1987 Eastern Michigan Hurons football
MAC champion
California Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record10–2 (7–1 MAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumRynearson Stadium
Seasons
← 1986
1988 →
1987 Mid-American football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Eastern Michigan $ 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
Kent State 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Miami (OH) 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Bowling Green 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Western Michigan 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Central Michigan 3 – 4 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Toledo 3 – 4 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
Ball State 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Ohio 0 – 8 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1987 Eastern Michigan Hurons football team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. Eastern Michigan competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), was coached by Jim Harkema, and played their homes game at Rynearson Stadium. They finished the season 10–2 overall and 7–1 in MAC play while winning the MAC championship. It was their first conference team since joining the MAC and first overall since winning the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1957. The Hurons went to the 1987 California Bowl (their first bowl appearance since joining Division I and first since the 1971 Pioneer Bowl) and upset 171/2 point favorite San Jose State for their first bowl win in EMU history. It is the first and so far only time Eastern Michigan has had a ten win season along with their last bowl appearance until 2016.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 5Youngstown State*
W 35–2017,252[1]
September 12at Miami (OH)
W 33–1717,788
September 19at Akron*
L 16–1710,032
September 26at Kent State
W 23–2117,400
October 3Northern Illinois*
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypisilanti, MI
W 32–3113,306
October 10at Central Michigan
L 6–1625,906
October 17Ball State
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypisilanti, MI
W 35–2817,201
October 24at Western Michigan
W 23–1715,300
October 31Ohio
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypisilanti, MI
W 34–1611,763
November 5at Toledo
ESPNW 38–917,041
November 14Bowling Green
  • Rynearson Stadium
  • Ypisilanti, MI
W 38–1820,205
December 12vs. San Jose State*
ESPNW 30–2724,000
  • *Non-conference game

[2]

Coaching staff

Name Position Year at school
Jim Harkema Head coach 5th

After the season

The following Huron was selected in the 1988 NFL Draft after the season.[3]

Round Pick Player Position NFL club
7 172 Gary Patton Running back New York Jets

References

  1. ^ "The times are a-changin': EMU wins opener, 35–20". Detroit Free Press. September 6, 1987. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Eastern Michigan Yearly Results". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
  3. ^ "1988 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
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