CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1980 BYU

12–⁠1 (6–⁠1 Western Athletic Conference), coached by LaVell Edwards, finished No. 12 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

BYU in 1980, game by game: lost at New Mexico 21–25; won vs. San Diego State 35–11; won at Wisconsin 28–3; won vs. Long Beach State 41–25; won vs. Wyoming 52–17; won at Utah State 70–46; won at Hawai’i 34–7; won vs. UTEP 83–7; won vs. North Texas 41–23; won vs. Colorado State 45–14; won at Utah 56–6; won at UNLV 54–14; won vs. No. 19 SMU 46–45+76−4Lost 21–25 at New Mexico-4New MexicoWon 35–11 vs. San Diego State+24San Diego StateWon 28–3 at Wisconsin+25WisconsinWon 41–25 vs. Long Beach State+16Long Beach StateWon 52–17 vs. Wyoming+35WyomingWon 70–46 at Utah State+24Utah StateWon 34–7 at Hawai’i+27Hawai’iWon 83–7 vs. UTEP+76UTEPWon 41–23 vs. North Texas+18North TexasWon 45–14 vs. Colorado State+31Colorado StateWon 56–6 at Utah+50UtahWon 54–14 at UNLV+40UNLVWon 46–45 vs. No. 19 SMU+1No. 19 SMU
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 6atNew MexicoL 21–⁠2566%
Sep 13vsSan Diego StateW 35–⁠1170%
Sep 20atWisconsinW 28–⁠370%
Sep 27vsLong Beach StateW 41–⁠2583%
Oct 11vsWyomingW 52–⁠1781%
Oct 18atUtah StateW 70–⁠4668%
Oct 25atHawai’iW 34–⁠774%
Nov 1vsUTEPW 83–⁠794%
Nov 8vsNorth TexasW 41–⁠2380%
Nov 15vsColorado StateW 45–⁠1486%
Nov 22atUtahW 56–⁠673%
Nov 29atUNLVW 54–⁠1469%
Dec 19Bowls & playoffvs19SMUHoliday BowlW 46–⁠4571%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat SMU 46–⁠45 in the Holiday Bowl; No. 12 in the final AP poll; Western Athletic Conference champions.

In program history: The 2nd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 102 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 8: 19
  2. Wk 9: 17
  3. Wk 10: 13
  4. Wk 11: 13
  5. Wk 12: 13
  6. Wk 13: 12
  7. Wk 14: 13
  8. Wk 15: 14
  9. Final: 12

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1980.

Western Athletic Conference champions6–⁠1 in the conference

Heisman voteJim McMahon, fifth

Led the nationJim McMahon: passing yards (4,571 yds), passing touchdowns (47 TD), passer rating (176.9), total offense (4,627 yds), total offense per game (385.6); Clay Brown: receiving touchdowns (15 TD)

Consensus All-AmericanNick Eyre, OT

Record
12–⁠1
Conference
6–⁠1 first in Western Athletic Conference
AP final
No. 12 peak No. 12
Points
606–⁠243
Coach
LaVell Edwards
Elo
1792 +137 this season
SP+ rating
28.2 No. 6 of 133; offense No. 1, defense No. 80
SRS
21.8 No. 7 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Doug Scovil
Defensive coordinator
Fred Whittingham
Offense
West Coast
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1981

The 1981 draft
Rd 2Clay Brown TEDenver Broncos
Rd 3Glen Titensor DEDallas Cowboys
Rd 4Scott Phillips WRSeattle Seahawks
Rd 4Nick Eyre OTHouston Oilers
Rd 6Glen Redd LBNew Orleans Saints

1980 Western Athletic Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
BYU6–⁠112–⁠112
Colorado State5–⁠1–⁠16–⁠4–⁠1
Wyoming4–⁠46–⁠5
San Diego State4–⁠44–⁠8
Hawai’i3–⁠38–⁠3
New Mexico3–⁠44–⁠7
Utah2–⁠3–⁠15–⁠5–⁠1
Air Force1–⁠32–⁠9–⁠1
UTEP1–⁠61–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.