1979 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONAlabama12–0 overall
HEISMANCharles WhiteUSC · RB
#1 PICKBilly SimsOklahoma · Detroit Lions, 1980 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1980Sugar BowlAlabama 24, Arkansas 9
Jan 1, 1980Cotton BowlHouston 17, Nebraska 14
Jan 1, 1980Orange BowlOklahoma 24, Florida State 7
Jan 1, 1980Rose BowlUSC 17, Ohio State 16
Dec 31, 1979Peach BowlBaylor 24, Clemson 18
Dec 25, 1979Fiesta BowlPittsburgh 16, Arizona 10

1979 STANDINGS

13 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

NC State finished atop the 1979 ACC standings at 5–1 in conference play (7–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
NC State5–17–4–
Clemson4–28–4BAY 24–18 CLEM
Maryland4–27–4–
Wake Forest3–28–4LSU 34–10 WAKE
North Carolina3–38–3–1UNC 17–15 MICH
Virginia1–46–5–
Duke0–62–8–1–

BIG 8

Oklahoma finished atop the 1979 Big 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Oklahoma7–011–1OU 24–7 FSU
Nebraska6–110–2HOU 17–14 NEB
Oklahoma State5–26–4–
Missouri3–47–5MIZ 24–14 SC
Iowa State2–53–7–
Kansas2–53–8–
Colorado2–53–8–
Kansas State1–63–8–

BIG SKY

Nevada finished atop the 1979 Big Sky standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Nevada0–00–1

BIG TEN

Ohio State finished atop the 1979 Big Ten standings at 8–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Ohio State8–011–1USC 17–16 OSU
Purdue7–110–2PUR 27–22 TENN
Michigan6–28–4UNC 17–15 MICH
Indiana5–38–4IU 38–37 BYU
Iowa4–45–6–
Michigan State3–55–6–
Wisconsin3–54–7–
Minnesota3–5–14–6–1–
Illinois1–6–12–8–1–
Northwestern0–91–10–

MAC

Central Michigan finished atop the 1979 MAC standings at 8–0–1 in conference play (10–0–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Central Michigan8–0–110–0–1–
Toledo7–1–17–3–1–
Western Michigan5–46–5–
Ball State4–46–5–
Ohio4–46–5–
Miami (OH)3–46–5–
Northern Illinois3–3–15–4–1–
Bowling Green3–54–7–
Eastern Michigan1–6–12–8–1–
Kent State1–81–10–

OVC

Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee finished atop the 1979 OVC standings at 0–2.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Western Kentucky0–00–2
Middle Tennessee0–00–2

PACIFIC 10

USC finished atop the 1979 Pacific 10 standings at 6–0–1 in conference play (11–0–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
USC6–0–111–0–1USC 17–16 OSU
Washington5–29–3WASH 14–7 TEX
California5–46–6TEM 28–17 CAL
Arizona4–36–5–1PITT 16–10 ARIZ
Oregon4–36–5–
Arizona State3–46–6–
Stanford3–3–15–5–1–
UCLA3–45–6–
Washington State2–63–8–
Oregon State1–71–10–

PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Utah State finished atop the 1979 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings at 4–0–1 in conference play (4–3–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Utah State4–0–14–3–1
San José State4–0–12–4–1
Fresno State2–32–6

SEC

Alabama finished atop the 1979 SEC standings at 6–0 in conference play (11–0 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Alabama6–011–0ALA 24–9 ARK
Georgia5–16–5–
Auburn4–28–3–
LSU4–27–5LSU 34–10 WAKE
Tennessee3–37–5PUR 27–22 TENN
Kentucky3–35–6–
Ole Miss3–34–7–
Mississippi State2–43–8–
Vanderbilt0–61–10–
Florida0–60–10–1–

SOUTHERN

App State finished atop the 1979 Southern standings at 3–4 in conference play (3–8 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
App State3–43–8
Marshall0–61–10

SOUTHLAND

Arkansas State finished atop the 1979 Southland standings at 1–4 in conference play (4–6 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Arkansas State1–44–6
Louisiana1–43–5
Louisiana Tech1–42–8

SOUTHWEST

Houston finished atop the 1979 Southwest standings at 7–1 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Houston7–111–1HOU 17–14 NEB
Arkansas7–110–2ALA 24–9 ARK
Texas6–29–3WASH 14–7 TEX
Baylor5–38–4BAY 24–18 CLEM
Texas A&M4–46–5–
SMU3–54–6–
Texas Tech2–5–13–6–2–
TCU1–6–12–7–1–
Rice0–81–10–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

BYU finished atop the 1979 Western Athletic standings at 7–0 in conference play (10–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
BYU7–010–1IU 38–37 BYU
Utah5–25–6–
San Diego State4–28–3–
New Mexico3–46–6–
Hawai'i3–35–5–
Colorado State3–44–7–1–
Wyoming2–54–8–
UTEP0–71–9–

INDEPENDENTS

Florida State and Pittsburgh finished atop the 1979 independents at 11–1.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Florida State11–1OU 24–7 FSU
Pittsburgh11–1PITT 16–10 ARIZ
Temple10–2TEM 28–17 CAL
Tulane9–3PSU 9–6 TULN
Penn State8–4PSU 9–6 TULN
South Carolina8–4MIZ 24–14 SC
UNLV8–1–2–
Rutgers8–3–
Notre Dame7–4–
Navy7–4–
East Carolina7–3–1–
Syracuse7–5SYR 31–7 MCN
Southern Miss6–4–1–
Virginia Tech5–6–
West Virginia5–6–
Miami5–6–
Tulsa5–5–
Boston College5–6–
Louisville4–6–1–
Georgia Tech4–6–1–
Memphis4–6–
North Texas4–6–
Delaware3–1–
UConn3–5–2–
Air Force2–9–
Cincinnati2–9–
Army2–8–1–
UL Monroe2–8–
Akron2–2–
New Mexico State1–8–
Massachusetts1–4–
James Madison0–3–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

9 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Dec 31, 1979Postseason gamePurdue 27, Tennessee 22
Dec 29, 1979Postseason gameMissouri 24, South Carolina 14
Dec 28, 1979Postseason gameNorth Carolina 17, Michigan 15
Dec 22, 1979Postseason gameLSU 34, Wake Forest 10
Dec 22, 1979Postseason gamePenn State 9, Tulane 6
Dec 22, 1979Postseason gameWashington 14, Texas 7
Dec 21, 1979Postseason gameIndiana 38, BYU 37
Dec 15, 1979Postseason gameTemple 28, California 17
Dec 15, 1979Postseason gameSyracuse 31, McNeese 7