CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1978 Tulsa

9–⁠2 (3–⁠1 Missouri Valley Conference), coached by John Cooper.

Schedule and results

Tulsa in 1978, game by game: won vs. Arkansas State 21–20; won at Virginia Tech 35–33; won vs. Louisiana 10–3; won vs. Kansas State 24–14; lost at No. 2 Arkansas 13–21; won vs. Louisville 24–7; lost at New Mexico State 20–23; won at Cincinnati 27–26; won vs. Drake 44–20; won vs. West Texas 44–23; won at Wichita State 27–13+24−8Won 21–20 vs. Arkansas State+1Arkansas StateWon 35–33 at Virginia Tech+2Virginia TechWon 10–3 vs. Louisiana+7LouisianaWon 24–14 vs. Kansas State+10Kansas StateLost 13–21 at No. 2 Arkansas-8No. 2 ArkansasWon 24–7 vs. Louisville+17LouisvilleLost 20–23 at New Mexico State-3New Mexico StateWon 27–26 at Cincinnati+1CincinnatiWon 44–20 vs. Drake+24DrakeWon 44–23 vs. West Texas+21West TexasWon 27–13 at Wichita State+14Wichita State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsArkansas StateW 21–⁠2051%
Sep 9atVirginia TechW 35–⁠3334%
Sep 16vsLouisianaW 10–⁠355%
Sep 23vsKansas StateW 24–⁠1473%
Sep 30at2ArkansasL 13–⁠2117%
Oct 7vsLouisvilleW 24–⁠750%
Oct 14atNew Mexico StateL 20–⁠2359%
Oct 21atCincinnatiW 27–⁠2645%
Oct 28vsDrakeW 44–⁠2074%
Nov 4vsWest TexasW 44–⁠2366%
Nov 11atWichita StateW 27–⁠1361%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Wichita State 27–⁠13; unranked in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Missouri Valley Conference.

In program history: The tied 35th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 111 on file).

Record
9–⁠2
Conference
3–⁠1 2nd in Missouri Valley Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
289–⁠203
Coach
John Cooper
Elo
1533 +122 this season
SP+ rating
7.7 No. 48 of 133; offense No. 33, defense No. 72
SRS
2.5 No. 59 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—

Drafted in 1979

The 1979 draft
Rd 2Rickey Watts WRChicago Bears
Rd 4Eddie Hare PNew England Patriots

1978 Missouri Valley Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
New Mexico State5–⁠16–⁠5
Tulsa3–⁠19–⁠2
Southern Illinois3–⁠27–⁠4
Drake3–⁠34–⁠7
Indiana State2–⁠33–⁠8
Wichita State2–⁠44–⁠7
West Texas1–⁠53–⁠8

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