# 1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Northeast Louisiana Indians (now the Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks) and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1987, at the Minidome (now known as Holt Arena) in Pocatello, Idaho. The culminating game of the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Northeast Louisiana, 43–42.

## Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1987 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket.

### Northeast Louisiana Indians

Northeast Louisiana finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (6–0 in conference); one of their losses was to the Ragin' Cajuns of the then University of Southwestern Louisiana, a Division I-A program. Ranked third in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and seeded second in the tournament, the Indians defeated North Texas State, Eastern Kentucky, and third-seed Northern Iowa to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Northeast Louisiana in a Division I-AA championship game.

### Marshall Thundering Herd

Marshall finished their regular season with a 7–4 record (4–2 in conference); one of their losses was to Ohio of Division I-A. Ranked 14th in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll and unseeded in the tournament, the Thundering Herd defeated James Madison, Weber State, and top-seed Appalachian State to reach the final. This was also the first appearance for Marshall in a Division I-AA championship game.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | MU | NLU |
| 1 | | | | | NLU | Henry “Cisco” Richard 15-yard touchdown run, Teddy Garcia kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | | | | | MU | 33-yard field goal by Brian Mitchell | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | MU | Keith Baxter 9-yard touchdown reception from Tony Petersen, Mitchell kick good | 10 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | NLU | Richard 7-yard touchdown run, Garcia kick good | 10 | 14 |
| 2 | | | | | MU | 31-yard field goal by Mitchell | 13 | 14 |
| 2 | | | | | NLU | Mike Manzullo 5-yard touchdown reception from Stan Humphries, Garcia kick good | 13 | 21 |
| 3 | | | | | MU | Michael Barber 9-yard touchdown reception from Petersen, 2-point pass failed | 19 | 21 |
| 3 | | | | | MU | Baxter 29-yard touchdown reception from Peterson, 2-point pass good (Bruce Hammond from Peterson) | 27 | 21 |
| 3 | | | | | NLU | Chris Jones 9-yard touchdown reception from Humphries, Garcia kick good | 27 | 28 |
| 3 | | | | | MU | Hammond 17-yard touchdown reception from Petersen, 2-point pass good (Sean Doctor from Peterson) | 35 | 28 |
| 3 | 0:36 | | | | MU | Ronald Darby 6-yard touchdown run, Mitchell kick good | 42 | 28 |
| 4 | 13:34 | | 74 | | NLU | Kenneth Johnson 10-yard touchdown reception from Humphries, 2-point pass good (Jackie Harris from Humphries) | 42 | 36 |
| 4 | 7:19 | | 80 | 3:52 | NLU | Humphries 3-yard touchdown run, Garcia kick good | 42 | 43 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 42 | 43 |

### Game statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Thundering Herd | 3 | 10 | 29 | 0 | 42 |
| Indians | 7 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 43 |
| Statistics | MU | NLU |
| First downs | 28 | 28 |
| Plays–yards | 85–576 | 85–570 |
| Rushes–yards | 31–102 | 42–134 |
| Passing yards | 474 | 436 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 28–54–3 | 26–43–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:55 | 31:05 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Marshall | Passing | Tony Petersen | 28–54, 474 yds, 4 TD, 3 INT |
| Marshall | Rushing | Ronald Darby | 24 car, 136 yds, 1 TD |
| Marshall | Receiving | Michael Barber | 9 rec, 195 yds, 1 TD |
| Northeast Louisiana | Passing | Stan Humphries | 26–43, 436 yds, 3 TD |
| Northeast Louisiana | Rushing | Henry “Cisco” Richard | 15 car, 77 yds, 2 TD |
| Northeast Louisiana | Receiving | Mike Manzullo | 7 rec, 101 yds, 1 TD |