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1987 Notre Dame

8–⁠4, coached by Lou Holtz, finished No. 17 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Notre Dame in 1987, game by game: won at No. 9 Michigan 26–7; won vs. No. 17 Michigan State 31–8; won at Purdue 44–20; lost at Pittsburgh 22–30; won at Air Force 35–14; won vs. USC 26–15; won vs. Navy 56–13; won vs. Boston College 32–25; won vs. No. 11 Alabama 37–6; lost at Penn State 20–21; lost at No. 2 Miami 0–24; lost vs. No. 13 Texas A&M 10–35+43−25Won 26–7 at No. 9 Michigan+19No. 9 MichiganWon 31–8 vs. No. 17 Michigan State+23No. 17 Michigan StateWon 44–20 at Purdue+24PurdueLost 22–30 at Pittsburgh-8PittsburghWon 35–14 at Air Force+21Air ForceWon 26–15 vs. USC+11USCWon 56–13 vs. Navy+43NavyWon 32–25 vs. Boston College+7Boston CollegeWon 37–6 vs. No. 11 Alabama+31No. 11 AlabamaLost 20–21 at Penn State-1Penn StateLost 0–24 at No. 2 Miami-24No. 2 MiamiLost 10–35 vs. No. 13 Texas A&M-25No. 13 Texas A&M
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 12at9MichiganW 26–⁠731%
Sep 19vs17Michigan StateW 31–⁠864%
Sep 26atPurdueW 44–⁠2074%
Oct 10atPittsburghL 22–⁠3056%
Oct 17atAir ForceW 35–⁠1447%
Oct 24vsUSCW 26–⁠1566%
Oct 31vsNavyW 56–⁠1392%
Nov 7vsBoston CollegeW 32–⁠2576%
Nov 14vs11AlabamaW 37–⁠654%
Nov 21atPenn StateL 20–⁠2149%
Nov 28at2MiamiL 0–⁠2431%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs13Texas A&MCotton BowlL 10–⁠3548%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Texas A&M 35–⁠10 in the Cotton Bowl; No. 17 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The tied 68th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 131 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 18
  2. Wk 2: 16
  3. Wk 3: 9
  4. Wk 4: 8
  5. Wk 5: 5
  6. Wk 6: 4
  7. Wk 7: 11
  8. Wk 8: 10
  9. Wk 9: 9
  10. Wk 10: 9
  11. Wk 11: 7
  12. Wk 12: 7
  13. Wk 13: 10
  14. Wk 14: 12
  15. Wk 15: 12
  16. Final: 17

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1987.

Heisman TrophyTim Brown, WR; also the Walter Camp

Consensus All-AmericanTim Brown, WR

Record
8–⁠4
Conference
—
AP final
No. 17 peak No. 4
Points
339–⁠218
Coach
Lou Holtz
Elo
1667 +94 this season
SP+ rating
24.0 No. 8 of 101; offense No. 7, defense No. 13
SRS
18.7 No. 9 of 104 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Foge Fazio
Captains
Chuck Lanza and Byron Spruell
Most valuable player
Tim Brown
Offense
Wishbone triple option
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1988

The 1988 draft
Rd 1Tim Brown WRLos Angeles Raiders
Rd 3Tom Rehder OTNew England Patriots
Rd 3Chuck Lanza CPittsburgh Steelers
Rd 6Cedric Figaro LBSan Diego Chargers