The 1986 Wichita State Shockers football team represented Wichita State University in the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season .[ 1] The Shockers competed as an independent program and played their home games at Cessna Stadium . It was the Shockers 90th and final season. The team, coached by Ron Chismar , went 3–8 and announced on December 2 that the team's 1986 season would be its last. University officials cited financial issues and lack of success as two of many factors leading to the program's termination. The 1970 plane crash involving the Shockers football team, in which only nine of 37 passengers survived, also played a role in the shuttering of the program.
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 6 San Francisco State W 69–618,836 [ 2]
September 13 at Toledo L 13–3019,146 [ 3]
September 20 Morehead State Cessna Stadium Wichita, KS L 35–3613,252 [ 4]
September 27 at Iowa State L 14–3635,212 [ 5]
October 4 at Tulane W 21–2024,481 [ 6]
October 11 UCF Cessna Stadium Wichita, KS W 9–64,167 [ 7]
October 18 at Florida State L 3–5956,222 [ 8]
October 25 Cincinnati Cessna Stadium Wichita, KS L 19–248,411 [ 9]
November 1 at Tulsa L 10–3812,437 [ 10]
November 8 Illinois State Cessna Stadium Wichita, Kansas L 10–174,233 [ 11]
November 15 at No. 5 Arizona State L 6–5265,333 [ 12]
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
^ "1986 Wichita State Shockers Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 26, 2021 .
^ "Gators' long trip will be longer coming home" . The San Francisco Examiner . September 7, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Generous WSU loses to Toledo" . The Wichita Eagle . September 14, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Breen's plea lifts Morehead" . The Courier-Journal . September 21, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Espinoza, Cyclone defense manhandle Shockers, 36–14" . The Des Moines Register . September 28, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Wichita State jars Wave" . The Shreveport Times . October 5, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "UCF's upset bid booted by 3 field goals in rain" . The Orlando Sentinel . October 12, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Shock-proof, FSU routs Wichita State 59–3" . Tallahassee Democrat . October 19, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bearcats just happy to win, 24–19" . The Cincinnati Enquirer . October 26, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tulsa relay team buries Shockers" . The Wichita Eagle . November 2, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "ISU tops Shockers for another road win" . The Pantagraph . November 9, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Devils stay intense, pound Shockers" . Arizona Republic . November 16, 1986. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .