1987 NCAA Division II football season

American college football season

1987 NCAA Division II football season

Regular season| August – November 1987
Playoffs| November 28 – December 12, 1987
National Championship| Braly Municipal Stadium
Florence, AL
Champion| Troy State (2)
Harlon Hill Trophy| Johnny Bailey, Texas A&I

* <- 1986
* NCAA Division II football seasons
* 1988 ->

The 1987 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1987, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 12, 1987, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, hosted by the University of North Alabama. The Troy State Trojans defeated the Portland State Vikings, 31–17, to win their second Division II national title.[1]

The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Johnny Bailey, running back from Texas A&I.

## Conference changes and new programs

[edit]

* One program departed Division II for Division I-AA prior to the season.

School | 1986 Conference | 1987 Conference

|
|

Central State (OH) | Independent | NAIA Independent
Howard Payne | Lone Star | NAIA Independent
Towson State | Independent | I-AA Independent

## Conference standings

[edit]

1987 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Northern
No. 15 Hampton xy  | 6  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
Virginia State | 6  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 1
Virginia Union | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Norfolk State | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Elizabeth City State | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Saint Paul's (VA) | 0  | - | 7  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 11  | - | 0
Southern
No. 12 Winston-Salem State xy$^  | 7  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
Fayetteville State | 4  | - | 1  | - | 2 |  |  | 6  | - | 2  | - | 2
Johnson C. Smith | 4  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 2
North Carolina Central | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Bowie State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 1
Livingstone | 2  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
Championship: Winston-Salem State 22, Hampton 12

* $ - Conference champion
* x - Division champion/co-champions
* y - Championship game participant
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 5 Northern Michigan $^  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
Grand Valley State | 4  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Hillsdale | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Saginaw Valley State | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Ferris State | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Wayne State (MI) | 0  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Gulf South Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 4 Troy State $^  | 8  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 12  | - | 1  | - | 1
Mississippi College | 5  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
North Alabama | 4  | - | 3  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 1
Valdosta State | 4  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Delta State | 3  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 1
Jacksonville State | 3  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Livingston | 3  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 1
Tennessee–Martin | 3  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
West Georgia | 1  | - | 7  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Heartland Collegiate Conference standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Butler $  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 1
Ashland | 3  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 1
Indianapolis | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Valparaiso | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Saint Joseph's (IN) | 1  | - | 3  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Evansville | 0  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 1

* $ - Conference champion

1987 Lone Star Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 Texas A&I \+  | 4  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 9 Angelo State +^  | 4  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 13 Eastern New Mexico | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
Abilene Christian | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
West Texas State | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
East Texas State | 0  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0

* \+ - Conference co-champions
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Central Missouri State \+  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 1
SE Missouri State \+  | 4  | - | 0  | - | 1 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 1
NE Missouri State | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Missouri–Rolla | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
NW Missouri State | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Lincoln (MO) | 0  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0

* \+ - Conference co-champions

1987 North Central Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 7 Mankato State $^  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
St. Cloud State | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
North Dakota State | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Nebraska–Omaha | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
South Dakota | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
North Dakota | 5  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
South Dakota State | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Morningside | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Northern Colorado | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Augustana (SD) | 1  | - | 8  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Northern California Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 10 UC Davis $  | 5  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Chico State | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 6  | - | 0
Humboldt State | 2  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 1
Sonoma State | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Cal State Hayward | 2  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
San Francisco State | 0  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 1  | - | 8  | - | 1

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Minnesota Morris $  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 14 Southwest State (MN) | 4  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 1
No. 16 Moorhead State ^  | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
Northern State | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Winona State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Bemidji State | 0  | - | 5  | - | 1 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 1
Minnesota Duluth | 0  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 0  | - | 11  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Minnesota Duluth forfeited 8 wins including 5 conference wins, over Minnesota Morris, Moorhead State, Northern State, Winona State, and Bemidji State.

Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1987 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
East Division
No. 2 West Chester xy  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 14 Bloomsburg | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Millersville | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Kutztown | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
East Stroudsburg | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Mansfield | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Cheyney | 0  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
West Division
No. 6 IUP xy$^  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 16 Clarion | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
California (PA) | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Shippensburg | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Slippery Rock | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Edinboro | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Lock Haven | 0  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
Championship: IUP 21, West Chester 9

* $ - Conference champion
* x - Division champion/co-champions
* y - Championship game participant
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 Western Football Conference standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 3 Portland State $^  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 11  | - | 2  | - | 1
Cal State Northridge | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Cal Poly | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Santa Clara | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Southern Utah State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Sacramento State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Cal Lutheran | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1987 NCAA Division II independents football records |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 16 New Haven |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Saint Mary's |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 11 UCF ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 4  | - | 0
Springfield |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 1
Central Connecticut |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 4  | - | 1
American International |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 5  | - | 2
Liberty |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Kentucky State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 1
Michigan Tech |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 0
Southern Connecticut State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0

* ^ - NCAA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

## Conference summaries

[edit]

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Winston-Salem State
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Northern Michigan
Gulf South Conference – Troy State
Heartland Collegiate Conference – Butler
Lone Star Conference – Angelo State and Texas A&I
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Central Missouri State and Southeast Missouri State
North Central Conference – Minnesota State–Mankato
Northern California Athletic Conference – UC Davis
Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Morris
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Indiana (PA)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Colorado Mesa
South Atlantic Conference – Gardner–Webb
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Alabama A&M and Tuskegee
Western Football League – Portland State

## Postseason

[edit]

1987 NCAA Division II Football Championship

Teams| 8
Finals Site|

* Braly Municipal Stadium
* Florence, AL

Champion|

* Troy State
* (2nd title, 2nd title game)

Runner-up|

* Portland State
* (1st title game)

Semifinalists|

* Northern Michigan
* Central Florida

Winning coach|

* Rick Rhoades
* 1st championship

The 1987 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 15th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama, for the second time.

### Playoff bracket

[edit]

| First round
Campus sites | | | Semifinals
Campus sites | | | Championship
Braly Municipal Stadium
Florence, AL |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
| Portland State | 27 | | |
| Mankato State | 21 |
| | Portland State | 13 |
|  |
| | | Northern Michigan | 7 |
| Northern Michigan | 23* |

| Angelo State | 20 |
| | Portland State | 17 |
|  |
| | | Troy State | 31 |
| UCF | 12 | |

| IUP | 10 |
| | UCF | 10 |
|  |
| | | Troy State | 31 |
| Troy State | 45 |

| Winston-Salem State | 14 |

## See also

[edit]

* 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
* 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season
* 1987 NCAA Division III football season
* 1987 NAIA Division I football season
* 1987 NAIA Division II football season

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "1987 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved January 4, 2014.

* v
* t
* e

NCAA Division II football

Seasons|

* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

Playoffs|

* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023

Championship games|

| Bowl era|

* East: Tangerine Bowl (1964–1967), Boardwalk Bowl (1968–1972)
* Mideast: Grantland Rice Bowl (1964–1972)
* Midwest: Pecan Bowl (1964–1970), Pioneer Bowl (1971–1972)
* West: Camellia Bowl (1964–1967)

|

Playoff era|

* 1973
* 2008
* 2009
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Records & statistics|

* Harlon Hill Trophy winners
* Playoff appearances
* Programs
* Win-loss records

* v
* t
* e

NCAA football seasons

Pre-NCAA|

* 1869
* 1870
* 1871
* 1872
* 1873
* 1874
* 1875
* 1876
* 1877
* 1878
* 1879
* 1880
* 1881
* 1882
* 1883
* 1884
* 1885
* 1886
* 1887
* 1888
* 1889
* 1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905

NCAA pre-divisional|

* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961

NCAA University Division|

* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972

NCAA Division I|

* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977

NCAA Division I-A/FBS|

* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS|

* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

NCAA College Division|

* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972

NCAA Division II|

* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

NCAA Division III|

* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number