CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1978 Utah

8–⁠3 (4–⁠2 Western Athletic Conference), coached by Wayne Howard.

Schedule and results

Utah in 1978, game by game: won vs. Idaho State 56–0; lost at Houston 25–42; won vs. Colorado State 30–6; won at Iowa 13–9; won vs. Weber State 30–7; lost at Wyoming 21–34; lost vs. New Mexico 12–24; won at UTEP 38–0; won vs. BYU 23–22; won at Utah State 23–20; won at San Diego State 20–18+56−17Won 56–0 vs. Idaho State+56Idaho StateLost 25–42 at Houston-17HoustonWon 30–6 vs. Colorado State+24Colorado StateWon 13–9 at Iowa+4IowaWon 30–7 vs. Weber State+23Weber StateLost 21–34 at Wyoming-13WyomingLost 12–24 vs. New Mexico-12New MexicoWon 38–0 at UTEP+38UTEPWon 23–22 vs. BYU+1BYUWon 23–20 at Utah State+3Utah StateWon 20–18 at San Diego State+2San Diego State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 9vsIdaho StateW 56–⁠085%
Sep 23atHoustonL 25–⁠4226%
Sep 30vsColorado StateW 30–⁠641%
Oct 7atIowaW 13–⁠943%
Oct 14vsWeber StateW 30–⁠790%
Oct 21atWyomingL 21–⁠3444%
Nov 4vsNew MexicoL 12–⁠2450%
Nov 11atUTEPW 38–⁠064%
Nov 18vsBYUW 23–⁠2231%
Nov 25atUtah StateW 23–⁠2040%
Dec 2atSan Diego StateW 20–⁠1833%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat San Diego State 20–⁠18; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 2nd in the Western Athletic Conference.

In program history: The 99th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 125 on file).

Record
8–⁠3
Conference
4–⁠2 tied for 2nd in Western Athletic Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
291–⁠182
Coach
Wayne Howard
Elo
1472 +80 this season
SP+ rating
7.1 No. 54 of 133; offense No. 42, defense No. 61
SRS
5.1 No. 49 of 138 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Ron McBride
Defensive coordinator
Tom Gadd

1978 Western Athletic Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
BYU5–⁠19–⁠4
Utah4–⁠28–⁠3
Wyoming4–⁠25–⁠7
New Mexico3–⁠37–⁠5
Colorado State2–⁠45–⁠6
San Diego State2–⁠44–⁠7
UTEP1–⁠51–⁠11

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