1978 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

SPLIT TITLE
AP CHAMPIONAlabama11–1 overall
COACHES CHAMPIONUSC12–1 overall
HEISMANBilly SimsOklahoma · RB
#1 PICKTom CousineauOhio State · Buffalo Bills, 1979 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1979Cotton BowlNotre Dame 35, Houston 34
Jan 1, 1979Rose BowlUSC 17, Michigan 10
Jan 1, 1979Sugar BowlAlabama 14, Penn State 7
Jan 1, 1979Orange BowlOklahoma 31, Nebraska 24
Dec 25, 1978Fiesta BowlUCLA 10, Arkansas 10
Dec 25, 1978Peach BowlPurdue 41, Georgia Tech 21

1978 STANDINGS

14 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

Clemson finished atop the 1978 ACC standings at 6–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Clemson6–011–1CLEM 17–15 OSU
Maryland5–19–3TEX 42–0 MD
NC State4–29–3NCSU 30–17 PITT
North Carolina3–35–6–
Duke2–44–7–
Wake Forest1–51–10–
Virginia0–62–9–

BIG 8

Oklahoma finished atop the 1978 Big 8 standings at 7–1 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Oklahoma7–111–1OU 31–24 NEB
Nebraska6–29–3OU 31–24 NEB
Iowa State4–38–4TA&M 28–12 ISU
Missouri4–38–4MIZ 20–15 LSU
Kansas State3–44–7–
Oklahoma State3–43–7–
Colorado2–56–5–
Kansas0–71–10–

BIG SKY

Boise State finished atop the 1978 Big Sky standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Boise State0–01–0

BIG TEN

Michigan finished atop the 1978 Big Ten standings at 7–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan7–110–2USC 17–10 MICH
Michigan State7–18–3–
Purdue6–1–19–2–1PUR 41–21 GT
Ohio State6–27–4–1CLEM 17–15 OSU
Minnesota4–45–6–
Wisconsin3–4–25–4–2–
Indiana3–54–7–
Iowa2–62–9–
Illinois0–6–21–8–2–
Northwestern0–8–10–10–1–

GULF SOUTH

Jacksonville State finished atop the 1978 Gulf South standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Jacksonville State0–00–1

MAC

Ball State finished atop the 1978 MAC standings at 8–0 in conference play (10–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Ball State8–010–1–
Central Michigan8–19–2–
Miami (OH)5–28–2–1–
Western Michigan5–47–4–
Bowling Green3–54–7–
Ohio3–53–8–
Northern Illinois2–45–5–
Kent State2–64–7–
Toledo2–72–9–
Eastern Michigan1–53–7–

OVC

Western Kentucky finished atop the 1978 OVC standings at 1–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Western Kentucky0–01–1
Middle Tennessee0–00–0–1

PACIFIC 10

USC finished atop the 1978 Pacific 10 standings at 6–1 in conference play (12–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
USC6–112–1USC 17–10 MICH
UCLA6–28–3–1UCLA 10–10 ARK
Washington6–27–4–
Arizona State4–38–3ASU 34–18 RUTG
Stanford4–38–4STAN 25–22 UGA
Arizona3–45–6–
California3–45–5–
Oregon State2–63–7–1–
Oregon2–52–9–
Washington State1–73–7–1–

PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

San José State finished atop the 1978 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings at 4–1 in conference play (3–5 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
San José State4–13–5
Utah State3–16–3
Fresno State1–42–6

SEC

Alabama finished atop the 1978 SEC standings at 6–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Alabama6–011–1ALA 14–7 PSU
Georgia5–0–19–2–1STAN 25–22 UGA
LSU3–38–4MIZ 20–15 LSU
Auburn3–2–16–4–1–
Tennessee3–35–5–1–
Florida3–34–7–
Mississippi State2–46–5–
Ole Miss2–45–6–
Kentucky2–44–6–1–
Vanderbilt0–62–9–

SOUTHERN

App State finished atop the 1978 Southern standings at 4–2 in conference play (7–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
App State4–27–4
Marshall0–51–10

SOUTHLAND

Arkansas State finished atop the 1978 Southland standings at 4–1 in conference play (6–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Arkansas State4–16–4–
Louisiana Tech4–15–5ECU 35–13 LT
Louisiana2–33–6–

SOUTHWEST

Houston finished atop the 1978 Southwest standings at 7–1 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Houston7–19–3ND 35–34 HOU
Arkansas6–29–2–1UCLA 10–10 ARK
Texas6–29–3TEX 42–0 MD
Texas Tech5–37–4–
Texas A&M4–48–4TA&M 28–12 ISU
SMU3–54–6–1–
Baylor3–53–8–
Rice2–62–9–
TCU0–82–9–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

BYU finished atop the 1978 Western Athletic standings at 5–1 in conference play (9–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
BYU5–19–4NAVY 23–16 BYU
Utah4–28–3–
Wyoming4–25–7–
New Mexico3–35–5–
Colorado State2–44–6–
San Diego State2–43–6–
UTEP1–51–11–

INDEPENDENTS

Penn State finished atop the 1978 independents at 11–1.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Penn State11–1ALA 14–7 PSU
Notre Dame9–3ND 35–34 HOU
Navy9–3NAVY 23–16 BYU
Rutgers9–3ASU 34–18 RUTG
Florida State8–3–
Pittsburgh8–4NCSU 30–17 PITT
East Carolina8–3ECU 35–13 LT
North Texas8–2–
Tulsa8–2–
Southern Miss7–4–
Georgia Tech7–5PUR 41–21 GT
Temple7–3–1–
Miami6–5–
UL Monroe6–4–1–
UNLV6–4–
Louisville5–4–
Cincinnati5–6–
Hawai'i5–4–
New Mexico State5–4–
South Carolina5–5–1–
Virginia Tech4–7–
Tulane4–7–
Army4–6–1–
Air Force3–8–
Memphis3–7–
Syracuse3–8–
Delaware2–2–
West Virginia2–9–
Massachusetts2–3–
Nevada1–0–
UConn0–5–
Akron0–2–
James Madison0–1–
Boston College0–11–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

9 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Dec 31, 1978Postseason gameStanford 25, Georgia 22
Dec 29, 1978Postseason gameClemson 17, Ohio State 15
Dec 23, 1978Postseason gameTexas 42, Maryland 0
Dec 23, 1978Postseason gameNC State 30, Pittsburgh 17
Dec 23, 1978Postseason gameMissouri 20, LSU 15
Dec 22, 1978Postseason gameNavy 23, BYU 16
Dec 20, 1978Postseason gameTexas A&M 28, Iowa State 12
Dec 16, 1978Postseason gameArizona State 34, Rutgers 18
Dec 16, 1978Postseason gameEast Carolina 35, Louisiana Tech 13