# 1987 Purdue Boilermakers football team

The 1987 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by first-year head coach Fred Akers, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 3–7–1 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 12 | at No. 12 Washington* | Husky StadiumSeattle, WA | L 10–28 | 70,492 |
| September 19 | Louisville* | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | T 22–22 | 63,125 |
| September 26 | No. 8 Notre Dame* | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (rivalry) | L 20–44 | 68,526 |
| October 3 | at Minnesota | Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeMinneapolis, MN | L 19–21 | 49,376 |
| October 10 | Illinois | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (rivalry) | W 9–3 | 59,483 |
| October 17 | No. 17 Ohio State | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | L 17–20 | 66,501 |
| October 24 | at Iowa | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | L 14–38 | 67,700 |
| October 31 | Wisconsin | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | W 49–14 | 60,267 |
| November 7 | at No. 15 Michigan State | Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI | L 3–45 | 76,933 |
| November 14 | Northwestern | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | W 20–15 | 50,468 |
| November 21 | at No. 20 Indiana | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN (Old Oaken Bucket) | L 14–35 | 51,951 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

## Preseason

Jeff George transferred following the hiring of Fred Akers as head coach, who had recently been fired from Texas.

## Game summaries
### Louisville

* James Medlock 25 rushes, 126 yards

### Illinois

* James Medlock 33 rushes, 131 yards

### Ohio State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Purdue | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 17 |
at Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
* Date: October 17, 1987
* Game time: 3:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: Overcast, 53 °F (12 °C)
* Game attendance: 66,501
* Referee: John Nealon
* TV: Raycom
* Box Score
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Ohio St | Passing | Tom Tupa | 8/16, 174 Yds, TD |
| Ohio St | Rushing | James Bryant | 23 Rush, 77 Yds |
| Ohio St | Receiving | Vince Workman | 4 Rec, 88 Yds, TD |
| Purdue | Passing | Doug Downing | 20/26, 218 Yds, 2 TD, INT |
| Purdue | Rushing | James Medlock | 17 Rush, 44 Yds |
| Purdue | Receiving | Calvin Williams | 8 Rec, 107 Yds, 2 TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | OSU | PU |
| 1 | 5:30 | 9 | 66 | 4:10 | Ohio St | Vince Workman 36-yard touchdown reception from Tom Tupa, Matt Frantz kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | 4:45 | 2 | 9 | 0:42 | Ohio St | Tom Tupa 6-yard touchdown run, Matt Frantz kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2 | 0:22 | 8 | 47 | 1:25 | Ohio St | 18-yard field goal by Matt Frantz | 17 | 0 |
| 3 | 6:33 | 13 | 65 | 6:44 | Purdue | 25-yard field goal by Jonathan Briggs | 17 | 3 |
| 3 | 1:00 | 7 | 74 | 1:32 | Purdue | Calvin Williams 10-yard touchdown reception from Doug Downing, Jonathan Briggs kick good | 17 | 10 |
| 4 | 13:09 | 3 | 38 | 0:57 | Purdue | Calvin Williams 30-yard touchdown reception from Doug Downing, Jonathan Briggs kick good | 17 | 17 |
| 4 | 3:10 | 6 | 35 | 3:13 | Ohio St | 50-yard field goal by Matt Frantz | 20 | 17 |
| "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. | 20 | 17 |

### Wisconsin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Purdue | 14 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 49 |
at Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, Indiana
* Date: October 31
* Game attendance: 60,267
Game information :
PUR - Myles 4 yard run (Briggs kick)
PUR - Moore 34 yard pass from McCarthy (Briggs kick)
PUR - Myles 2 yard run (Briggs kick)
WIS - Bestor 17 yard pass from Keyes (Gregoire kick)
PUR - Hardy 37 yard pass from Mascheck (Briggs kick)
WIS - Artley 2 yard run (Gregoire kick)
PUR - Hardy 42 yard pass from McCarthy (Briggs kick)
PUR - C. Williams 9 yard pass from McCarthy (Briggs kick)
PUR - Myles 4 yard run (Briggs kick)
Purdue
Shawn McCarthy 20/31, 333 yards :

### Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northwestern | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 15 |
| Purdue | 14 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 20 |