The 1986 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Leon Burtnett in his fifth and final season as head coach, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for eighth in the Big Ten. Purdue played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana.
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 13 | Ball State* | | W 20–3 | 60,161 | [1] |
September 20 | Pittsburgh* | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| L 26–41 | 55,621 | [2] |
September 27 | at Notre Dame* | | L 9–41 | 59,075 | [3] |
October 4 | Minnesota | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| L 9–36 | 63,067 | [4] |
October 11 | at Illinois | | L 27–34 | 73,720 | [5] |
October 18 | Ohio State | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| L 11–39 | 68,737 | [6] |
October 25 | at Michigan State | | L 3–37 | 77,063 | [7] |
November 1 | at Northwestern | | W 17–16 | 25,417 | [8] |
November 8 | No. 3 Michigan | - Ross–Ade Stadium
- West Lafayette, IN
| L 7–31 | 61,323 | [9] |
November 15 | at Iowa | | L 14–42 | 67,321 | [10] |
November 22 | Indiana | | W 17–15 | 69,784 | [11][12] |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
[13][14]
Game summaries
Ball State
Pittsburgh
At Notre Dame
Purdue at Notre Dame
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Boilermakers |
0 |
0 | 6 | 3 |
9 |
• Fighting Irish |
10 |
14 | 3 | 14 |
41 |
Scoring summary |
1 | | Notre Dame | Taylor 2-yard run (Carney kick) | Notre Dame 7-0 |
|
1 | | Notre Dame | Carney 42-yard field goal | Notre Dame 10-0 |
|
2 | | Notre Dame | Johnson 2-yard run (Carney kick) | Notre Dame 17-0 |
|
2 | | Notre Dame | Jackson 35-yard pass from Beuerlein (Carney kick) | Notre Dame 24-0 |
|
3 | | Notre Dame | Carney 49-yard field goal | Notre Dame 27-0 |
|
3 | | Purdue | Chaney 3-yard run (pass failed) | Notre Dame 27-6 |
|
4 | | Purdue | Briggs 22-yard field goal | Notre Dame 27-9 |
|
4 | | Notre Dame | Johnson 13-yard run (Carney kick) | Notre Dame 34-9 |
|
4 | | Notre Dame | Green 27-yard run (Carney kick ) | Notre Dame 41-9 |
Minnesota
At Illinois
Ohio State
Game information
|
- First quarter
- OSU – Matt Frantz 21-yard field goal, 8:04. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 69 yards.
- OSU – Matt Frantz 22-yard field goal, 1:55. Ohio St 6–0. Drive: 11 plays, 32 yards.
- Second quarter
- OSU – Cris Carter 3-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (pass failed), 10:36. Ohio St 12–0. Drive: 12 plays, 92 yards.
- OSU – Matt Frantz 22-yard field goal, 1:05. Ohio St 15–0. Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards.
- PUR – Jonathan Briggs 23-yard field goal, 0:02. Ohio St 15–3. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards.
- Third quarter
- OSU – Nate Harris 37-yard pass from Jim Karsatos (Matt Frantz kick), 13:00. Ohio St 22–3. Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards.
- OSU – Dave Brown 100-yard interception return (Matt Frantz kick), 9:11. Ohio St 29–3.
- OSU – Matt Frantz 21-yard field goal, 1:03. Ohio St 32–3. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards.
- Fourth quarter
- PUR – Caleb Bonds 3-yard pass from Doug Downing (run good), 11:59. Ohio St 32–11. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards.
- OSU – Jamie Holland 23-yard pass from Tom Tupa (Matt Frantz kick), 10:11. Ohio St 39–11. Drive: 5 plays, 73 yards.
|
- Top passers
- OSU – Jim Karsatos – 11/17, 190 yards, 2 TD
- PUR – Doug Downing – 23/48, 289 yards, TD, 2 INT
- Top rushers
- OSU – James Bryant – 24 rushes, 129 yards
- PUR – James Medlock – 9 rushes, 33 yards
- Top receivers
- OSU – Cris Carter – 7 receptions, 118 yards, TD
- PUR – Rick Brunner – 5 receptions, 93 yards
|
|
At Michigan State
At Northwestern
Purdue at Northwestern
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Boilermakers |
7 |
0 | 7 | 3 |
17 |
Wildcats |
3 |
10 | 0 | 3 |
16 |
Scoring summary |
1 | | NW | Duvic 27 yard field goal | Northwestern 3-0 |
|
1 | | PUR | McCline 2 yard run (Briggs kick) | Purdue 7-3 |
|
2 | | NW | Greenfield 1 yard run (Duvic kick) | Northwestern 10-7 |
|
2 | | NW | Duvic 40 yard field goal | Northwestern 13-7 |
|
3 | | PUR | C. Williams 69 yard pass from Downing (Briggs kick) | Purdue 14-13 |
|
4 | | NW | Duvic 52 yard field goal | Northwestern 16-14 |
|
4 | :04 | PUR | Briggs 25 yard field goal | Purdue 17-16 |
[15]
Michigan
#3 Michigan at Purdue
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Wolverines |
7 |
17 | 7 | 0 |
31 |
Boilermakers |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
At Iowa
Purdue at Iowa
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Boilermakers |
7 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
14 |
• Hawkeyes |
14 |
7 | 14 | 7 |
42 |
Scoring summary |
Q1 | | Purdue | Rod Woodson 100-yard interception return (Briggs kick) | Purdue 7–0 |
|
Q1 | | IOWA | Early 64-yard pass from Poholsky (Houghtlin kick) | Tied 7–7 |
|
Q1 | | IOWA | Bayless 31-yard pass from Poholsky (Houghtlin kick) | IOWA 14–7 |
|
Q2 | | IOWA | Harmon 4-yard run (Houghtlin kick) | IOWA 21–7 |
|
Q3 | | IOWA | Flagg 15-yard pass from Poholsky (Houghtlin kick) | IOWA 28–7 |
|
Q3 | | IOWA | Bayless run (Houghtlin kick) | IOWA 42–7 |
|
Q4 | | IOWA | Watkins 42-yard pass from Hartlieb (Houghtlin kick) | IOWA 42–7 |
|
Q4 | | Purdue | Schieb 18-yard pass from Downing (Briggs kick) | IOWA 42–14 |
[16]
Indiana
Game information
|
- First quarter
- PUR – James Medlock 1-yard run (Jonathan Briggs kick). Purdue 7–0.
- PUR – Jonathan Briggs 43-yard field goal. Purdue 10–0.
- Second quarter
- Third quarter
- Fourth quarter
- PUR – Calvin Williams 4-yard run (Jonathan Briggs kick). Purdue 17–7.
- IND – Stacy Dawsey 45-yard pass from Dave Kramme (pass good). Purdue 17–15.
|
- Top passers
- IND – Dave Kramme – 12/24, 213 yards, TD, INT
- PUR – Jeff George – 8/20, 139 yards
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- IND – Tony Buford – 4 receptions, 58 yards
- PUR – Rod Woodson – 3 receptions, 67 yards
|
|
Purdue wore gold jerseys; In his final collegiate game, Rod Woodson gained over 150 combined rushing and receiving yards, in addition to making ten tackles and forcing a fumble, leading Purdue to a victory over arch-rival Indiana. This 50th victory in the series, kept indiana from receiving a bowl berth and denied anthony thompson the Heisman Trophy.
Personnel
1986 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster
|
Players
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Coaches
|
Offense
|
Defense
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Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K
|
|
Jonathan Briggs
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
1987 NFL draft
[18]
References
- ^ "Purdue, by George, flies with freshman in 20–3 opening win". The Courier-Journal. September 14, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pitt capitalizes on Purdue errors". The Kalamazoo Gazette. September 21, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish hand Holtz a win, look to Tide". The Birmingham News. September 28, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "George, Boilers get knocked silly". The Republic. October 5, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Illinois' late TD subdues Boilers". Evansville Courier and Press. October 12, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Buckeyes romp to 39–11 win over Purdue". The Times Recorder. October 19, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Michigan State wallops punchless Purdue, 37–3". The Muncie Star. October 26, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Purdue wins on field goal". The Indianapolis Star. November 2, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Tommy George (November 9, 1986). "U-M rumbles, 31–7: Rose Bowl gets down to Wolverines vs. OSU". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1E, 15E – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Iowa hammers Boilermakers". The Pharos-Tribune. November 16, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Koerner, Dave (November 23, 1986). "Looking as good as gold, the Boilers are spoilers". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. p. C1. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ Koerner, Dave (November 23, 1986). "A bowl, no Bucket for the Hoosiers (continued)". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. p. C6. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ College Football @ Sports-Reference.com
- ^ "2022 Purdue Football Record Book" (PDF). Purdue University Athletics. p. 91. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
- ^ Gainesville November 3, 1986
- ^ "Hawkeyes pummel Purdue". Indianapolis Star via newspapers.com. November 16, 1986. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ Gainesville Sun. 1986 Nov 23. Retrieved 2022-Oct-03.
- ^ "1987 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
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