Seasons 1978 Bowls & playoff ← Week 15 1978: Bowls & playoff 15 games. Nine ranked teams lost, three to unranked teams. Seven games matched two ranked teams. Winners are listed first; numbers before names are AP ranks going in.
The week in review Ranked against ranked Jan 1, 1979 2 Alabama 14,1 Penn State 7upset Sugar Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 3 USC 17,5 Michigan 10Rose Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 4 Oklahoma 31,6 Nebraska 24Orange Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 10 Notre Dame 35,9 Houston 34upset Cotton Bowl Box score Dec 25, 1978 15 UCLA 10,8 Arkansas 10Fiesta Bowl Box score Dec 23, 1978 14 Texas 42,13 Maryland 0upset Sun Bowl Box score
Upsets Jan 1, 1979 2 Alabama 14,1 Penn State 7upset Sugar Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 10 Notre Dame 35,9 Houston 34upset Cotton Bowl Box score Dec 31, 1978 Stanford 25,11 Georgia 22upset Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl Box score Dec 23, 1978 14 Texas 42,13 Maryland 0upset Sun Bowl Box score Dec 23, 1978 NC State 30,16 Pittsburgh 17upset Tangerine Bowl Box score Dec 20, 1978 Texas A&M 28,19 Iowa State 12upset Hall of Fame Classic Box score
A ranked team beaten as the betting favorite, or, where no line is on file, by an unranked or lower-ranked team.
FBS vs. FBS Dec 16, 1978 Arizona State 34,Rutgers 18Garden State Bowl Box score Dec 16, 1978 East Carolina 35,Louisiana Tech 13Independence Bowl Box score Dec 20, 1978 Texas A&M 28,19 Iowa State 12upset Hall of Fame Classic Box score Dec 22, 1978 Navy 23,BYU 16Holiday Bowl Box score Dec 23, 1978 18 Missouri 20,LSU 15Liberty Bowl Box score Dec 23, 1978 NC State 30,16 Pittsburgh 17upset Tangerine Bowl Box score Dec 23, 1978 14 Texas 42,13 Maryland 0upset Sun Bowl Box score Dec 25, 1978 17 Purdue 41,Georgia Tech 21Peach Bowl Box score Dec 25, 1978 15 UCLA 10,8 Arkansas 10Fiesta Bowl Box score Dec 29, 1978 7 Clemson 17,20 Ohio State 15Gator Bowl Box score Dec 31, 1978 Stanford 25,11 Georgia 22upset Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 2 Alabama 14,1 Penn State 7upset Sugar Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 10 Notre Dame 35,9 Houston 34upset Cotton Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 4 Oklahoma 31,6 Nebraska 24Orange Bowl Box score Jan 1, 1979 3 USC 17,5 Michigan 10Rose Bowl Box score