The 1988 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Ken Hatfield, the Razorbacks compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–0 in conference play, winning the SWC title. Arkansas was invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic, where the Razorbacks lost to UCLA. The team played home games at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Defensive end Wayne Martin, safety Steve Atwater, and placekicker Kendall Trainor were all named 1st Team All-American. Senior linebacker LaSalle Harper was named defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl, despite Arkansas losing the game.
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 3 | Pacific (CA)* | | | | W 63–14 | 49,600 | [1] |
September 10 | Tulsa* | | | | W 30–26 | 43,008 | [2] |
September 17 | Ole Miss* | | - War Memorial Stadium
- Little Rock, AR (rivalry)
| | W 21–13 | 55,360 | [3] |
October 1 | TCU | | - Razorback Stadium
- Fayetteville, AR
| Raycom | W 53–10 | 41,240 | [4] |
October 8 | Texas Tech | No. 20 | - War Memorial Stadium
- Little Rock, AR
| | W 31–10 | 49,818 | [5] |
October 15 | at Texas | No. 17 | | HSE | W 27–24 | 73,451 | [6] |
October 22 | at Houston | No. 13 | | Raycom | W 26–21 | 21,775 | [7] |
October 29 | Rice | No. 11 | - War Memorial Stadium
- Little Rock, AR
| | W 21–14 | 50,612 | [8] |
November 5 | at Baylor | No. 11 | | HSE | W 33–3 | 40,148 | [9] |
November 12 | Texas A&M | No. 11 | - Razorback Stadium
- Fayetteville, AR (rivalry)
| HSE | W 25–20 | 53,818 | [10] |
November 26 | at No. 3 Miami (FL)* | No. 8 | | CBS | L 16–18 | 63,271 | [11] |
January 2 | vs. No. 9 UCLA* | No. 8 | | CBS | L 3–17 | 74,304 | [12] |
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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[13]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked т = Tied with team above or below | Week |
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
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AP | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
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Coaches | — | — | — | — | — | 19 т | 17 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 13 |
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Game summaries
At Texas
Texas A&M
At Miami (FL)
Arkansas at Miami (FL)
Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
No. 8 Razorbacks |
10 |
0 | 6 | 0 |
16 |
• No. 3 Hurricanes |
10 |
5 | 0 | 3 |
18 |
Scoring summary |
1 | 9:14 | Miami | Huerta 36-yard field goal | Miami 3-0 |
|
1 | 4:43 | Ark | Trainor 58-yard field goal | Tied 3-3 |
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1 | 1:41 | Miami | Gary 1-yard run (Huerta kick) | Miami 10-3 |
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1 | 1:29 | Ark | Foster 80-yard run (Trainor kick) | Tied 10-10 |
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2 | 8:30 | Miami | Safety, Hawkins tackles Grovey in end zone | Miami 12-10 |
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2 | 0:03 | Miami | Huerta 45-yard field goal | Miami 15-10 |
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3 | 5:03 | Ark | Foster 16-yard pass from Grovey (conversion failed) | Arkansas 16-15 |
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4 | 5:38 | Miami | Huerta 20-yard field goal | Miami 18-16 |
Vs. UCLA (Cotton Bowl)
[14]
Roster
1988 Arkansas Razorbacks football team roster
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Players
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Coaches
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
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1989 NFL draft
[15]
References
- ^ "Razorbacks open up offense in 63–14 win against Pacific". The Abilene Reporter-News. September 4, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Razorbacks rally to top Tulsa, 30–26". The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. September 11, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arkansas holds off Mississippi, 21–13". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 18, 1988. Retrieved November 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arkansas has easy time in smashing Frogs 53–10". The Springfield News-Leader. October 2, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Razorbacks rush past Raiders, 31–10". The Jonesboro Sun. October 9, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arkansas edges Texas". The Tampa Tribune-Times. October 16, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hogs keep composure, SWC lead". The Commercial Appeal. October 23, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stubborn Rice edges by Arkansas". The State. October 30, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Arkansas crushes Baylor Bears 33–3". San Angelo Standard-Times. November 6, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hogs, Trainor boot Aggies, 25–20". Tulsa World. November 13, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Miami stops Arkansas". Daily Press. November 27, 1988. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Aikman, UCLA defense sew up Cotton Bowl". Austin American-Statesman. January 3, 1989. Retrieved May 31, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1988 Arkansas Razorbacks Schedule and Results".
- ^ "UCLA Hogs Cotton Bowl Spotlight by Shutting Down Arkansas, 17-3". Los Angeles Times. January 3, 1989. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
- ^ "1989 NFL Draft". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
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National championship seasons in bold |
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National championships in bold |