September 20, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Psst! There's another football team in Oklahoma". The Wichita Eagle Beacon. September 27, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Cowboys' triplets send message to Nebraska with rout of Buffs". Omaha World-Herald. October 11, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Nebraska finally puts it all together". Star Tribune. October 18, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Oklahoma State cuts off Missouri with the pass". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. October 25, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Trick on K-State; Oklahoma State routs Wildcats, 56–7". The Olathe Daily News. November 1, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Sooners win...and pay for it". Tulsa World. November 8, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Cowboys burn Jayhawks, 49–17". The Montana Standard. November 15, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Thomas sets school record as Cowboys top Cyclones". The Sioux City Journal. November 22, 1987. Retrieved May 13, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Cowboys win Sun in the snow". The El Paso Times. December 26, 1987. Retrieved February 1, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  14. ↑ Gainesville Sun. 1987 Oct 11. Retrieved 2019-Jan-07.
  15. ↑ "1988 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
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