1988 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team
Encyclopedia
The 1988 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team represented the Oklahoma State University in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A college football season
. Barry Sanders
was in his junior year for the Cowboys.
led the nation by averaging 7.6 yards per carry and over 200 yards per game, including rushing for over 300 yards in four games. He set college football season records with 2,628 yards rushing, 3,249 total yards, 234 points, 39 touchdowns, of which 29 were rushing (also a record), five consecutive 200 yard games, scored at least two touchdowns in 11 consecutive games, and nine times he scored at least three touchdowns. Sanders also ran for 222 yards and scored five touchdowns in his three quarters of action in the Holiday Bowl
, a game that was not included with his season statistics. Sanders won the Heisman Trophy
as the season's most outstanding player. However, he left Oklahoma State before his senior season to enter the NFL draft
.
1988 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Notre Dame winning the national championship. The Fighting Irish won the title via a 34-21 defeat of previously unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Arizona....
. Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
was in his junior year for the Cowboys.
Schedule
The Cowboys finished the regular season with a 8–2 record. In 1988, in what has been called the greatest season in college football history, running back Barry SandersBarry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
led the nation by averaging 7.6 yards per carry and over 200 yards per game, including rushing for over 300 yards in four games. He set college football season records with 2,628 yards rushing, 3,249 total yards, 234 points, 39 touchdowns, of which 29 were rushing (also a record), five consecutive 200 yard games, scored at least two touchdowns in 11 consecutive games, and nine times he scored at least three touchdowns. Sanders also ran for 222 yards and scored five touchdowns in his three quarters of action in the Holiday Bowl
1988 Holiday Bowl
The 1988 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1988 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the 12th ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, and the 15th ranked Wyoming Cowboys....
, a game that was not included with his season statistics. Sanders won the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
as the season's most outstanding player. However, he left Oklahoma State before his senior season to enter the NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
.
| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Cowboys points | Opponents | Record |
| 1 | Sept. 10 | Win | 52 | 20 | 1-0 | |
| 2 | Sept. 24 | Win | 52 | 15 | 2-0 | |
| 3 | Oct 1 | Win | 56 | 35 | 3-0 | |
| 4 | Oct 8 | @ | Win | 41 | 21 | 4-0 |
| 5 | Oct 15 | @ Nebraska 1988 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team The 1988 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:... |
Loss | 42 | 63 | 4-1 |
| 6 | Oct 22 | Win | 49 | 21 | 5-1 | |
| 7 | Oct 29 | @ Kansas State 1988 Kansas State Wildcats football team The 1988 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 1988. The team's head football coach was Stan Parrish. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 1988 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 0-11, and a 0-7 record in... |
Win | 45 | 27 | 6-1 |
| 8 | Nov 5 | Oklahoma 1988 Oklahoma Sooners football team The 1988 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented Oklahoma University during the 1988 college football season. It was Barry Switzer's final year as head coach.-Schedule:-Coaching staff:*Head Coach: Barry Switzer... |
Loss | 28 | 31 | 6-2 |
| 9 | Nov 12 | Win | 63 | 24 | 7-2 | |
| 10 | Nov 19 | @ | Win | 49 | 28 | 8-2 |
| 11 | Dec 4 | @ Texas Tech | Win | 45 | 42 | 9-2 |
1988 team players in the NFL
The following players were drafted into professional football following the season.| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
| Barry Sanders Barry Sanders Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record... |
Running Back | 1 | 3 | Detroit Lions 1989 Detroit Lions season The 1989 season was the beginning of the Barry Sanders era. Considered one of the greatest drafts ever, Barry Sanders was drafted 3rd overall by the Lions. The Lions' divisional rival, the Green Bay Packers had the 2nd pick overall but they passed on Sanders. Instead, they opted for Tony Mandarich... |
| Hart Lee Dykes Hart Lee Dykes Hart Lee Dykes is a former professional American football player who played wide receiver for two seasons for the New England Patriots. He was awarded the Dial Award as the national high school scholar-athlete of the year in 1984... |
Wide Receiver | 1 | 16 | New England Patriots 1989 New England Patriots season The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1989 season with a record of five wins and eleven losses, and finished fourth in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Schedule:-Roster:... |