Big Eight Conference football

Defunct American college athletic conference

The Big Eight Conference is a defunct college athletic conference that was formerly affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A (now known as FBS). The Big Eight was a successful football conference, with its member schools being recognized as consensus national champion on eleven occasions, including the last two football seasons the conference existed (1994 and 1995). Seven players from the Big Eight won the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious national award for college football players.

## Membership timeline

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## History

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The conference was formed in 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) by five charter schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, University of Iowa, and Washington University in St. Louis. After the MVIAA grew to ten schools, six state schools split away on their own in 1928, becoming known as the "Big Six": Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. The University of Colorado was added in 1948, and the conference became known as the "Big Seven Conference". Oklahoma State joined in 1958, becoming the eighth and final member. The conference broke up when its members joined the Big 12 Conference in 1996.

Due to its common history with the Missouri Valley Conference, Big Eight championships from 1907 through 1927 are also claimed by the MVC.

### Bowl games

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The first Big Eight conference team to attend a bowl game was Missouri, at the 1924 Los Angeles Christmas Festival. Following the 1938 season Oklahoma became the second to attend a bowl game, at the fifth-annual Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. In 1951 and 1952 the conference had a brief ban on its members attending bowl games. When the conference resumed accepting invitations in 1953, its champion regularly thereafter attended the Orange Bowl. This tradition was broken only five times: 1964 (when Nebraska faced #2 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl); 1966 (when Nebraska faced #3 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl); 1973 and 1974 (when undefeated Oklahoma was on probation and barred from bowl games); and 1995 (when #1 Nebraska played in the Bowl Alliance championship vs. #2 Florida at the Fiesta Bowl).

At the 1979 Orange Bowl, #6 Nebraska and #4 Oklahoma were paired against each other in a rematch of their conference game earlier in the season.

### Rankings

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In the 1971 NCAA University Division football season, Big Eight teams finished ranked #1 (Nebraska), #2 (Oklahoma) and #3 (Colorado) in the nation in the AP Poll – the only time in college football history teams from one conference have held the top three spots in the final poll. In the final AP Poll issued before the Big Eight became the Big 12, half of the conference's teams were ranked in the nation's top 10 (#1 Nebraska, #5 Colorado, #7 Kansas State, #9 Kansas).

### Rivalries

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The Nebraska–Oklahoma football rivalry was one of the most significant in the nation, with national title implications involved during many seasons. The 1971 Nebraska vs. Oklahoma football game is commonly referred to as "The Game of the Century."

With common histories dating back even before the 1907 formation of the conference, many of the Big Eight's rivalries were among the most-played in college football. At the time the Big Eight Conference dissolved in 1996, the conference had the two longest uninterrupted series in Division I-A football: Kansas–Oklahoma (played annually since 1903) and Kansas–Nebraska (played annually since 1906). Many of the conference's series began in the 19th century, including:

* Kansas–Missouri, first played in 1891 (second-most played series in Division I-A in 1996)
* Nebraska–Kansas, first played in 1892
* Nebraska–Missouri, first played in 1892
* Missouri–Iowa State, first played in 1896
* Nebraska–Iowa State, first played in 1896
* Kansas–Iowa State, first played in 1898

All of the above series except Kansas-Iowa State have been inactive since at least 2012 due to conference realignment.

## Champions

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### Conference champions

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Following are the MVIAA/Big Eight football conference champions from 1907 to 1995 (shared championship years are shown in italics):[1][2]

Football conference championships (1907–1995)

School | Total titles | Outright titles | Years
Colorado | 5 | 3 | 1961 · 1976 · 1989 · 1990 · 1991
Drake | 0 | 0 |
Grinnell | 0 | 0 |
Iowa | 1 | 0 | 1907
Iowa State | 2 | 0 | 1911 · 1912
Kansas | 5 | 2 | 1908 · 1930 · 1946 · 1947 · 1968
Kansas State | 1 | 1 | 1934
Missouri | 12 | 10 | 1909 · 1913 · 1919 · 1924 · 1925 · 1927 · 1939 · 1941 · 1942 · 1945 ·
1960† · 1969
Nebraska | 41 | 31 | 1907 · 1910 · 1911 · 1912 · 1913 · 1914 · 1915 · 1916 · 1917 · 1921 ·
1922 · 1923 · 1928 · 1929 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 ·
1940 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1969 · 1970 · 1971 · 1972‡ · 1975 ·
1978 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1988 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 ·
1995
Oklahoma | 34 | 26 | 1920 · 1933 · 1938 · 1943 · 1944 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949 · 1950 ·
1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959 · 1962
1967 · 1968 · 1972‡ · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 ·
1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987
Oklahoma State | 2 | 1 | 1926 · 1976
Washington (St. Louis) | 0 | 0 |

† Kansas would have won the 1960 title, but after found to be using an ineligible player they were forced to forfeit their victories over Missouri and Colorado, which meant that Missouri was awarded the 1960 Big Eight title.
‡ Oklahoma initially won the 1972 title, but after it was found that they used ineligible players, they were penalized by the NCAA, though they did not force OU to forfeit games. The Big Eight asked them to forfeit three games and awarded the title to Nebraska, but Oklahoma still claims these wins and this title.

### National championships

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Big Eight football teams were recognized as national champion on eleven occasions, including four times as back-to-back champions:

* 1950 – Oklahoma
* 1955 – Oklahoma
* 1956 – Oklahoma
* 1970 – Nebraska (AP; UPI coaches conducted final poll prior to bowl games and awarded championship to Texas)
* 1971 – Nebraska
* 1974 – Oklahoma (AP; ineligible for UPI coaches poll championship due to NCAA probation. USC named champion of coaches poll)
* 1975 – Oklahoma
* 1985 – Oklahoma
* 1990 – Colorado (AP; UPI coaches poll championship awarded to Georgia Tech)
* 1994 – Nebraska
* 1995 – Nebraska

## Accolades

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The Big Seven Conference established a Coach of the Year award in 1948. The conference began awarding a Player of the Year award in 1967, and began giving separate offensive and defensive awards in 1971. The final awards were given after the 1995 season, after which all of the Big Eight schools entered the Big 12 Conference.

### Player of the Year

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Season  | Player  | Pos. | Team

|
|
|

1967  | Granville Liggins | NT | Oklahoma
1968  | Steve Owens | RB | Oklahoma
1969  | Steve Owens (2)  | RB  | Oklahoma
1970  | Jerry Murtaugh  | LB | Nebraska
1971  | Greg Pruitt | RB  | Oklahoma

### Offensive Player of the Year

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Season  | Player  | Pos. | Team

|
|
|

1972  | George Amundson | QB | Iowa State
1973  | Joe Washington | RB | Oklahoma
1975  | Joe Washington (2)  | RB  | Oklahoma
1975  | Nolan Cromwell | QB  | Kansas
1976  | Terry Miller | RB  | Oklahoma State
1977  | Terry Miller (2)  | RB  | Oklahoma State
1978  | Billy Sims | RB  | Oklahoma
1979  | Billy Sims (2)  | RB  | Oklahoma
1980  | Phil Bradley | QB  | Missouri
1981  | Dave Rimington | C | Nebraska
1982  | Mike Rozier | RB  | Nebraska
1983  | Mike Rozier (2)  | RB  | Nebraska
1984  | Danny Bradley | QB  | Oklahoma
1985  | Thurman Thomas | RB  | Oklahoma State
1986  | Jamelle Holieway | QB  | Oklahoma
1987  | Thurman Thomas (2)  | RB  | Oklahoma State
1988  | Barry Sanders | RB  | Oklahoma State
1989  | Darian Hagan | QB  | Colorado
Gerry Gdowski | QB  | Nebraska
1990  | Eric Bieniemy | RB  | Colorado
1991  | Tony Sands | RB  | Kansas
1992  | Calvin Jones | RB  | Nebraska
1993  | Charles Johnson | WR | Colorado
1994  | Rashaan Salaam | RB  | Colorado
1995  | Tommie Frazier | QB  | Nebraska

### Defensive Player of the Year

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Season  | Player  | Pos. | Team

|
|
|

1972  | Rich Glover | DT | Nebraska
1973  | Lucious Selmon | NT | Oklahoma
1974  | Rod Shoate | LB | Oklahoma
1975  | Lee Roy Selmon | DT  | Oklahoma
1976  | Clete Pillen  | DE | Nebraska
1977  | George Cumby | LB  | Oklahoma
1978  | John Corker | LB  | Oklahoma State
1979  | George Cumby (2)  | LB  | Oklahoma
1980  | Derrie Nelson | DE  | Nebraska
1981  | Jeff Gaylord | LB  | Missouri
1982  | Rick Bryan | DE  | Oklahoma
1983  | Rick Bryan (2)  | DE  | Oklahoma
1984  | Leslie O'Neal | DT  | Oklahoma State
1985  | Brian Bosworth | LB  | Oklahoma
1986  | Brian Bosworth (2)  | LB  | Oklahoma
1987  | Dante Jones | LB  | Oklahoma
1988  | Broderick Thomas | LB  | Nebraska
1989  | Alfred Williams | LB  | Colorado
1990  | Alfred Williams (2)  | LB  | Colorado
1991  | Joe Bowden | LB  | Oklahoma
1992  | Deon Figures | CB | Colorado
1993  | Trev Alberts | LB  | Nebraska
1994  | Ed Stewart | LB  | Nebraska
1995  | Tim Colston  | DT  | Kansas State

### Coach of the Year

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Season  | Coach  | Team

|
|

1948  | Bud Wilkinson | Oklahoma
1949  | Bud Wilkinson (2)  | Oklahoma
1950  | Bud Wilkinson (3)  | Oklahoma
1951  | Bud Wilkinson (4)  | Oklahoma
1952  | Bud Wilkinson (5)  | Oklahoma
1953  | Bud Wilkinson (6)  | Oklahoma
1954  | Bud Wilkinson (7)  | Oklahoma
1955  | Bud Wilkinson (8)  | Oklahoma
1956  | Dallas Ward | Colorado
1957  | Chuck Mather | Kansas
1958  | Dan Devine | Missouri
1959  | Clay Stapleton | Iowa State
1960  | Dan Devine (2)  | Missouri
1961  | Sonny Grandelius | Colorado
1962  | Bob Devaney | Nebraska
1963  | Bob Devaney (2)  | Nebraska
1964  | Bob Devaney (3)  | Nebraska
1965  | Eddie Crowder | Colorado
1966  | Jim Mackenzie[3] | Oklahoma
1967  | Chuck Fairbanks | Oklahoma
1968  | Pepper Rodgers | Kansas
Dan Devine (3)  | Missouri
1969  | Floyd Gass | Oklahoma State
1970  | Bob Devaney (4)  | Nebraska
1971  | Johnny Majors[4] | Iowa State
1972  | Al Onofrio[5] | Missouri
1973  | Tom Osborne | Nebraska
Barry Switzer | Oklahoma
1974  | Barry Switzer (2)  | Oklahoma
1975  | Bud Moore | Kansas
Tom Osborne (2)  | Nebraska
1976  | Earle Bruce[6] | Iowa State
1977  | Earle Bruce (2)[6] | Iowa State
1978  | Tom Osborne (3)  | Nebraska
1979  | Jimmy Johnson | Oklahoma State
1980  | Tom Osborne (4)  | Nebraska
1981  | Don Fambrough | Kansas
1982  | Jim Dickey | Kansas State
1983  | Warren Powers | Missouri
Tom Osborne (5)  | Nebraska
1984  | Mike Gottfried | Kansas
1985  | Bill McCartney | Colorado
1986  | Barry Switzer (3)  | Oklahoma
1987  | Barry Switzer (4)  | Oklahoma
1988  | Tom Osborne (6)  | Nebraska
1989  | Bill McCartney (2)  | Colorado
1990  | Bill Snyder | Kansas State
Bill McCartney (3)  | Colorado
1991  | Bill Snyder (2)  | Kansas State
Glen Mason | Kansas
1992  | Tom Osborne (7)  | Nebraska
1993  | Bill Snyder (3)[7] | Kansas State
Tom Osborne (8)  | Nebraska
1994  | Tom Osborne (9)  | Nebraska
1995  | Glen Mason (2)  | Kansas

### All-Time Team

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See also: List of All-Big Eight Conference football teams

After the final Big Eight season was completed in 1995, a panel of twelve longtime observers selected an all-time conference team:[8]

Position  | Player  | Team  | Tenure

|
|
|

Offense
QB  | Lynn Dickey | Kansas State  | 1968–1970
RB  | Billy Sims | Oklahoma  | 1975–1979
Gale Sayers | Kansas  | 1962–1964
WR  | Hart Lee Dykes | Oklahoma State  | 1985–1988
Johnny Rodgers | Nebraska  | 1970–1972
TE  | Keith Jackson | Oklahoma  | 1984–1987
OL  | Dean Steinkuhler | Nebraska  | 1979–1983
Zach Wiegert | Nebraska  | 1991–1994
Greg Roberts | Oklahoma  | 1975–1978
Joe Romig | Colorado  | 1959–1961
C  | Dave Rimington | Nebraska  | 1979–1982
Defense
DL  | Lee Roy Selmon | Oklahoma  | 1972–1975
Rich Glover | Nebraska  | 1970–1972
Leslie O'Neal | Oklahoma State  | 1982–1985
Willie Harper | Nebraska  | 1970–1972
LB  | Brian Bosworth | Oklahoma  | 1983–1986
Gary Spani | Kansas State  | 1974–1977
Rod Shoate | Oklahoma  | 1972–1974
CB  | Johnny Roland | Missouri  | 1962–1965
Roger Wehrli | Missouri  | 1966–1968
S  | Randy Hughes | Oklahoma  | 1971–1974
Rickey Dixon | Oklahoma  | 1984–1987
Special Teams
K  | Uwe von Schamann | Oklahoma  | 1975–1978
P  | Barry Helton | Colorado  | 1984–1987
RS  | Barry Sanders | Oklahoma State  | 1986–1988

### Heisman Trophy winners

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Main article: List of Heisman Trophy winners

Seven players from the Big Eight won the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious national award for college football players:

Season  | Player  | Pos. | Team

|
|
|

1952  | Billy Vessels | HB | Oklahoma
1969  | Steve Owens | RB | Oklahoma
1972  | Johnny Rodgers | WR | Nebraska
1978  | Billy Sims | RB  | Oklahoma
1983  | Mike Rozier | RB  | Nebraska
1988  | Barry Sanders | RB  | Oklahoma State
1994  | Rashaan Salaam | RB  | Colorado

### AFCA Coach of the Year

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Main article: AFCA Coach of the Year Award

Season  | Coach  | Team

|
|

1949  | Bud Wilkinson | Oklahoma
1989  | Bill McCartney | Colorado
1994  | Tom Osborne | Nebraska

### Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year

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Main article: Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award

Season  | Coach  | Team

|
|

1971  | Bob Devaney | Nebraska
1989  | Bill McCartney | Colorado

## References

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General

* BigEightSports.com list of football champions

Specific

1. ^ "BigEightSports.com". Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
2. ^ "Big Eight Conference football record book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
3. ^ University of Oklahoma. "Oklahoma Sooners head football coaches". University of Oklahoma. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
4. ^ "Majors Selected As Coach of Year". Lawrence Journal-World. The Associated Press. November 30, 1971. p. 10. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
5. ^ University of Missouri (2011). "FB Record Book 2011" (PDF). University of Missouri. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
6. ^ a b "Mac Big 12 Coach of the Year". CycloneSportsReport.com. CN Staff. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.
7. ^ "1993 Big Eight Conference Football season standings". Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
8. ^ "All-Big Eight Team | News OK". Archived from the original on 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2014-03-14.

*[Pos.]: Position