1987 Indiana Hoosiers football team

1987 Indiana Hoosiers football
Peach Bowl, L 22–27 vs. Tennessee
Conference Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches #20
1987 record 8–4 (6–2 Big 10)
Head coach Bill Mallory
Captain Tom Polce[1]
Captain Van Waiters[1]
Home stadium Memorial Stadium
1987 Big Ten football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#8 Michigan State 7 0 1     9 2 1
#16 Iowa 6 2 0     10 3 0
Indiana 6 2 0     8 4 0
#19 Michigan 5 3 0     8 4 0
Ohio State 4 4 0     6 4 1
Minnesota 3 5 0     6 5 0
Purdue 3 5 0     3 7 1
Illinois 2 5 1     3 7 1
Northwestern 2 6 0     2 8 1
Wisconsin 1 7 0     3 8 0
Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1987 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. Playing as a member of the Big Ten Conference (Big 10), the team was led by head coach Bill Mallory, in his fourth year, and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. They finished the season with a record of eight wins and four losses (8–4 overall, 6–2 in the Big 10) and with a loss against Tennessee in the Peach Bowl.

Season recap

In their season opener against Rice, Anthony Thompson rushed for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns en route to a 35–13 Indiana win.[2] However, in what was the renewal of their rivalry against Kentucky, the Hoosiers lost 34–15 at Lexington.[3] Indiana rebounded from their loss to the Wildcats with a five-game winning streak. After a win over Missouri, Indiana defeated Northwestern to open their conference schedule behind a 170 yard, and two touchdown performance by Thompson.[4] The next week, the Hoosiers traveled to Columbus to play No. 9 Ohio State, and for the first time since 1951 Indiana defeated the Buckeyes in their 31–10 upset victory.[5]

Indiana followed their upset with a win at Minnesota after Chip Lohmiller missed what would have been a game-winning field goal in the final minutes for the Gophers.[6] The Hoosiers then returned to Bloomington where they defeated Michigan for the first time since the 1967 season to move into first place in the Big 10 standings.[7] After their win over the Wolverines, Indiana was ranked No. 11, however they went on to split their final four games with losses against Iowa and Michigan State and victories over Illinois and Purdue and finished the regular season tied for second in conference with an overall record of eight wins and three losses.[8]

In November, the Hoosiers accepted an invitation to play in the Peach Bowl against Tennessee of the Southeastern Conference[9] Against the Volunteers, Indiana fell behind by a score of 21–3. However, the Hoosiers rallied and took a 22–21 lead in the fourth quarter only to fall 27–22 after Tennessee scored a late touchdown.[10]

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
September 12 Rice* Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN W 35–13   38,132
September 19 at Kentucky* Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY L 15–34   57,924
September 26 Missouri* Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 20–17   41,145
October 3 Northwestern Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 35–18   38,553
October 10 at #9 Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH W 31–10   90,032
October 16 at Minnesota #20 Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN W 18–17   60,340
October 24 #20 Michigan #15 Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 14–10   51,240
October 31 at Iowa #11 Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA L 21–29   67,700
November 7 Illinois #18 Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN W 34–22   50,026
November 14 at #13 Michigan State #16 Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Old Brass Spittoon) ABC L 3–27   76,411
November 21 Purdue #20 Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN (Old Oaken Bucket) W 35–14   51,951
January 2, 1988 vs. #17 Tennessee* Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium • Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) Mizlou L 22–27   58,737
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

Team players drafted into the NFL

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Eric Moore Offensive guard 1 10 New York Giants
Van Waiters Linebacker 3 77 Cleveland Browns
Ernie Jones Wide receiver 7 179 Phoenix Cardinals
Eric Hickerson Defensive back 10 259 New York Giants

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 2012 Indiana Football Record Book (PDF). Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Athletics Media Relations Department. 2012. p. 88. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  2. "Indiana has easy time in victory over Rice". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. September 13, 1987. p. 5C. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  3. "Kentucky blasts Indiana, 34–15". The Toledo Blade. Associated Press. September 20, 1987. p. D2. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  4. "Hoosiers take high road, low road to thump Wildcats". Rome News-Tribune. Associated Press. October 4, 1987. p. 9B. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  5. "After 36 years, Indiana finally beats Ohio State". The Gadsden Times. Associated Press. October 11, 1987. p. B5. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  6. "Schnell leads Indiana; Minnesota loses first". The Pittsburgh Press. Associated Press. October 17, 1987. p. C3. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  7. Alfano, Peter (October 25, 1987). "Historic day for surging Hoosiers". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  8. Barhnart, Tony (January 2, 1988). "Indiana has point to prove against Tennessee". The Miami News. p. 12B. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  9. "Tennessee, Indiana in the Peach Bowl". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. November 17, 1987. p. D4. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  10. "Tennessee overcomes mistakes for 27–22 victory in Peach Bowl". The Toledo Blade. Associated Press. January 3, 1988. p. E2. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  11. "1988 NFL Draft". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 26, 2013.