# 1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team

The 1987 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team represented the Oklahoma State University in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Cowboys finished the regular season with a 9–2 record. Thurman Thomas was in his senior year for the Cowboys. In his career at Oklahoma State, Thomas had 897 rushes for 4,595 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 21 100-yard rushing games. He was also a Heisman Trophy candidate and a first team selection on the College Football All-America Team in 1987. In the 1987 Sun Bowl, Thomas ran for 157 yards and four touchdowns in the 35–33 victory over West Virginia, keeping Barry Sanders on the sidelines for the majority of the game. Thomas left OSU as the school's all-time leading rusher and his number 34 is one of only three jerseys retired at Oklahoma State. Sanders replaced Thomas as starter the next year in 1988.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 5 | Tulsa* | | Boone Pickens StadiumStillwater, OK (rivalry) | | W 39–28 | 46,700 |
| September 12 | at Houston* | | Houston AstrodomeHouston, TX | | W 35–0 | 16,285 |
| September 19 | at Wyoming* | | War Memorial StadiumLaramie, WY | | W 35–29 | 20,852 |
| September 26 | Southwestern Louisiana* | | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK | | W 36–0 | 44,100 |
| October 10 | Colorado | No. 19 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK | | W 42–17 | 42,800 |
| October 17 | No. 2 Nebraska | No. 12 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK | CBS | L 0–35 | 50,440 |
| October 24 | at Missouri | No. 19 | Faurot FieldColumbia MI | | W 24–20 | 37,638 |
| October 31 | Kansas State | No. 12 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK | | W 56–7 | 40,150 |
| November 7 | at No. 1 Oklahoma | No. 12 | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (Bedlam) | | L 10–29 | 75,004 |
| November 14 | at Kansas | No. 17 | Memorial StadiumLawrence KS | | W 49–17 | 18,200–18,500 |
| November 21 | Iowa State | No. 13 | Lewis FieldStillwater, OK | | W 48–27 | 33,400 |
| December 25 | vs. West Virginia* | No. 11 | Sun BowlEl Paso, TX (Sun Bowl) | CBS | W 35–33 | 43,240 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Colorado

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Colorado | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Oklahoma St | 14 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
* OSU - Sanders 4 Run (Blanchard kick)
* OSU - Dykes 18 Gundy (Blanchard kick)
* COL - Simmons 7 Run (Hannah kick)
* COL - Hannah 32 FG
* OSU - Williams 16 Gundy (Blanchard kick)
* OSU - Thomas 5 Run (Blanchard kick)
* COL - Bieniemy 6 Run (Hannah kick)
* OSU - Limbrick 3 Run (Blanchard kick)
* OSU - Sanders 73 punt return (Blanchard kick)
* Passing: COL Aunese 5/11, 90 Yds, INT, OSU Gundy 21/28, 257 Yds, 2 TD, INT
* Rushing: COL Flannagan 9/52, OSU Thomas 23/110
* Receiving: COL Carl 3/61, OSU Dykes 8/114, TD

## After the season

The 1988 NFL draft was held on April 24–25, 1988. The following Cowboys were selected.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL club |
| 2 | 40 | Thurman Thomas | Running back | Buffalo Bills |
| 4 | 92 | Ricky Shaw | Linebacker | New York Giants |

## Awards and honors

* Thurman Thomas, Heisman Trophy finalist
* Thurman Thomas, All-America selection