CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1978 Texas

9–⁠3 (6–⁠2 Southwest Conference), coached by Fred Akers, finished No. 9 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Texas in 1978, game by game: won at Rice 34–0; won vs. Wyoming 17–3; won at Texas Tech 24–7; lost vs. No. 1 Oklahoma 10–31; won vs. North Texas 26–16; won vs. No. 3 Arkansas 28–21; won vs. SMU 22–3; lost vs. No. 8 Houston 7–10; won at TCU 41–0; lost at Baylor 14–38; won vs. Texas A&M 22–7; won vs. No. 13 Maryland 42–0+42−24Won 34–0 at Rice+34RiceWon 17–3 vs. Wyoming+14WyomingWon 24–7 at Texas Tech+17Texas TechLost 10–31 vs. No. 1 Oklahoma-21No. 1 OklahomaWon 26–16 vs. North Texas+10North TexasWon 28–21 vs. No. 3 Arkansas+7No. 3 ArkansasWon 22–3 vs. SMU+19SMULost 7–10 vs. No. 8 Houston-3No. 8 HoustonWon 41–0 at TCU+41TCULost 14–38 at Baylor-24BaylorWon 22–7 vs. Texas A&M+15Texas A&MWon 42–0 vs. No. 13 Maryland+42No. 13 Maryland
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 16atRiceW 34–⁠082%
Sep 23vsWyomingW 17–⁠383%
Sep 30atTexas TechW 24–⁠759%
Oct 7vs1OklahomaL 10–⁠3148%
Oct 14vsNorth TexasW 26–⁠1664%
Oct 21vs3ArkansasW 28–⁠2156%
Oct 28vsSMUW 22–⁠381%
Nov 11vs8HoustonL 7–⁠1063%
Nov 18atTCUW 41–⁠086%
Nov 25atBaylorL 14–⁠3877%
Dec 2vsTexas A&MW 22–⁠765%
Dec 23Bowls & playoffvs13MarylandSun BowlW 42–⁠049%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Maryland 42–⁠0 in the Sun Bowl; No. 9 in the final AP poll; tied for 2nd in the Southwest Conference.

In program history: The 30th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 126 on file).

AP poll, week by week

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

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 1978.

Consensus All-AmericanJohnnie Johnson, S

Record
9–⁠3
Conference
6–⁠2 tied for 2nd in Southwest Conference
AP final
No. 9 peak No. 6
Points
287–⁠136
Coach
Fred Akers
Elo
1707 +52 this season
SP+ rating
26.3 No. 6 of 133; offense No. 20, defense No. 2
SRS
23.3 No. 7 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Leon Manley
Defensive coordinator
Leon Fuller

Drafted in 1979

The 1979 draft
Rd 1Russell Erxleben PNew Orleans Saints

All-Southwest Conference

3 first team, 6 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1978 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1978 Southwest Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Houston7–⁠19–⁠310
Arkansas6–⁠29–⁠2–⁠111
Texas6–⁠29–⁠39
Texas Tech5–⁠37–⁠4
Texas A&M4–⁠48–⁠419
SMU3–⁠54–⁠6–⁠1
Baylor3–⁠53–⁠8
Rice2–⁠62–⁠9
TCU0–⁠82–⁠9

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