1979 NCAA Division I-A football season
Encyclopedia
The 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Alabama Crimson Tide
bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title.
This was an extremely dominant Alabama team, only giving up 67 points the entire season and shutting out five opponents. The team won a tight one against LSU 3-0 and beat Auburn by a touchdown before beating Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl.
The Ohio State Buckeyes
came within one point of a national title under first year coach Earle Bruce
, who replaced legendary coach Woody Hayes
, falling to USC 17-16 in the Rose Bowl after an undefeated season. USC was the pre season top ranked team, and held the number one ranking until a 21-21 tie with Stanford, a game USC led at halftime 21-0. A fumbled hold on the snap from center cost the Trojans a chance at a last second field goal. Stanford was led by quarterback Turk Schonert
, while a freshman named John Elway
served as his backup. USC ended up finishing second in the country, but running back Charles White
did bring home the Heisman Trophy
.
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
bring home a national title with a perfect 12-0 season. The title was Alabama's 11th claimed, though the number is disputed. It was their 6th Associated Press awarded title.
This was an extremely dominant Alabama team, only giving up 67 points the entire season and shutting out five opponents. The team won a tight one against LSU 3-0 and beat Auburn by a touchdown before beating Arkansas 24-9 in the Sugar Bowl.
The Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
came within one point of a national title under first year coach Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
, who replaced legendary coach Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
, falling to USC 17-16 in the Rose Bowl after an undefeated season. USC was the pre season top ranked team, and held the number one ranking until a 21-21 tie with Stanford, a game USC led at halftime 21-0. A fumbled hold on the snap from center cost the Trojans a chance at a last second field goal. Stanford was led by quarterback Turk Schonert
Turk Schonert
Turk Leroy Schonert is a former quarterback, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in the National Football League.-Early years:...
, while a freshman named John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
served as his backup. USC ended up finishing second in the country, but running back Charles White
Charles White (American football)
Charles White is a former professional American football running back. He had a distinguished college career and later played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.-College football:...
did bring home the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
.
Conference standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, Conf. = Conference Record| Conference Champion |
#1 and #2 Progress
| WEEKS | #1 | #2 | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRE-5 | USC | Alabama | Stanford 21, USC 21 (Oct 13) |
| 6 | Alabama | Texas | Arkansas 17, Texas 14 (Oct 20) |
| 7-9 | Alabama | Nebraska | Ohio State 34, Iowa 7 (Nov 10) |
| 10-11 | Alabama | Ohio State | USC 49, UCLA 14 (Nov 24) |
| 12 | Alabama | USC | |
| 13 | Ohio State | Alabama | USC 17, Ohio State 16 |
Bowl games
| BOWL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Bowl Rose Bowl Game The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2... |
#3 USC | 17 | #1 Ohio State | 16 |
| Sugar Bowl Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009... |
#2 Alabama | 24 | #6 Arkansas | 9 |
| Orange Bowl | #5 Oklahoma | 24 | #4 Florida State | 7 |
| Cotton Bowl Classic | #8 Houston | 17 | #7 Nebraska | 14 |
| Bluebonnet Bowl Bluebonnet Bowl The Bluebonnet Bowl was an annual college football bowl game played in Houston, Texas. A civic group was appointed by the Houston Chamber of Commerce Athletics Committee in 1959 to organize the bowl game. It was held at Rice Stadium from 1959 through 1967, and again in 1985 and 1986. The game was... |
#12 Purdue | 27 | Tennessee | 22 |
| Peach Bowl | #19 Baylor | 24 | #18 Clemson | 18 |
| Hall of Fame Classic All-American Bowl The All-American Bowl was an annual postseason college football bowl game played at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama from 1977 to 1990. The game was known as the Hall of Fame Classic from 1977 to 1985.... |
Missouri | 24 | #16 South Carolina | 14 |
| Gator Bowl Gator Bowl The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally... |
North Carolina | 17 | #14 Michigan | 15 |
| Fiesta Bowl Fiesta Bowl The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil... |
#10 Pittsburgh | 16 | Arizona | 10 |
| Sun Bowl Sun Bowl The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl... |
#13 Washington | 14 | #11 Texas | 7 |
| Liberty Bowl 1979 Liberty Bowl The 1979 Liberty Bowl, part of the 1979 bowl game season, took place on December 22, 1979, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee. The competing teams were the Tulane Green Wave and the Penn State Nittany Lions, each competing as a football independent... |
Penn State | 9 | #15 Tulane | 6 |
| Tangerine Bowl Capital One Bowl The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl... |
LSU | 34 | Wake Forest | 10 |
| Holiday Bowl Holiday Bowl The Holiday Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that has been played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, since 1978. Beginning with the 2010 playing the bowl will officially be known as the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl after... |
Indiana | 38 | #9 Brigham Young | 37 |
| Garden State Bowl Garden State Bowl The Garden State Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, from 1978 to 1981... |
#20 Temple | 28 | California | 17 |
| Independence Bowl Independence Bowl The Independence Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, so named because it was inaugurated in the United States bicentennial year, 1976.... |
Syracuse | 31 | McNeese State | 7 |
Final AP Poll
- Alabama
- Southern California
- Oklahoma
- Ohio State
- Houston
- Florida State
- Pittsburgh
- Arkansas
- Nebraska
- Purdue
- Washington
- Texas
- Brigham Young
- Baylor
- North Carolina
- Auburn
- Temple
- Michigan
- Indiana
- Penn State
Final Coaches Poll
- Alabama
- Southern California
- Oklahoma
- Ohio St.
- Houston
- Pittsburgh
- Nebraska
- Florida St.
- Arkansas
- Purdue
- Washington
- Brigham Young
- Texas
- North Carolina
- Baylor
- Indiana
- Temple
- Penn St.
- Michigan
- Missouri
Heisman Trophy voting
- Charles WhiteCharles White (American football)Charles White is a former professional American football running back. He had a distinguished college career and later played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.-College football:...
, Southern California TB - Billy SimsBilly SimsBilly Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
, Oklahoma HB - Marc Wilson, Brigham Young QB
- Art SchlichterArt SchlichterArthur Ernest Schlichter is a retired college and professional American football quarterback, sometimes known for his compulsive gambling and the legal problems especially gambling that arose from it...
, Ohio State QB - Vagas FergusonVagas FergusonVagas Ferguson was a star running back for the University of Notre Dame who continued on to the National Football League for three seasons with the New England Patriots, who drafted him in the first round, the Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Oilers.In 1979, his senior season at Notre Dame,...
, Notre Dame TB
Other major awards
- Maxwell (outstanding player) - Charles WhiteCharles White (American football)Charles White is a former professional American football running back. He had a distinguished college career and later played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.-College football:...
, USC TB - Outland - Jim RitcherJim Ritcher-Career:He started his career playing high school football for Highland High School in Medina, Ohio and was an All-American at North Carolina State and won the Outland Trophy in 1979 as the nation's best offensive lineman. In the National Football League, Richer was moved to guard from center by...
, North Carolina State C - Camp - Charles WhiteCharles White (American football)Charles White is a former professional American football running back. He had a distinguished college career and later played in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.-College football:...
, Southern California TB - Lombardi - Brad BuddeBrad BuddeBrad Edward Budde is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League .-College career:...
, Southern California G