The 1987 Independence Bowl was a college football postseason bowl game played on December 19, 1987, in Shreveport, Louisiana. It matched the Tulane Green Wave and the Washington Huskies of the Pacific-10 Conference. This was their first meeting and the first Independence Bowl for either team.

Team

Tulane

In Mack Brown's final year as head coach, the Green Wave made their first bowl game in seven years.

Washington

In their thirteenth season under head coach Don James, the Huskies tied for third in the Pac-10. This was their tenth bowl game under James and ninth consecutive.

Game summary

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Aftermath

Brown left after this game for North Carolina; Tulane's next bowl appearance was in 1998 the Liberty Bowl, where they capped off a perfect 12–0 season with a 41–27 win over BYU. In 1989, Washington beat Florida 34–7 in the Freedom Bowl, limiting Emmitt Smith to just 17 yards rushing.

Statistics