1987 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

Schedule

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Rankings

Game summaries

Utah State

Nebraska QB Steve Taylor rushed for 157 yards, breaking a 35-year-old Cornhusker quarterback record, and Nebraska returned two punts for touchdowns, tying its own Big 8 record. Nebraska rolled over Utah State with 515 rushing yards while holding the Aggies to −1 yard.

UCLA

Memorial Stadium recorded its 150th consecutive sellout as #2 Nebraska defeated #3 UCLA. This was the first time two teams from the Top 3 had played in Lincoln. Nebraska QB Steve Taylor's five TD passes tied a Big 8 record set in 1938.

Arizona State

Following a late ASU game-tying score resulting from a fumble by Nebraska QB Steve Taylor, Nebraska IB Keith Jones tore off a 62-yard run with 3:37 remaining to set up the winning series as Nebraska triumphed over the #12 Sun Devils.

South Carolina

South Carolina was leading 21–13 in the 3rd as Nebraska QB Steve Taylor left the game with a shoulder injury. After that, Nebraska regained the momentum, holding the Gamecocks to just 9 yards total, recovering a fumble to set up a score, and adding a late interception and field goal to put up the win.

Kansas

Nebraska cruised against a weak Kansas team, as Nebraska QB Clete Blakeman filled in for injured starting QB Steve Taylor.

Oklahoma State

Nebraska continued their 26-year winning streak against the Cowboys, putting a stop to #12 Oklahoma State's best start and best winning streak since 1945. Cowboys RB Thurman Thomas, at that time the NCAA rushing leader, was held to just 7 yards in 9 carries.

Kansas State

Nebraska secured their 26th consecutive winning season, tying the NCAA record, and rolled up 459 rushing yards using 17 rushing players, while the Cornhusker defense prevented a touchdown for the third game in a row.

Missouri

The NCAA touchdown pass record from 1938 was tied by Nebraska for the second time in this season as the Cornhusker offense scored in all four quarters for the 4th game in a row, though the defense finally allowed their first touchdown in 15 quarters.

Iowa State

The Cornhuskers locked up their 19th consecutive 9-win season while piling up 666 total yards of offense as they rocketed to a 28–0 halftime lead before coasting to another win.

Oklahoma

;Oklahoma

• Charles Thompson 2/9, 25 Yds
• Patrick Collins 13 Rush, 131 Yds, TD
• Keith Jackson 1 Rec, 21 Yds ;Nebraska
• Steve Taylorr 6/18, 58 Yds, 3 INT
• Keith Jones 15 Rush, 94 Yds, TD
• Richard Bell 2 Rec, 18 Yds

Billed as "Game of the Century II", this first-ever #1 vs. #2 matchup in Memorial Stadium brought a halt to the Cornhuskers' title hopes. Nebraska had taken away Oklahoma's #1 ranking before this game, and gave it back as the Cornhuskers struggled to move the ball after their first and only score. The Sooners went on to win their 4th straight Big 8 Championship.

Colorado

Nebraska recovered from the Oklahoma loss and obtained their revenge for last year's loss to Colorado by taking out their frustrations on the Buffaloes in Boulder. Nebraska IB Keith Jones' 248 yards lifted him into a career 3rd-place ranking among Cornhusker runners.

Florida State

Nebraska lost after leading by 4 midway through the 4th. A Seminole defender stripped the ball from Nebraska IB Tyreese Knox as he ran in from the FSU 2, which set up a 97-yard FSU march for the winning touchdown with 3:07 left to play.

Personnel

Roster

• Tom Osborne15th season 24th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• Charlie McBride7th season as DC/DL coach 11th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Colorado
• Ron Brown1st season as WR/TE coach 1st year at Nebraska Alma mater: Brown
• Dan Young5th season as OL/K coach 5th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Reed
• Milt Tenopir14th season as OL coach 14th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Sterling
• Tony Samuel2nd season as OLB coach 2nd year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• George DarlingtonDB coach 15th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Rutgers
• Frank Solich5th season as RB coach 9th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• Boyd Epley19th season as S&C coach 19th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Nebraska
• Jack Pierce9th year at Nebraska
• John Melton15th season as LB coach 26th year at Nebraska Alma mater: Wyoming

Depth chart

Ken Clark Jon Custard

Awards

NFL and pro players

The following Nebraska players who participated in the 1987 season later moved on to the next level and joined a professional or semi-pro team as draftees or free agents.

References

References

1. (September 6, 1987). "Jones, Taylor star as Nebraska rolls". Star Tribune.
2. (September 13, 1987). "Nebraska's QB Taylor sinks UCLA". The Wichita Eagle-Beacon.
3. (September 27, 1987). "Nebraska rally takes care of business". The Courier-Journal.
4. (October 4, 1987). "Huskers survive Gamecock test". The Grand Island Independent.
5. (October 11, 1987). "Huskers strike early, often and wipe out Kansas, 54–2". The Des Moines Register.
6. (October 18, 1987). "Nebraska finally puts it all together". Star Tribune.
7. (October 25, 1987). "No. 2 Cornhuskers crush Kansas State". Detroit Free Press.
8. (November 1, 1987). "Osborne, Switzer tie victory mark". Chicago Tribune.
9. (November 8, 1987). "Jones runs Nebraska by Iowa State". The Idaho Statesman.
10. (November 22, 1987). "Defense leads second-half comeback as Oklahoma defeats Nebraska 17–7". Winston-Salem Journal.
11. (November 29, 1987). "Keith Jones runs wild as Huskers thump Colorado". The Columbus Telegram.
12. (January 2, 1988). "McManus. 'luck' spur Seminoles in Fiesta thriller". The Arizona Republic.
13. [http://www.huskermax.com/honors/honors_1987.html 1987 Husker Honors]
14. [http://nflhuskers.com/alltime.html All Time NFL Huskers]