CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1987 Texas

7–⁠5 (5–⁠2 Southwest Conference), coached by David McWilliams.

Schedule and results

Texas in 1987, game by game: lost at No. 5 Auburn 3–31; lost vs. BYU 17–22; won vs. Oregon State 61–16; won vs. Rice 45–26; lost vs. No. 1 Oklahoma 9–44; won at No. 15 Arkansas 16–14; won vs. Texas Tech 41–27; lost at Houston 40–60; won vs. TCU 24–21; won vs. Baylor 34–16; lost at No. 15 Texas A&M 13–20; won vs. No. 19 Pittsburgh 32–27+45−35Lost 3–31 at No. 5 Auburn-28No. 5 AuburnLost 17–22 vs. BYU-5BYUWon 61–16 vs. Oregon State+45Oregon StateWon 45–26 vs. Rice+19RiceLost 9–44 vs. No. 1 Oklahoma-35No. 1 OklahomaWon 16–14 at No. 15 Arkansas+2No. 15 ArkansasWon 41–27 vs. Texas Tech+14Texas TechLost 40–60 at Houston-20HoustonWon 24–21 vs. TCU+3TCUWon 34–16 vs. Baylor+18BaylorLost 13–20 at No. 15 Texas A&M-7No. 15 Texas A&MWon 32–27 vs. No. 19 Pittsburgh+5No. 19 Pittsburgh
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 5at5AuburnL 3–⁠3124%
Sep 12vsBYUL 17–⁠2250%
Sep 26vsOregon StateW 61–⁠1669%
Oct 3vsRiceW 45–⁠2672%
Oct 10vs1OklahomaL 9–⁠4419%
Oct 17at15ArkansasW 16–⁠1423%
Oct 31vsTexas TechW 41–⁠2755%
Nov 7atHoustonL 40–⁠6071%
Nov 14vsTCUW 24–⁠2157%
Nov 21vsBaylorW 34–⁠1653%
Nov 26at15Texas A&ML 13–⁠2022%
Dec 31Bowls & playoffvs19PittsburghAstro-Bluebonnet BowlW 32–⁠2735%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Pittsburgh 32–⁠27 in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 2nd in the Southwest Conference.

In program history: The 100th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 126 on file).

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.

Record
7–⁠5
Conference
5–⁠2 tied for 2nd in Southwest Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
335–⁠324
Coach
David McWilliams
Elo
1556 +44 this season
SP+ rating
7.9 No. 37 of 101; offense No. 16, defense No. 66
SRS
4.7 No. 36 of 104 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
John Mize
Defensive coordinator
Paul Jette

Drafted in 1988

The 1988 draft
Rd 6Paul Jetton CCincinnati Bengals

All-Southwest Conference

4 first team, 3 second team

First team

Second team

  • Tony JonesWRAP-2
  • Thomas AldridgeDLAP-2
  • Steve LlewellynDLAP-2

From Wikipedia’s 1987 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1987 Southwest Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Texas A&M6–⁠110–⁠210
Arkansas5–⁠29–⁠4
Texas5–⁠27–⁠5
Texas Tech3–⁠3–⁠16–⁠4–⁠1
Baylor3–⁠46–⁠5
TCU3–⁠45–⁠6
Houston2–⁠4–⁠14–⁠6–⁠1
Rice0–⁠72–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.