This edition of the Bluebonnet Bowl, which added "Astro" to its title every year it was played in the Astrodome, proved to be its last.
The Longhorns finished tied for second in the Southwest Conference with Arkansas, who played in the Liberty Bowl that year.
Bret Stafford connected with Tony Jones for a 77-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to give the Longhorns a 7-0 lead.
Billy Osborn then Reggie Williams for 45 yards, and lastly Craig Heyward tied the score with a four-yard run.
Citing low funding and a lack of a corporate sponsor (by 1988, most of the yearly bowls were carrying some form of sponsorship), the initial idea was to take the 1988 season off and return in 1989.