# 1987 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The 1987 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Buckeyes compiled a 6–4–1 record.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 12 | 12:30 p.m. | West Virginia* | No. 5 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | RCM | W 24–3 | 88,272 |
| September 19 | 1:30 p.m. | Oregon* | No. 5 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | W 24–14 | 89,882 |
| September 26 | 1:30 p.m. | at No. 4 LSU* | No. 7 | Tiger StadiumBaton Rouge, LA | CBS | T 13–13 | 79,263 |
| October 3 | 3:30 p.m. | at Illinois | No. 9 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (Illibuck Trophy) | ABC | W 10–6 | 73,045 |
| October 10 | 1:30 p.m. | Indiana | No. 9 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | L 10–31 | 90,032 |
| October 17 | 3:30 p.m. | at Purdue | No. 17 | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | RCM | W 20–17 | 66,501 |
| October 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Minnesota | No. 16 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | RCM | W 42–9 | 89,801 |
| October 31 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 20 Michigan State | No. 15 | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | ABC | L 7–13 | 89,915 |
| November 7 | 2:00 p.m. | at Wisconsin | | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI | | L 24–26 | 63,195 |
| November 14 | 1:30 p.m. | Iowa | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH | | L 27–29 | 90,090 |
| November 21 | 12:00 p.m. | at Michigan | | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (rivalry) | ABC | W 23–20 | 106,031 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||||

## Game summaries
### West Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| • Ohio St | 17 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 24 |

### Oregon

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oregon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Ohio St | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
* Date: September 19, 1987
* Game time: 1:30 p.m.
* Game weather: Sunny, 74 °F (23 °C)
* Game attendance: 89,882
* Referee: Jerry Hendrickson
Game information :
Second quarter
OSU – Matt Frantz 34-yard field goal, 8:01. Ohio St 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 47 yards, 4:04.
Third quarter
OSU – Jay Koch 4-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 4:29. Ohio St 10–0. Drive: 14 plays, 88 yards, 6:23.
OSU – George Cooper 19-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 3:15. Ohio St 17–0. Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:09.
'Fourth quarter
ORE – Joe Meerten 8-yard pass from Bill Musgrave (Kirk Dennis kick), 6:40. Ohio St 17–7. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:13.
OSU – Vince Workman 5-yard run (Matt Frantz kick), 3:17. Ohio St 24–7. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:23.
ORE – Rod Green 7-yard pass from Bill Musgrave (Kirk Dennis kick), 1:47. Ohio St 24–14. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 1:23.
Top passers
ORE – Bill Musgrave – 18/27, 205 yards, 2 TD
OSU – Tom Tupa – 20/32, 234 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
ORE – Latin Berry – 18 rushes, 33 yards
OSU – Vince Workman – 27 rushes, 162 yards, TD
Top receivers
ORE – Terry Obee – 4 receptions, 63 yards
OSU – Vince Workman – 5 receptions, 63 yards :

### LSU

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
| LSU | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 13 |

### Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ohio St | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |

### Indiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Indiana | 7 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
| Ohio St | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |

### At Purdue

| 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
| 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 |

### Minnesota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Minnesota | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| • Ohio St | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |

### Michigan State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Michigan St | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Ohio St | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
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
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
MSU – Bobby McAllister – 4/12, 61 yards
OSU – Tom Tupa – 8/15, 137 yards, TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
MSU – Bobby McAllister – 22 rushes, 83 yards, TD
OSU – Carlos Snow – 8 rushes, 18 yards
Top receivers
MSU – Lorenzo White – 2 receptions, 21 yards
OSU – Alex Higdon – 6 receptions, 54 yards :

### Wisconsin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| • Wisconsin | 7 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 26 |

### Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Iowa | 3 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 29 |
| Ohio St | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 27 |

### Michigan

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 0 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 23 |
| Michigan | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
at Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
* Date: November 21, 1987
* Game time: 12:00 p.m.
* Game weather: Cloudy, low 30s
* Game attendance: 106,031
* TV: ABC
Game information :
First quarter
MICH – Jamie Morris 1-yard run (Mike Gillette kick), 10:02. Michigan 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards, 2:43.
Second quarter
MICH – Mike Gillette 34-yard field goal, 14:57. Michigan 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:13.
MICH – Mike Gillette 19-yard field goal, 7:05. Michigan 13–0. Drive: 13 plays, 53 yards, 5:49.
OSU – Everett Ross 61-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 1:36. Michigan 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 61 yards, 4:08.
Third quarter
OSU – Carlos Snow 70-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 12:32. Ohio St 14–13. Drive: 1 play, 70 yards, 0:12.
OSU – Tom Tupa 1-yard run (kick failed), 7:11. Ohio St 20–13. Drive: 3 plays, 19 yards, 1:05.
MICH – Leroy Hoard 10-yard run (Mike Gillette kick), 1:14. Tie 20–20. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 2:00.
Fourth quarter
OSU – Matt Frantz 26-yard field goal, 5:18. Ohio St 23–20. Drive: 15 plays, 77 yards.
Top passers
OSU – Tom Tupa – 18/26, 219 yards, 2 TD
MICH – Demetrius Brown – 5/13, 79 yards, INT
Top rushers
OSU – Carlos Snow – 21 rushes, 67 yards
MICH – Jamie Morris – 23 rushes, 130 yards, TD
Top receivers
OSU – Carlos Snow – 3 receptions, 82 yards, TD
MICH – Jerod Bunch – 1 reception, 39 yards :
Earle Bruce's final game as Ohio State head coach.

## 1988 NFL draftees

| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL club |
| Eric Kumerow | 1 | 16 | Defensive End | Miami Dolphins |
| Chris Spielman | 2 | 29 | Linebacker | Detroit Lions |
| Alex Higdon | 3 | 56 | Tight End | Atlanta Falcons |
| Tom Tupa | 3 | 68 | Quarterback | Phoenix Cardinals |
| William White | 4 | 85 | Defensive Back | Detroit Lions |
| George Cooper | 6 | 156 | Running Back | Miami Dolphins |
| Ray Jackson | 7 | 185 | Defensive Back | Seattle Seahawks |
| Henry Brown | 10 | 277 | Tackle | Washington Redskins |
Source: