1987 Oklahoma Sooners football team


The 1987 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. Oklahoma
was a member of the Big Eight Conference played its home games in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, where it has played its home games since 1923. The team posted an 11-1 overall record and a 7-0 conference record to the Conference title outright under head coach Barry Switzer who took the helm in 1973. This was Switzer's twelfth conference title, fourth consecutive conference title and eighth undefeated conference record in fifteen seasons.
The team was led by All-Americans Rickey Dixon, Mark Hutson, Keith Jackson, Danté Jones, and Darrell Reed After going undefeated in its eleven regular season games, it earned a trip to the Orange Bowl for an appearance against the Miami Hurricanes. During the season, it faced three ranked opponents. Both of its last two games were #1 vs. #2 matches with the last being a national title game in which it endured its only loss to the resulting national champion Hurricanes. The game marked the third Miami victory over Oklahoma in three seasons to former Switzer assistant coach Jimmy Johnson.
Jamelle Holieway led the team in rushing for the second season with 807 yards and in passing for the third of four times with 548 yards, Jackson led the team in receiving for the third straight season with 403 yards, Placekicker R. D. Lashar led the team in scoring with 91 points, Reed posted 8 quarterback sacks, Jones led the team with 125 tackles and Dixon posted 9 interceptions. Dixon established the current school record total of 9 single-season interceptions. He set the school record for single-season interception return yards with 232 that season and the career record with 303, which was broken by Derrick Strait in 2003.

Game summaries

North Carolina

Jamelle Holieway 25 Rush, 170 Yds

Missouri

Nebraska

"Game of the Century II"
The Bow - Patrick Collins

Awards and honors

After the season

NFL draft

The following players were selected in the 1988 NFL draft following the season.
15Rickey DixonDefensive backCincinnati Bengals
113Keith JacksonTight endPhiladelphia Eagles
251Dante JonesLinebackerChicago Bears
367Mark HutsonGuardDallas Cowboys
499Greg JohnsonTackleMiami Dolphins
4106Lydell CarrRunning backNew Orleans Saints
5116Darrell ReedLinebackerGreen Bay Packers
5133Troy JohnsonLinebackerChicago Bears
6148Jon PhillipsGuardPhoenix Cardinals
6164Derrick WhiteDefensive backMinnesota Vikings
7171Derrick CrudupDefensive backLos Angeles Raiders
7189Caesar RentieTackleChicago Bears
8200Patrick CollinsRunning backGreen Bay Packers