COLLEGE FOOTBALL - 1980 SEASON
09/09/80 - Georgia (16) @ (15) Tennessee - In the opening game of the season, Tennessee seemed en-route to a big win as they led 15-2 in the 2nd half before Georgia coach Vince Dooley decided to introduce true Freshman RB Herschel Walker. Walker (84 yards + 2 TD's) had a huge game, scoring both Bulldog TD's including the memorable game-winner as he bowled over Vols DB Bill Bates to score. A late Vols chance to win the game was ended by a forced fumble and the 'Dogs celebrated a big win (9, 50 minutes coverage with all the plays but edited huddles, 1 Disc, Tennesse University - Ward/Kesling, NTSC)
20/09/80 - Alabama (59) @ (35) Mississippi - #1 ranked Alabama visited Jackson and in the heat and rain amasses 458 yards rushing. Ole Miss were no slouchs on Offense either as they ran and passed for 500 yards of total offense. The Rebels were led by QB John Fourcade (21-43-296-4) and RB Buford McGee (13-63-1). Alabama were led by RB's Linnie Patrick (9-111-1), Billy Jackson (10-108-1) and Major Ogilvie (7-50-2) (8, 1 Disc, VSN - ?/Plaskidis, NTSC)
04/10/80 - SMU (31) @ (21) Tulane - SMU continued their unbeaten streak on the season with a hard-fought win against Tulane. The Green Wave led 14-10 at the half, with QB Nickie Hall leading the way with 253 yards passing (en-route to a school record 384 yards of total offense), and led 24-21 with 8 minutes to go in the game when SMU mounted a comeback. SMU DB John Simmons returned a punt 82 yards for a TD, the defense then held Tulane in check and SMU RB Eric Dickerson ran out the clock to take the win. SMU also featured QB Mike Ford (1 TD run), RB Craig James, DL Michael Carter and DB Wes Hopkins. Tulane also featured WR Robert Griffin (2 TD catches) and LB Marty Wetzel (8, Coverage starts with Tulane up 6-0 then shows the 1st SMU TD before starting coverage at the kick-off with 2:30 left in the 1st quarter - Slight ghosting, 1 Disc, TV-39 - Campbell/Fellessey, NTSC)
18/10/80 - Washington (27) @ (24) Stanford - In a back-and-forth game, it was unranked Washington that upset #16 ranked Stanford with a last play FG. The Huskies led 24-14 at the half thanks to QB Tom Flick and WR Aaron Williams who combined for 2 TD passes. But in the 2nd half, Stanford fought back under the guidance of QB John Elway (19-35-275-2) and he led the Cardinal on a 4th quarter drive that tied the game with 1:27 left. The drive included an incredible play by Elway where he rolled right, then threw back across his body to the left for a 41 yard pass completion. But Elway left enough time for Flick to guide the Huskies into FG range were kicker Chuck Nelson nailed a 24 yarder on the last play of the game. Washington also featured RB Toussaint Tyler, WR Paul Skansi and DB Ray Horton. Stanford also featured RB Darrin Nelson and WR Ken Margerum (9, 2 Discs, ABC - Michaels/Broyles, NTSC)
25/10/80 - SMU (20) @ (6) Texas - The SMU program announced their intentions for the SWC title with a big win over #2 ranked Texas. The Mustangs gave Freshman QB Lance McIlhenny his debut at QB and he responded with a strong 2nd half to guide SMU to the win. He was helped by the strong running of RB Craig James (146 yards + 1 TD) and RB Eric Dickerson, and a strong defensive performance that limited Texas to 2 FG's and no points in the 2nd half. The game proved to be the debut of the "Pony Express" backfield that would dominate the SWC for the next 2 years (8, Slight ghosting, 1 Disc, KXTX-39 - Campbell/Fellessey/Van Dyke, NTSC)
01/11/80 - Texas (20) @ (24) Texas Tech - Underdog Texas Tech jumped on Texas early and shocked the visitors with an upset win. Tech dominated the 1st quarter with Tech QB Ron Reeves (10-18-102-0) pacing the Offense to a 20-0 lead and the Defensive front seven, led by DL Gabriel Rivera (8 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), forced 5 sacks and shut down the Longhorns Offense. But a change at QB for Texas, Rick McIvor (11-24-189-1) in for Donnie Little (6-12-21-0), changed their fortunes and they ran off 20 uanswered points in the 2nd quarter to trail only 24-20. The 2nd half remained scoreless with both teams' Defenses dominating and the Red Raiders held on for the win. Texas Tech stunned the Longhorns with 171 yards rushing, led by RB's Anthony Hutchison (9-64-0) and Freddie Wells (6-34-0). The Tech Defense also featured LB's Terry Baer and Jeff McKinney and DB Ted Watts (34 yard interception return TD). The Longhorns also featured RB AJ "Jam" Jones (23-69-1), DL Kenneth Sims (12 tackles, 1 sack) and LB Doug Shankle (11 tackles). The game is infamous in Tech history as when the Texas football team arrived in Lubbock a week earlier, Tech rolled out a red carpet at the airport to welcome the Horns and the Texas coach Fred Akers and most of his players walked around the carpet, and some of the Longhorn players spat tobacco juice on it (7, Slightly jumpy picture + tracking line at the bottom of the screen, 1 Disc, ESPN - O'Donnell/Maguire, NTSC)
08/11/80 - SMU (34) @ (14) Rice - SMU overcame a strong Rice team to move to 7-2 on the season. Rice started strong, led by QB Randy Hertel (2 TD passes), but SMU finally found their rhythm in 2nd quarter to lead 17-7 at the half before pulling away in the 2nd half to take the win. The Mustangs got a great game from QB Lance McIlhenny (3 TD passes) and he was well supported by RB's Eric Dickerson (22-147-0) and Craig James (17-96-1). SMU also featured DL Michael Carter and DB's John Simmons and Wes Hopkins. Rice also featured WR Hosea Fortune (2 TD catches), RB Tim Sanders and LB Robert Williamson (7, Picture not crisp, 1 Disc, ESPN - Thacker/Hill, NTSC)
08/11/80 - Georgia (26) v (21) Florida - In one of the greatest finishes in College Football history, #2 ranked Georgia kept their unbeaten season going with a sensational late TD pass to beat #20 ranked Florida in Jacksonville. Georgia were in control of the game for 3 quarters and led 20-10 entering the 4th quarter, but Florida rallied, scoring 11 unanswered points to lead 21-20 with 95 seconds to play in the game. Georgia were at their own 17 yard line when on 3rd-down, Georgia QB Buck Belue (7-16-145-1) passed to WR Lindsay Scott (2-114-1) and he ran 93 yards for the sensational game-winning TD with 63 seconds to play. The Bulldogs defense forced an interception on Florida's final drive to end the game. Georgia also featured RB Herschel Walker (37-238-1 including a 72 yard TD run) and DB Scott Woerner. Florida featured Freshman QB Wayne Peace (20-37-282-1), RB James Jones (22-89-1), WR's Chris Collinsworth (3-29-1) and Tyrone Young (10-183-0) and LB David Little (2 versions : 9, ESPN Classic re-broadcast - 1 hour 33 minutes hi-lites - No bottom line, 1 Disc, ABC - Michaels/Broyles, PAL) / 9, ESPN Classic re-broadcast - 1 hour 45 minutes with bottom line, 2 Discs, ABC - Michaels/Broyles, NTSC)
08/11/80 - Illinois (42) @ (49) Ohio State - In a shootout in Columbus, Ohio State held off a huge fightback from Illinois to win their 5th straight game. The Buckeyes led 28-7 at the half as QB Art Schlicter (17-21-284-4) punished Illinois miscues. But the 2nd half belonged to Illinois QB Dave Wilson (43-69-621-6) who led the Illini to within 7 points. The Buckeyes held on, though, to take the win. Wilson's attempts, completions and yardage were all NCAA records (7, Occasional tracking line at the top of the screen, 2 Discs, Ohio State TV - Homan/Kessler, NTSC)
08/11/80 - Arkansas (15) @ (42) Baylor - An injury-ravaged Arkansas team couldn't stop the Baylor juggernaut, which was on it's way to the Cotton Bowl. Baylor rushed as a team 73 times for 367 yards and 5 TD's. Baylor featured RB's Walter Abercrombie (128 yds) and Dennis Gentry (100 yds) in the backfield and LB Mike Singletary (15 tackles) and DB Vann McElroy on defense (8, 2 Discs, ABC - Lundquist/Royal, NTSC)
08/11/80 - USC (34) @ (9) Stanford - #4 ranked USC flexed their muscles against Stanford and ran away to an easy win. Led by RB Marcus Allen (34-195-2) the Trojans took an 18-9 lead in at the half then used great Defense in the 2nd half to seal the win, scoring on a 45 yard fumble return by DB Ronnie Lott and holding Stanford to -13 yards rushing. USC also featured QB Gordon Adams (14-22-182-0), LB Chip Banks and DB's Jeff Fisher and Dennis Smith (7 tackles and 1 interception). Stanford were led by QB John Elway (26-37-260-1 inc. a 46 yard TD pass over Ronnie Lott) and also featured RB Darrin Nelson (6-21-0) and WR Ken Margerum (3-77-1) (9, Missing opening kick-off and 1st couple of plays - No scoring missed, 3 Discs, ABC - Jackson/Parsegian, NTSC)
10/11/80 - Stanford (21) @ (35) UCLA - In a game of 2 halves, UCLA overcame a terrible 1st half to beat Stanford and stay unbeaten on the season. Stanford started fast and led 21-7 at the break thanks to QB John Elway (20-34-204-1), RB Darrin Nelson (2 TD runs) and a Defense that forced 3 UCLA turnovers. But UCLA re-grouped at the half and, led by a sensational 30 minutes from RB Freeman McNeil (29-248-4), they scored 28 points to take the win. McNeil scored on TD runs of 72, 42, 12 and 6 yards. UCLA also featured QB's Tom Ramsey and Jay Schroeder (in for the 2nd Quarter only), WR Cormac Carney, DL Irv Eatman, LB Karl Morgan and DB Don Rogers. Stanford also featured RB Andre Tyler and WR Ken Margerum (8, 2 Discs, KTLA-5 - Buttitta/Scribner, NTSC)
22/11/80 - USC (20) v (17) UCLA - For the first time in 5 years, #18 ranked UCLA earned city bragging rights with a sensational win over #12 ranked USC in Los Angeles. The Bruins came from behind 3 times, led by QB Jay Schroeder and RB Freeman McNeill and this combination won the game as a pass from Schroeder tuned from an interception by USC DB Jeff Fisher into a 58 yard TD pass as Fisher couldn't hold the pick and tipped it to McNeil who one-handed it and ran in for the score with 2:07 left in the game. USC QB Scott Tinsley couldn't rally the Trojans and UCLA celebrated the win. USC also featured RB Marcus Allen (72 yards), LB Chip Banks and DB's Joey Browner, Ronnie Lott and Dennis Smith. UCLA started with QB Tom Ramsey and also featured WR Cormac Carney and DB Kenny Easley. The rivalry win was the first for UCLA coach Terry Donahue (8, Slightly fuzzy picture, 2 Discs, ABC - Jackson/Broyles, NTSC)
19/12/80 - Holiday Bowl - BYU (46) v (45) SMU - BYU rallied from a 45-25 deficit with 4 minutes left in the game and won it on a 59 yard Hail Mary pass on the final play. BYU QB Jim McMahon (446 yards + 4 TD's) led the Cougars and SMU were led by Freshman QB Lance McIlhenny and RB's Eric Dickerson (23-110-2) and Craig James (23-225-3) (8, 2 Discs, Mizzlou - Scott/Alderman/Doll, NTSC)
29/12/80 - Gator Bowl - Pittsburgh (37) v (9) South Carolina - In a battle between the top 2 Heisman finalists, Pitt's Hugh Green came out on top of Heisman winning South Carolina RB George Rogers in the Gator Bowl. Pitt led 17-3 at the half and coasted home in the 2nd half, led by QB's Rick Trocano (10-21-155-1 + 1 TD run) in his final college game and Dan Marino (7-13-78-1). The Pitt Defense, led by DL's Hugh Green (4 tackles) and Rickey Jackson (14 tackles, 1 fumble recovery), had a great game, holding Rogers (27-113-0) in check. Pitt also featured RB Randy McMillan (13-59-2) (8, 1 Disc, ABC - Michaels/Parseghian/Davis, NTSC)
31/12/80 - Bluebonnet Bowl - North Carolina (16) v (7) Texas - North Carolina finished the season 11-1 with a dominating game against the Longhorns. Tarheel RB Amos Lawrence (18-104-1) turned in an MVP performance while the Defense, led by DL Harry Stanback, LB Lawrence Taylor (in his final college game) and DB Steve Streater held Texas to 36 total yards in the 2nd half. The Tarheels also featured RB Kelvin Bryant and QB Mike Elkins (11-18-121-0) (8, 1 Disc, Mizzlou - Scott/Unitas, NTSC)
01/01/81 - Cotton Bowl - Alabama (30) v (2) Baylor - Alabama beat the SWC champion Bears, forcing 7 turnovers and limiting Baylor to 158 total yards on Offense. Alabama rushed for 241 yards behind RB's Major Ogilivie and Joe Carter. Baylor were led on Offense by QB Tony Jeffrey and RB's Dennis Gentry and Walter Abercrombie, and on Defense by LB Mike Singletary (18 tackles) (7, Jumpy picture, 2 Discs, CBS - Nelson/Staubach/Glieber, PAL)