CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1987 Pittsburgh

8–⁠4, coached by Mike Gottfried.

Schedule and results

Pittsburgh in 1987, game by game: won at BYU 27–17; won vs. NC State 34–0; lost vs. Temple 21–24; won at West Virginia 6–3; lost vs. Boston College 10–13; won vs. No. 4 Notre Dame 30–22; won at Navy 10–6; lost vs. No. 8 Syracuse 10–24; won at Rutgers 17–0; won vs. No. 15 Penn State 10–0; won vs. Kent State 28–5; lost vs. Texas 27–32+34−14Won 27–17 at BYU+10BYUWon 34–0 vs. NC State+34NC StateLost 21–24 vs. Temple-3TempleWon 6–3 at West Virginia+3West VirginiaLost 10–13 vs. Boston College-3Boston CollegeWon 30–22 vs. No. 4 Notre Dame+8No. 4 Notre DameWon 10–6 at Navy+4NavyLost 10–24 vs. No. 8 Syracuse-14No. 8 SyracuseWon 17–0 at Rutgers+17RutgersWon 10–0 vs. No. 15 Penn State+10No. 15 Penn StateWon 28–5 vs. Kent State+23Kent StateLost 27–32 vs. Texas-5Texas
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2atBYUW 27–⁠1734%
Sep 12vsNC StateW 34–⁠070%
Sep 19vsTempleL 21–⁠2467%
Sep 26atWest VirginiaW 6–⁠355%
Oct 3vsBoston CollegeL 10–⁠1357%
Oct 10vs4Notre DameW 30–⁠2244%
Oct 24atNavyW 10–⁠677%
Oct 31vs8SyracuseL 10–⁠2445%
Nov 7atRutgersW 17–⁠053%
Nov 14vs15Penn StateW 10–⁠042%
Nov 21vsKent StateW 28–⁠575%
Dec 31Bowls & playoffvsTexasAstro-Bluebonnet BowlL 27–⁠3265%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Texas 32–⁠27 in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 40th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 128 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 2: 18
  2. Wk 3: 16
  3. Wk 12: 19
  4. Wk 13: 20
  5. Wk 14: 19
  6. Wk 15: 19

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 voteCraig Heyward, fifth

Led the nationCraig Heyward: rushing yards (1,791 yds)

Consensus All-AmericanCraig Heyward, RB

Record
8–⁠4
Conference
3–⁠3 3rd in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
Unranked peak No. 16
Points
230–⁠146
Coach
Mike Gottfried
Elo
1611 +83 this season
SP+ rating
12.2 No. 24 of 101; offense No. 71, defense No. 5
SRS
9.2 No. 23 of 104 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Mike Dickens
Defensive coordinator
John Fox
Offense
Multiple pro-style
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1988

The 1988 draft
Rd 1Craig Heyward RBNew Orleans Saints
Rd 2Quintin Jones DBHouston Oilers
Rd 5Jon Carter DENew York Giants
Rd 5Ezekial Gadson DBBuffalo Bills
Rd 7Gary Richard DBGreen Bay Packers