CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1988 West Virginia

11–⁠1, coached by Don Nehlen, finished No. 5 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

West Virginia in 1988, game by game: won vs. Bowling Green 62–14; won vs. Cal State Fullerton 45–10; won vs. Maryland 55–24; won at No. 16 Pittsburgh 31–10; won at Virginia Tech 22–10; won at East Carolina 30–10; won vs. Boston College 59–19; won vs. Penn State 51–30; won at Cincinnati 51–13; won at Rutgers 35–25; won vs. No. 14 Syracuse 31–9; lost vs. No. 1 Notre Dame 21–34+48−13Won 62–14 vs. Bowling Green+48Bowling GreenWon 45–10 vs. Cal State Fullerton+35Cal State Fulle…Won 55–24 vs. Maryland+31MarylandWon 31–10 at No. 16 Pittsburgh+21No. 16 PittsburghWon 22–10 at Virginia Tech+12Virginia TechWon 30–10 at East Carolina+20East CarolinaWon 59–19 vs. Boston College+40Boston CollegeWon 51–30 vs. Penn State+21Penn StateWon 51–13 at Cincinnati+38CincinnatiWon 35–25 at Rutgers+10RutgersWon 31–9 vs. No. 14 Syracuse+22No. 14 SyracuseLost 21–34 vs. No. 1 Notre Dame-13No. 1 Notre Dame
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 3vsBowling GreenW 62–⁠1466%
Sep 10vsCal State FullertonW 45–⁠1074%
Sep 17vsMarylandW 55–⁠2470%
Sep 24at16PittsburghW 31–⁠1040%
Oct 1atVirginia TechW 22–⁠1073%
Oct 8atEast CarolinaW 30–⁠1077%
Oct 22vsBoston CollegeW 59–⁠1982%
Oct 29vsPenn StateW 51–⁠3069%
Nov 5atCincinnatiW 51–⁠1385%
Nov 12atRutgersW 35–⁠2572%
Nov 19vs14SyracuseW 31–⁠958%
Jan 2Bowls & playoffvs1Notre DameFiesta BowlL 21–⁠3445%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Notre Dame 34–⁠21 in the Fiesta Bowl; No. 5 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 4th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 124 on file).

AP poll, week by week

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

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 1988.

Heisman voteMajor Harris, fifth

Led the nationCalvin Phillips: yards per catch (25.5)

Walter Camp Coach of the YearDon Nehlen, coach; also the Bobby Dodd Award

Record
11–⁠1
Conference
5–⁠0 first in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
No. 5 peak No. 3
Points
493–⁠208
Coach
Don Nehlen
Elo
1722 +181 this season
SP+ rating
25.5 No. 7 of 102; offense No. 2, defense No. 34
SRS
22.9 No. 5 of 105 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offense
Option

Drafted in 1989

The 1989 draft
Rd 6Bo Orlando DBHouston Oilers
Rd 6Craig Taylor RBCincinnati Bengals
Rd 7Undra Johnson RBAtlanta Falcons