American college football season
1979 NCAA Division I-A season Number of teams 139[1] Preseason AP No. 1 USC Bowl games 15 Heisman Trophy Charles White (running back , USC )Champion(s) Alabama (AP, Coaches, FWAA) ← 1978
1980 →
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, and 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 game against LSU 3–0 and beat Auburn by a touchdown before beating Arkansas 24–9 in the Sugar Bowl.
There was very little movement at the top of the rankings throughout the season, as only three different teams held the top spot in the AP poll and only two in the UPI poll. 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 freshman John Elway served as his backup. USC ended up finishing second in the country, but running back Charles White brought home the Heisman Trophy .
No. 2 Alabama then took over the top spot and never relinquished that position in the UPI poll. In the AP poll, however, Ohio State took over the top spot in the last regular season poll of the season. Ohio State had defeated No. 13 Michigan in Ann Arbor by a score of 18–15 to earn the Big Ten title. Two weeks later, Alabama defeated No. 14 Auburn 25–18 in Birmingham, but the AP voters saw fit to jump Ohio State ahead of them.
Thus, Ohio State came within one point of a national title under first-year coach Earle Bruce , who replaced coach Woody Hayes , falling to USC 17–16 in the Rose Bowl after an undefeated season.
Rule changes [ ]
Blocking below the waist is prohibited on fumble recoveries (before they touch the ground), interceptions of forward and backward passes, on wide receivers beyond five yards past the line of scrimmage, on kickers until they are five yards past the line of scrimmage, and by backs beyond three yards past the line of scrimmage.
Adding an automatic first down to defensive penalties for spearing, blows to the head or helmet, or kicking an opponent.
Fouls committed by the receiving team during punts and kickoffs after the ball crosses the line of scrimmage result in enforcement from the spot of the foul, not from the previous spot and a re-kick as was previously the case.
Eliminating offsetting penalties when a dead-ball foul is involved.
Conference and program changes [ ]
This season the total number of Division I-A teams grew by 1 to 139 with the addition of East Tennessee State as a member of the Southern Conference .
School
1978 Conference
1979 Conference
East Tennessee State Buccaneers
Ohio Valley (I-AA)
Southern (I-A)
Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors
Independent
WAC
While Georgia Tech joined the ACC in non-football sports, the Yellow Jackets would not join ACC football until 1983.
Conference standings [ ]
1979 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
NC State $
5
–
1
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Clemson
4
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Maryland
4
–
2
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Wake Forest
3
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
No. 15 North Carolina
3
–
3
–
0
8
–
3
–
1
Virginia
1
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Duke
0
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
1
Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 3 Oklahoma $
7
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
No. 9 Nebraska
6
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
Oklahoma State
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Missouri
3
–
4
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Colorado
2
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Iowa State
2
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Kansas
2
–
5
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Kansas State
1
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 4 Ohio State $
8
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
No. 10 Purdue
7
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 18 Michigan
6
–
2
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
No. 19 Indiana
5
–
3
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Iowa
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Minnesota
3
–
5
–
1
4
–
6
–
1
Michigan State
3
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Wisconsin
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Illinois
1
–
6
–
1
2
–
8
–
1
Northwestern
0
–
9
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Ivy League football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Yale $
6
–
1
–
0
8
–
1
–
0
Brown
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Princeton
5
–
2
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Cornell
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
4
–
0
Dartmouth
4
–
3
–
0
4
–
4
–
1
Harvard
3
–
4
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
Columbia
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
8
–
0
Penn
0
–
7
–
0
0
–
9
–
0
1979 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Central Michigan $
8
–
0
–
1
10
–
0
–
1
Toledo
7
–
1
–
1
7
–
3
–
1
Western Michigan
5
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Ball State
4
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Ohio
4
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Northern Illinois
3
–
3
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Miami
3
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Bowling Green
3
–
5
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Eastern Michigan
1
–
6
–
1
2
–
8
–
1
Kent State
1
–
8
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
1979 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
West Texas State $
5
–
0
–
0
5
–
5
–
1
Southern Illinois
4
–
1
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
Indiana State
3
–
2
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
Drake
1
–
4
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
New Mexico State
1
–
5
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Wichita State
1
–
5
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Tulsa
–
6
–
5
–
0
$ – Conference champion Tulsa was ineligible for MVC title
1979 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Utah State $
5
–
0
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
Long Beach State
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Fresno State
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Cal State Fullerton
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
San Jose State
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Pacific (CA)
0
–
5
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
$ – Conference champion Records adjusted for San Jose State forfeits
1979 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 2 USC $
6
–
0
–
1
11
–
0
–
1
No. 11 Washington
5
–
2
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Arizona
4
–
3
–
0
6
���
5
–
1
Oregon
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
California
5
–
4
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Stanford
3
–
3
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Arizona State †
3
–
4
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
UCLA
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Washington State
2
–
6
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Oregon State
1
–
7
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
$ – Conference champion † – Arizona State later forfeited 5 wins (3 in conference) due to NCAA sanctions[2] Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 1 Alabama $
6
–
0
–
0
12
–
0
–
0
Georgia
5
–
1
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
No. 16 Auburn
4
–
2
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
LSU
4
–
2
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Tennessee
3
–
3
–
0
7
–
5
–
0
Kentucky
3
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Ole Miss
3
–
3
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Mississippi State
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Vanderbilt
0
–
6
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Florida
0
–
6
–
0
0
–
10
–
1
Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Southern Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
Chattanooga $
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
VMI
4
–
1
–
0
6
–
4
–
1
The Citadel
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Furman
4
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Appalachian State
3
–
4
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
East Tennessee State
2
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Western Carolina
2
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Marshall
0
–
6
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Southland Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
McNeese State $
5
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
Texas–Arlington
4
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
Lamar
3
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
2
Arkansas State
1
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Southwestern Louisiana
1
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Louisiana Tech
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
$ – Conference champion Louisiana Tech record includes one win by forfeit.
1979 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 5 Houston +
7
–
1
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
No. 8 Arkansas +
7
–
1
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 12 Texas
6
–
2
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
No. 14 Baylor
5
–
3
–
0
8
–
4
–
0
Texas A&M
4
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
SMU
3
–
5
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Texas Tech
2
–
5
–
1
3
–
6
–
2
TCU
1
–
6
–
1
2
–
8
–
1
Rice
0
–
8
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll
1979 Western Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 13 BYU $
7
–
0
–
0
11
–
1
–
0
Utah
5
–
2
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
San Diego State
4
–
2
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
Hawaii
3
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
New Mexico
3
–
4
–
0
6
–
6
–
0
Colorado State
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
1
Wyoming
2
–
5
–
0
4
–
8
–
0
UTEP
0
–
7
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
1979 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 6 Florida State
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
No. 7 Pittsburgh
–
–
11
–
1
–
0
UNLV
–
–
9
–
1
–
2
No. 17 Temple
–
–
10
–
2
–
0
Tulane
–
–
9
–
3
–
0
Rutgers
–
–
8
–
3
–
0
East Carolina
–
–
7
–
3
–
1
No. 20 Penn State
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
South Carolina
–
–
8
–
4
–
0
Navy
–
–
7
–
4
–
0
Notre Dame
–
–
7
–
4
–
0
Southern Miss
–
–
6
–
4
–
1
Syracuse
–
–
7
–
5
–
0
Colgate
–
–
5
–
4
–
1
Boston College
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Holy Cross
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Memphis State
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Miami (FL)
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
North Texas State
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Villanova
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Virginia Tech
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
West Virginia
–
–
5
–
6
–
0
Georgia Tech
–
–
4
–
6
–
1
Louisville
–
–
4
–
6
–
1
William & Mary
–
–
4
–
7
–
0
Illinois State
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Northeast Louisiana
–
–
3
–
8
–
0
Army
–
–
2
–
8
–
1
Air Force
–
–
2
–
9
–
0
Cincinnati
–
–
2
–
9
–
0
Richmond
–
–
0
–
11
–
0
Rankings from AP Poll
No. 1 and No. 2 progress [ ]
WEEKS
No. 1
No. 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
Notable rivalry games [ ]
Alabama 25, Auburn 18
Oklahoma 17, Nebraska 14
Ohio State 18, Michigan 15
Navy 31, Army 7
Texas 16, Oklahoma 7
Arkansas 17, Texas 14
Texas A&M 13, Texas 7
Tulane 24, LSU 13
USC 42, Notre Dame 23
USC 49, UCLA 14
California 21, Stanford 14
Pittsburgh 29, Penn State 14
Bowl games [ ]
Rose Bowl
No. 3 USC
17
No. 1 Ohio State
16
Sugar Bowl
No. 2 Alabama
24
No. 6 Arkansas
9
Orange Bowl
No. 5 Oklahoma
24
No. 4 Florida State
7
Cotton Bowl
No. 8 Houston
17
No. 7 Nebraska
14
Other Bowls:
Bluebonnet Bowl
No. 12 Purdue
27
Tennessee
22
Peach Bowl
No. 19 Baylor
24
No. 18 Clemson
18
Hall of Fame Classic
Missouri
24
No. 16 South Carolina
14
Gator Bowl
North Carolina
17
No. 14 Michigan
15
Fiesta Bowl
No. 10 Pittsburgh
16
Arizona
10
Sun Bowl
No. 13 Washington
14
No. 11 Texas
7
Liberty Bowl
Penn State
9
No. 15 Tulane
6
Tangerine Bowl
LSU
34
Wake Forest
10
Holiday Bowl
Indiana
38
No. 9 Brigham Young
37
Garden State Bowl
No. 20 Temple
28
California
17
Independence Bowl
Syracuse
31
McNeese State
7
Final AP and UPI rankings [ ]
Rank
AP
UPI
1.
Alabama
Alabama
2.
USC
USC
3.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
4.
Ohio State
Ohio State
5.
Houston
Houston
6.
Florida State
Pittsburgh
7.
Pittsburgh
Nebraska
8.
Arkansas
Florida State
9.
Nebraska
Arkansas
10.
Purdue
Purdue
11.
Washington
Washington
12.
Texas
BYU
13.
BYU
Texas
14.
Baylor
North Carolina
15.
North Carolina
Baylor
16.
Auburn
Indiana
17.
Temple
Temple
18.
Michigan
Penn State
19.
Indiana
Michigan
20.
Penn State
Missouri
Heisman Trophy [ ]
Charles White , TB, USC , 1,695 points
Billy Sims , HB, Oklahoma , 773
Marc Wilson , QB, BYU , 589
Art Schlichter , QB, Ohio State , 251
Vagas Ferguson , TB, Notre Dame , 162
Paul McDonald , QB, USC, 92
George Rogers , TB, South Carolina , 81
Mark Herrmann , QB, Purdue , 54
Ron Simmons , MG, Florida State , 41
Steadman Shealy , QB, Alabama , 32
Schlicter was a sophomore; Rogers and Herrmann were juniors
Source: [3] [4]
Other major awards [ ]
Maxwell (outstanding player) – Charles White, TB, USC
Outland – Jim Ritcher , C, North Carolina State
Camp – Charles White, TB, USC
Lombardi – Brad Budde , G, USC
References [ ]
Pre-NCAA
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NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
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NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III