1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season

American college football season August 2023 December 2025 1987 File:NCAA primary logo 1980.svg 87 August–November November 28–December 19 December 19, 1987 MinidomePocatello, Idaho Northeast Louisiana Kenny Gamble (RB, Colgate) The 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1987, and concluded with the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 19, 1987, at the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho. The Northeast Louisiana Indians won their first I-AA championship, defeating the Marshall Thundering Herd by a score of 43–42.1987 NCAA Division I Football Championship http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_champs_records/2012/d1/2012FCSfbchamp.pdf NCAA.org December 29, 2013 14 Conference changes and new programs The Gulf Star Conference folded after the 1986 season when four of its founding members, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State, Southwest Texas State, and Stephen F. Austin, joined the Southland Conference. The Gulf Star's remaining football member, Nicholls State, opted to become an Independent. Three former Southland Conference members, Arkansas State, Lamar, and Louisiana Tech, moved to DI-AA Independent status after joining the newly formed (non-football) American South Conference as charter members. School 1986 Conference 1987 Conference Akron Ohio Valley (I-AA) Independent (I-A) Arkansas State Southland I-AA Independent Davidson Southern Colonial (I-AA) Eastern Washington I-AA Independent Big Sky Lamar Southland I-AA Independent Louisiana Tech Southland I-AA Independent Nicholls State Gulf Star I-AA Independent Northwestern State Gulf Star Southland Sam Houston State Gulf Star Southland Southwest Texas State Gulf Star Southland Stephen F. Austin Gulf Star Southland Towson State D-II Independent I-AA Independent Villanova Revived Program+ I-AA Independent + "unclassified" for 1985 (partial season) and 1986 (full season) Conference standings Conference champions List of NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football seasons Conference ChampionsBig Sky Conference – Idaho Colonial League – Holy Cross Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference – Northern Iowa Ivy League – Harvard Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – Howard Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State Southern Conference – Appalachian State Southland Conference – Northeast Louisiana Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State Yankee Conference – Richmond Postseason The playoff bracket of sixteen teams had four seeded teams; Appalachian State, Northeast Louisiana, Northern Iowa, and Idaho were first through fourth, respectively.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28361948/southland_foes_meet_in_playoffs/ Southland foes meet in playoffs The Town Talk Alexandria, Louisiana B-1 November 23, 1987 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com Undefeated and top-ranked Holy Cross,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28362290/div_iaa_poll/ Div. I-AA poll The San Francisco Examiner F-6 November 24, 1987 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com featuring Heisman Trophy candidate Gordie Lockbaum, did not participate in the postseason, per the rules of their conference, the Colonial Leaguehttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/28362528/lockbaum_now_waits_to_hear_from_pros/ Lockbaum now waits to hear from pros AP Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 12 November 21, 1987 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com (known as the Patriot League since 1990). The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) conference champion Howard Bison (9–1) did not receive an invitation to the I-AA playoffs and filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and sought a temporary restraining order to delay the start of the playoffs.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28356393/howard_university_files_suit_vs_ncaa/ Howard University files suit vs. NCAA AP The Santa Fe New Mexican C-1 November 26, 1987 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com The lawsuit asserted "unlawful and racially motivated reasons" for the team being passed over. Two days later, the request for a temporary restraining order was rejected by federal judge John Garrett Penn.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28356538/judge_orders_playoffs_in_division_iaa/ Judge Orders Playoffs In Division I-AA To Go On AP St. Louis Post Dispatch 5C November 28, 1997 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com Howard then advocated that they, plus three other teams, should be added to the second round of the playoffs; the proposal was rejected by the NCAA, who said that Howard had played a weak schedule.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28356791/howard_plans_pursuing_suit/ Howard plans pursuing suit Indianapolis News B-6 December 1, 1987 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com In September 1989, MEAC stripped Howard of their 1987 conference championship, retroactively awarding it to Delaware State, after finding that Howard had used some players beyond their four years of NCAA eligibility.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/28357378/meac_strips_howard_of_division_iaa/ MEAC strips Howard of Division I-AA title Sun-Sentinel Fort Lauderdale, Florida 2C September 26, 1989 February 13, 2019 newspapers.com The I-AA playoff field remained at sixteen through the 2009 season, expanding to twenty in 2010 and 24 in 2013. NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket y First round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game November 28 – Boone, NC Richmond 3 1 Appalachian State* 20 November 28 – Statesboro, GA Maine 28 Georgia Southern* 31* November 28 – Moscow, ID Weber State 59 4 Idaho* 30 November 28 – Huntington, WV James Madison 12 Marshall* 41 November 28 – Monroe, LA North Texas State 9 2 Northeast Louisiana* 30 November 28 – Richmond, KY Western Kentucky 17 Eastern Kentucky* 40 November 28 – Cedar Falls, IA Youngstown State 28 3 Northern Iowa* 31 November 28 – Jackson, MS Arkansas State 35 Jackson State* 32 December 5 – Boone, NC 1 Appalachian State* 19 Georgia Southern 0 December 5 – Huntington, WV Weber State 23 Marshall* 51 December 5 – Monroe, LA 2 Northeast Louisiana* 33 Eastern Kentucky 32 December 5 – Cedar Falls, IA 3 Northern Iowa* 49 Arkansas State 28 December 12 – Boone, NC 1 Appalachian State* 10 Marshall 24 December 12 – Monroe, LA 2 Northeast Louisiana* 44** 3 Northern Iowa 41 December 19 – Pocatello, ID Marshall 42 2 Northeast Louisiana 43 * Next to team name denotes host institution * Next to score denotes overtime periods References