Oklahoma State University Athletics
#TBT - Barry Sanders Wins Heisman
June 11, 2015 | Cowboy Football
Sanders takes prestigious award after record-breaking 1988 campaign
STILLWATER - In 1988, Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders registered the greatest season of any running back in college football history.
The Wichita, Kan., native ran for an astounding 2,850 yards on 373 carries, punching in 42 touchdowns in the process. Over the course of the season, he averaged 237.5 rushing yards per game, scored 264 points and recorded four 300-yard rushing games.
Despite undertaking a heavy workload in the backfield, Sanders also served as the Cowboys' primary punt and kickoff returner. With an additional 516 yards gained from special teams, he finished with a nation-leading 3,250 all-purpose yards.
Sanders' sensational season led to a phenomenal 1988 campaign for the Cowboys, as Oklahoma State capped off a 10-2 record with a dominating Holiday Bowl win over Washington.
Numerous memorable performances came along the way, including five-touchdown performances against Tulsa and Kansas.
For his efforts, Sanders was selected as the best college football player in the country, making a clean sweep of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, Walter Camp Award and Robert W. Maxwell Award.
Sanders received the prestigious honor in Tokyo, as the Cowboys were preparing to take on Texas Tech in the Coca-Cola Classic.
After being named the Heisman winner in the early morning, Sanders went on to rush for 332 yards later that day against the Red Raiders, a mark that still stands as the single-greatest rushing performance in Oklahoma State history.
The Wichita, Kan., native ran for an astounding 2,850 yards on 373 carries, punching in 42 touchdowns in the process. Over the course of the season, he averaged 237.5 rushing yards per game, scored 264 points and recorded four 300-yard rushing games.
Despite undertaking a heavy workload in the backfield, Sanders also served as the Cowboys' primary punt and kickoff returner. With an additional 516 yards gained from special teams, he finished with a nation-leading 3,250 all-purpose yards.
Sanders' sensational season led to a phenomenal 1988 campaign for the Cowboys, as Oklahoma State capped off a 10-2 record with a dominating Holiday Bowl win over Washington.
Numerous memorable performances came along the way, including five-touchdown performances against Tulsa and Kansas.
For his efforts, Sanders was selected as the best college football player in the country, making a clean sweep of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, Walter Camp Award and Robert W. Maxwell Award.
Sanders received the prestigious honor in Tokyo, as the Cowboys were preparing to take on Texas Tech in the Coca-Cola Classic.
After being named the Heisman winner in the early morning, Sanders went on to rush for 332 yards later that day against the Red Raiders, a mark that still stands as the single-greatest rushing performance in Oklahoma State history.
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