Big Eight Conference football

The

college athletic conference that was formerly affiliated with the NCAA

's Division I-A (now known as FBS).
The Big Eight Conference 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

History

The conference was formed in 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) by five charter schools: the
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

The first Big Eight conference team to attend a
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

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

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

Conference champions

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.
^‡
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

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

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.

Conference Coach of the Year

1948: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma

1949: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1950: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1951: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1952: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1953: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1954: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1955: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma†

1956: Dallas Ward, Colorado

1957: Chuck Mather, Kansas

1958: Dan Devine, Missouri

1959: Clay Stapleton, Iowa State

1960: Dan Devine, Missouri†

1961: Sonny Grandelius, Colorado

1962: Bob Devaney, Nebraska

1963: Bob Devaney, Nebraska†

1964: Bob Devaney, Nebraska†

1965: Eddie Crowder, Colorado

1966: Jim Mackenzie, Oklahoma^[3]

1967: Chuck Fairbanks, Oklahoma

1968: Pepper Rodgers, Kansas & Dan Devine, Missouri†

1969: Floyd Gass, Oklahoma State

1970: Bob Devaney, Nebraska†

1971: Johnny Majors, Iowa State^[4]

1972: Al Onofrio, Missouri^[5]

1973: Tom Osborne, Nebraska (AP) & Barry Switzer, Oklahoma (?)

1974: Barry Switzer, Oklahoma†

1975: Bud Moore, Kansas (AP) & Tom Osborne, Nebraska (?)†

1976: Earle Bruce, Iowa State (AP)^[6]

1977: Earle Bruce, Iowa State^[6]

1978: Tom Osborne, Nebraska†

1979: Jimmy Johnson, Oklahoma State

1980: Tom Osborne, Nebraska (AP)†

1981: Don Fambrough, Kansas

1982: Jim Dickey, Kansas State

1983: Warren Powers, Missouri (AP) & Tom Osborne, Nebraska (Coaches)†

1984: Mike Gottfried, Kansas

1985: Bill McCartney, Colorado

1986: Barry Switzer, Oklahoma†

1987: Barry Switzer, Oklahoma†

1988: Tom Osborne, Nebraska†

1989: Bill McCartney, Colorado†

1990: Bill Snyder, Kansas State (AP) & Bill McCartney, Colorado (Coaches)†

1991: Bill Snyder, Kansas State (AP)† & Glen Mason, Kansas (?)

1992: Tom Osborne, Nebraska†

1993: Bill Snyder Kansas State (AP)† & Tom Osborne, Nebraska (Coaches)†^[7]

1994: Tom Osborne, Nebraska†

1995: Glen Mason, Kansas†

^† Repeat winner

Conference Players of the Year

1967: Granville Liggins, Oklahoma

1968: Steve Owens, Oklahoma

1969: Steve Owens, Oklahoma†

1970: Jerry Murtaugh, Nebraska

1971: Greg Pruitt, Oklahoma

1972 Offensive: George Amundson, Iowa State

1972 Defensive: Rich Glover, Nebraska

1973 Offensive: Joe Washington, Oklahoma

1973 Defensive: Lucious Selmon, Oklahoma

1974 Offensive: Joe Washington, Oklahoma†

1974 Defensive: Rod Shoate, Oklahoma

1975 Offensive: Nolan Cromwell, Kansas

1975 Defensive: Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma

1976 Offensive: Terry Miller, Oklahoma State

1976 Defensive: Clete Pillen, Nebraska

1977 Offensive: Terry Miller, Oklahoma State†

1977 Defensive: George Cumby, Oklahoma

1978 Offensive: Billy Sims, Oklahoma

1978 Defensive: John Corker, Oklahoma State

1979 Offensive: Billy Sims, Oklahoma†

1979 Defensive: George Cumby, Oklahoma†

1980 Offensive: Phil Bradley, Missouri

1980 Defensive: Derrie Nelson, Nebraska

1981 Offensive: Dave Rimington, Nebraska

1981 Defensive: Jeff Gaylord, Missouri

1982 Offensive: Mike Rozier, Nebraska

1982 Defensive: Rick Bryan, Oklahoma

1983 Offensive: Mike Rozier, Nebraska†

1983 Defensive: Rick Bryan, Oklahoma†

1984 Offensive: Danny Bradley, Oklahoma

1984 Defensive: Leslie O'Neal, Oklahoma State

1985 Offensive: Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State

1985 Defensive: Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma

1986 Offensive: Jamelle Holloway, Oklahoma

1986 Defensive: Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma†

1987 Offensive: Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State†

1987 Defensive: Danté Jones, Oklahoma

1988 Offensive: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State

1988 Defensive: Broderick Thomas, Nebraska

1989 Offensive: Darian Hagan, Colorado (Tie)

1989 Offensive: Gerry Gdowski, Nebraska (Tie)

1989 Defensive: Alfred Williams, Colorado

1990 Offensive: Eric Bieniemy, Colorado

1990 Defensive: Alfred Williams, Colorado†

1991 Offensive: Tony Sands, Kansas

1991 Defensive: Joe Bowden, Oklahoma

1992 Offensive: Calvin Jones, Nebraska

1992 Defensive: Deon Figures, Colorado

1993 Offensive: Charles Johnson, Colorado

1993 Defensive: Trev Alberts, Nebraska

1994 Offensive: Rashaan Salaam, Colorado

1994 Defensive: Ed Stewart, Nebraska

1995 Offensive: Tommie Frazier, Nebraska

1995 Defensive: Tim Colston, Kansas State

^† Repeat winner

All-time all-conference team

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]

Offense
Position Player Team Years

QB Lynn Dickey KSU 1968–70

RB Billy Sims OU 1975–79

RB Gale Sayers KU 1962–64

TE Keith Jackson OU 1984–87

C Dave Rimington NU 1979–82

OL Dean Steinkuhler NU 1979–83

OL Zach Wiegert NU 1991–94

OL Greg Roberts OU 1975–78

OL Joe Romig CU 1959–61

KR Barry Sanders OSU 1986–88

K Uwe von Schamann OU 1975–78

Defense
Position Player Team Years

DL Lee Roy Selmon OU 1972–75

DL Rich Glover NU 1970–72

DL Leslie O'Neal OSU 1982–85

DL Willie Harper NU 1970–72

LB Brian Bosworth OU 1983–86

LB Gary Spani KSU 1974–77

LB Rod Shoate OU 1972–74

DB Johnny Roland MU 1962–65

DB Roger Wehrli MU 1966–68

DB Randy Hughes OU 1971–74

DB Rickey Dixon OU 1984–87

P Barry Helton CU 1984–87

Heisman Trophy winners

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

1952: Billy Vessels (HB), Oklahoma

1969: Steve Owens (FB), Oklahoma

1972: Johnny Rodgers (WR/RB), 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

1949: Bud Wilkinson, Oklahoma

1989: Bill McCartney, Colorado

1994: Tom Osborne, Nebraska

FWAA (Eddie Robinson) Coach of the Year

1971: Bob Devaney, Nebraska

1989: Bill McCartney, Colorado

References

General

BigEightSports.com list of football champions

Specific

^ "BigEightSports.com". Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.

^ "Big Eight Conference football record book" (PDF). Big 12 Conference. Retrieved August 13, 2013.

^ University of Oklahoma. "Oklahoma Sooners head football coaches". University of Oklahoma. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2012.

^ "Majors Selected As Coach of Year". Lawrence Journal-World. The Associated Press. November 30, 1971. p. 10. Retrieved February 10, 2010.

^ 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.

^ ^a ^b "Mac Big 12 Coach of the Year". CycloneSportsReport.com. CN Staff. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011.

^ "1993 Big Eight Conference Football season standings". Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-02-06.

^ "All-Big Eight Team | News OK". Archived from the original on 2014-03-14. Retrieved 2014-03-14.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Eight_Conference_football&oldid=1213368184"

[bigeightsports-1] "BigEightSports.com". Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.

[big8football-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.

[COY_Majors-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.

[CCoY-6] "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.

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