1987 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season

1987 Michigan State Spartans football
Big Ten champion
Rose Bowl champion
Rose Bowl, W 20–17 vs. USC
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 8
APNo. 8
Record9–2–1 (7–0–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
  • George Perles (5th season)
Offensive coordinatorMorris Watts (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorNick Saban (5th season)
Base defenseStunt 4–3
MVPLorenzo White
CaptainMark Nichols, Pat Shurmur, Rob Stradley, Lorenzo White
Home stadiumSpartan Stadium
Seasons
← 1986
1988 →
1987 Big Ten Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 8 Michigan State $ 7 – 0 – 1 9 – 2 – 1
No. 16 Iowa 6 – 2 – 0 10 – 3 – 0
Indiana 6 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
No. 19 Michigan 5 – 3 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Ohio State 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Minnesota 3 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Purdue 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 1
Illinois 2 – 5 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Northwestern 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 1
Wisconsin 1 – 7 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1987 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach George Perles, the Spartans compiled an overall record of 9–2–1 with a mark 7–0–1 in conference play, winning the Big Ten title. Michigan State beat USC to win the 1988 Rose Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. The first game of the season, also against USC, was the first night game ever at Spartan Stadium.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 78:00 p.m.No. 19 USC*
ABCW 27–1377,922
September 197:45 p.m.at No. 9 Notre Dame*No. 17ESPNL 8–3159,075
September 261:00 p.m.No. 6 Florida State*
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
L 3–3176,887
October 312:30 p.m.at No. 17 IowaW 19–1467,700
October 103:30 p.m.No. 12 Michigan
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
ABCW 17–1177,424
October 172:05 p.m.at NorthwesternNo. 19
W 38–029,113
October 241:00 p.m.IllinoisdaggerNo. 14
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
T 14–1476,513
October 313:30 p.m.at No. 15 Ohio StateNo. 20ABCW 13–789,915
November 71:00 p.m.PurdueNo. 15
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 45–376,933
November 143:30 p.m.No. 16 IndianaNo. 13
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
ABCW 27–376,411
November 212:05 p.m.at WisconsinNo. 11W 30–945,385
January 1, 19885:00 p.m.vs. No. 16 USC*No. 8NBCW 20–17103,847
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Personnel

1987 Michigan State Spartans football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 17 Willie Bouyer Jr
QB 4 Dan Enos Fr
RB 26 Blake Ezor So
TE Rich Gicewicz
OL David Houle
WR 14 Jeff Jacobs Sr
OL 63 Bob Kula
OT 79 Tony Mandarich Jr
QB 8 Bobby McAllister Jr
RB Steve Montgomery
RB James Moore
RB Joe Pugh
WR 1 Andre Rison Jr
OT 71 Kevin Robbins Jr
TE 49 Mike Sargent Sr
C 60 Pat Shurmur Sr
OL 61 Vince Tata Jr
RB 34 Lorenzo White Sr
WR Bernard Wilson
FB 29 Duane Young Fr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 36 Harlon Barnett So
DL Joe Bergin
DL John Budde
DL 75 Travis Davis
LB 57 Dixon Edwards Fr
DB 9 Mike Iaquaniello Fr
LB 51 Carlos Jenkins Fr
S 35 Todd Krumm Sr
LB 3 Kurt Larson Jr
S 44 Josh Miller Jr
LB Tim Moore
DT 77 Eric Moten Fr
DL 83 Mark Nichols
DB Lenier Payton
DB Derrick Reed
LB 48 Percy Snow So
DL Chris Soehnien
DE 91 Jim Szymanski So
LB 66 Matt Vanderbeck So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
PK 10 John Langeloh Fr
P 23 Greg Montgomery Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Game summaries

USC

At Notre Dame

Michigan State at Notre Dame
1 234Total
Spartans 0 008 8
• Fighting Irish 19 570 31
Scoring summary
Q1NDEzor downed ball in end zoneND 2–0
Q1NDGradel 27 yard field goalND 5–0
Q1NDBrown 71 yard punt return (Gradel kick)ND 12–0
Q1NDBrown 66 yard punt return (Gradel kick)ND 19–0
Q2NDMcAllister tackled in end zoneND 21–0
Q2NDGradel 37 yard field goalND 24–0
Q3NDJohnson 3 yard run (Gradel kick)ND 31–0
Q4MSURison 57 yard pass from McAllister (Wilson pass from McAllister)ND 31–8

Florida State

Florida State at Michigan State
1 234Total
• #6 Seminoles 0 71014 31
Spartans 0 300 3
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Spartan Stadium
    East Lansing, MI
  • Game attendance: 76,887

At Iowa

Michigan State at Iowa
1 234Total
• Spartans 7 066 19
#17 Hawkeyes 7 700 14
Scoring summary
1IOWAEarly 19-yard pass from Dan McGwire (Houghtlin kick)IOWA 7-0
1Mich StWhite 5-yard run (Langeloh kick)Tied 7-7
2IowaWatkins 14-yard pass from McGwire (Houghtlin kick)IOWA 14-7
3KSULangeloh 21-yard field goalIOWA 14-10
3KSULangeloh 46-yard field goalIOWA 14-13
4IowaSargent 8-yard pass from McAllister (pass failed)Mich St 19-14

[1] [2]

Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total
Michigan 3 0 0 8 11
Michigan St 7 7 0 3 17
  • MICH - Gillette 31 FG
  • MSU - White 6 Run (Langeloh kick)
  • MSU - White 2 Run (Langeloh kick)
  • MICH - Morris 18 D. Brown (pass good)
  • MSU - Langeloh 42 FG
  • Passing: MICH D. Brown 12/26, 158 Yds, TD, 7 INT, MSU McAllister 5/7, 68 Yds
  • Rushing: MICH Morris 31/108, MSU White 34/185, 2 TD
  • Receiving: MICH Kolesar 4/65, MSU Bouyer 2/38

[3]

At Northwestern

Michigan State Spartans at Northwestern Wildcats
Period 1 2 34Total
Michigan St 10 7 14738
Northwestern 0 0 000

at Dyche Stadium • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: October 17
  • Game attendance: 29,113
  • Gainesville Sun. 1987 Oct 18.
Game information

First quarter

  • MSU – John Langeloh 31-yard field goal
  • MSU – Lorenzo White 1-yard run (John Langeloh kick)

Second quarter

  • MSU – Lorenzo White 6-yard run (John Langeloh kick)

Third quarter

  • MSU – Lorenzo White 1-yard run (John Langeloh kick)
  • MSU – Andre Rison 7-yard pass from Bobby McAllister (John Langeloh kick)

Fourth quarter

  • MSU – Blake Ezor 13-yard run (John Langeloh kick)
Top passers
  • MSU – Bobby McAllister – 5/16, 97 yards, TD, INT
  • NW – Mike Greenfield – 4/9, 50 yards, INT
Top rushers
  • MSU – Lorenzo White – 33 rushes, 187 yards, 3 TD
  • NW – Byron Sanders – 20 rushes, 26 yards
Top receivers
  • MSU – Andre Rison – 5 receptions, 96 yards, TD
  • NW – Marcus Lang – 1 reception, 26 yards

Illinois

At Ohio State

Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes
Period 1 2 34Total
Michigan St 10 3 0013
Ohio St 7 0 007

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: October 31, 1987
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 60 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 89,915
  • Referee: Ron Winter
  • TV: ABC
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • OSU – Everett Ross 79-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 14:45. 'Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 79 yards, 0:11.
  • MSU – Bobby McAllister 15-yard run (John Langeloh kick), 4:37. Tie 7–7. Drive: 3 plays, 54 yards, 0:50.
  • MSU – John Langeloh 40-yard field goal, 1:22. Michigan St 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 13 yards, 1:48.

Second quarter

  • MSU – John Langeloh 20-yard field goal, 10:41. Michigan St 13–7. Drive: 9 plays, 41 yards, 4:10.
Top passers
Top rushers
  • MSU – Bobby McAllister – 22 rushes, 83 yards, TD
  • OSU – Carlos Snow – 8 rushes, 18 yards
Top receivers

Purdue

Indiana

Indiana Hoosiers at Michigan State Spartans
Period 1 2 34Total
Indiana 3 0 003
Michigan St 0 17 10027

at Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Michigan

  • Date: November 14
  • Game attendance: 76,411
  • [4]
Game information
Indiana
  • Kramme
    11/26, 147 Yds, 3 INT
  • Thompson
    10 Rush, 23 Yds
  • Jordan
    3 Rec, 39 Yds
Michigan St
  • McAllister
    5/5, 67 Yds, TD
  • White
    56 Rush, 292 Yds, 2 TD
  • Rison
    2 Rec, 41 Yds, TD

Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP IND MSU
1 Indiana 49-yard field goal by Stoyanovich 3 0
2 Michigan St White 5-yard touchdown run, Langeloh kick good 3 7
2 Michigan St Rison 22-yard touchdown reception from McAllister, Langeloh kick good 3 14
2 Michigan St 47-yard field goal by Langeloh 3 17
3 Michigan St 21-yard field goal by Langeloh 3 20
3 Michigan St White 1-yard touchdown run, Langeloh kick good 3 27
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 3 27

At Wisconsin

Rose Bowl vs. USC

1988 NFL Draft

The following players were selected in the 1988 NFL Draft.[5] Team members Tony Mandarich, Andre Rison and Percy Snow were drafted in later years.

Player Round Pick Position NFL Team
Lorenzo White 1 22 Running back Houston Oilers
Greg Montgomery 3 72 Punter Houston Oilers
David Houle 6 145 Guard New York Giants
Tim Moore 8 206 Linebacker Phoenix Cardinals
Mark Nichols 8 209 Nose Tackle Pittsburgh Steelers

References

  1. ^ "Who'll Be Counted Out In Big 10?". Chicago Tribune. October 2, 1987. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  2. ^ "White, MSU defense too much for Iowa". Chicago Tribune. October 4, 1987. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  3. ^ Gainesville Sun. 1987 Oct 11. Retrieved 2019-Jan-07
  4. ^ Gainesville Sun. 1987 Nov 15. Retrieved 2019-Jan-06.
  5. ^ "1988 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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