1988 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONNotre Dame12–0 overall
HEISMANBarry SandersOklahoma State · RB
BEST QBTroy AikmanUCLA · Davey O’Brien Award
#1 PICKTroy AikmanUCLA · Dallas Cowboys, 1989 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 2, 1989Orange BowlMiami 23, Nebraska 3
Jan 2, 1989Cotton BowlUCLA 17, Arkansas 3
Jan 2, 1989Fiesta BowlNotre Dame 34, West Virginia 21
Jan 2, 1989Rose BowlMichigan 22, USC 14
Jan 2, 1989Sugar BowlFlorida State 13, Auburn 7
Dec 31, 1988Peach BowlNC State 28, Iowa 23

1988 STANDINGS

13 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

Clemson finished atop the 1988 ACC standings at 6–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Clemson6–110–2CLEM 13–6 OU
Virginia5–27–4–
NC State4–2–18–3–1NCSU 28–23 IOWA
Wake Forest4–36–4–1–
Maryland4–35–6–
Duke3–3–17–3–1–
North Carolina1–61–10–
Georgia Tech0–73–8–

BIG 8

Nebraska finished atop the 1988 Big 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (11–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Nebraska7–011–2MIA 23–3 NEB
Oklahoma6–19–3CLEM 13–6 OU
Oklahoma State5–210–2OKST 62–14 WYO
Colorado4–38–4BYU 20–17 COLO
Iowa State3–45–6–
Missouri2–53–7–1–
Kansas1–61–10–
Kansas State0–70–11–

BIG TEN

Michigan finished atop the 1988 Big Ten standings at 7–0–1 in conference play (9–2–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan7–0–19–2–1MICH 22–14 USC
Michigan State6–1–16–5–1UGA 34–27 MSU
Indiana5–38–3–1IU 34–10 SC
Illinois5–2–16–5–1FLA 14–10 ILL
Iowa4–1–36–4–3NCSU 28–23 IOWA
Purdue3–54–7–
Ohio State2–5–14–6–1–
Northwestern2–5–12–8–1–
Wisconsin1–71–10–
Minnesota0–6–22–7–2–

BIG WEST

Fresno State finished atop the 1988 Big West standings at 7–0 in conference play (7–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Fresno State7–07–2FRES 35–30 WMU
San José State4–33–6–
Utah State4–32–6–
UNLV3–42–6–
New Mexico State0–71–7–

MAC

Western Michigan finished atop the 1988 MAC standings at 7–1 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Western Michigan7–19–3FRES 35–30 WMU
Ball State5–38–3–
Central Michigan5–37–4–
Eastern Michigan5–2–16–3–1–
Toledo4–46–5–
Ohio4–3–14–6–1–
Kent State3–55–6–
Bowling Green1–6–12–8–1–
Miami (OH)0–7–10–10–1–

MVFC

Missouri State finished atop the 1988 MVFC standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Missouri State0–00–1

OVC

Middle Tennessee finished atop the 1988 OVC standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Middle Tennessee0–00–1

PACIFIC 10

USC finished atop the 1988 Pacific 10 standings at 8–0 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
USC8–010–2MICH 22–14 USC
UCLA6–29–2UCLA 17–3 ARK
Washington State5–39–3WSU 24–22 HOU
Arizona5–37–4–
Arizona State3–46–5–
Washington3–56–5–
Oregon3–55–6–
Oregon State2–5–14–6–1–
California1–5–14–5–1–
Stanford1–5–23–6–2–

SEC

Auburn finished atop the 1988 SEC standings at 6–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Auburn6–110–2FSU 13–7 AUB
LSU6–18–4SYR 23–10 LSU
Georgia5–29–3UGA 34–27 MSU
Alabama4–39–3ALA 29–28 ARMY
Florida4–37–5FLA 14–10 ILL
Ole Miss3–45–6–
Tennessee3–45–6–
Kentucky2–55–6–
Vanderbilt2–53–8–
Mississippi State0–71–10–

SOCON

Marshall finished atop the 1988 SoCon standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Marshall0–01–0
App State0–00–1–1

SOUTHLAND

North Texas finished atop the 1988 Southland standings at 2–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
North Texas0–02–1
Texas State0–00–1
UL Monroe0–00–1
Sam Houston0–00–1

SOUTHWEST

Arkansas finished atop the 1988 Southwest standings at 7–0 in conference play (9–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Arkansas7–09–2UCLA 17–3 ARK
Texas A&M6–17–5–
Houston5–29–3WSU 24–22 HOU
Texas Tech4–35–6–
Baylor2–56–5–
TCU2–54–7–
Texas2–54–7–
Rice0–70–11–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

Wyoming finished atop the 1988 Western Athletic standings at 8–0 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Wyoming8–010–2OKST 62–14 WYO
UTEP6–29–3USM 38–18 UTEP
BYU5–39–4BYU 20–17 COLO
Hawai'i5–38–3–
Utah4–46–5–
Air Force3–55–7–
San Diego State3–53–8–
New Mexico1–72–10–
Colorado State1–71–10–

INDEPENDENTS

Notre Dame finished atop the 1988 independents at 12–0.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Notre Dame12–0ND 34–21 WVU
Florida State11–1FSU 13–7 AUB
Miami11–1MIA 23–3 NEB
Southern Miss10–2USM 38–18 UTEP
West Virginia10–1ND 34–21 WVU
Syracuse10–2SYR 23–10 LSU
Army9–3ALA 29–28 ARMY
Louisville8–3–
South Carolina8–4IU 34–10 SC
Northern Illinois7–4–
Memphis6–5–
Pittsburgh6–5–
Tulane5–6–
Penn State5–6–
Louisiana5–5–
Rutgers5–6–
Louisiana Tech4–7–
Temple4–7–
Tulsa4–7–
Virginia Tech3–8–
Cincinnati3–8–
Navy3–8–
Akron3–6–
East Carolina3–8–
Arkansas State3–2–
Boston College3–8–
Western Kentucky0–1–
Delaware0–1–
Massachusetts0–1–
Georgia Southern0–1–
James Madison0–2–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

11 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 2, 1989Postseason gameClemson 13, Oklahoma 6
Jan 2, 1989Postseason gameSyracuse 23, LSU 10
Jan 1, 1989Postseason gameGeorgia 34, Michigan State 27
Dec 30, 1988Postseason gameOklahoma State 62, Wyoming 14
Dec 29, 1988Postseason gameBYU 20, Colorado 17
Dec 29, 1988Postseason gameFlorida 14, Illinois 10
Dec 28, 1988Postseason gameIndiana 34, South Carolina 10
Dec 25, 1988Postseason gameWashington State 24, Houston 22
Dec 24, 1988Postseason gameAlabama 29, Army 28
Dec 23, 1988Postseason gameSouthern Miss 38, UTEP 18
Dec 10, 1988Postseason gameFresno State 35, Western Michigan 30