1968 San Diego State Aztecs football team
American college football season
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The 1968 San Diego State Aztecs football team represented San Diego State College[note 1] during the 1968 NCAA College Division football season.
| 1968 San Diego State Aztecs football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 1 (UPI small college) |
| AP | No. 2 (AP small college) |
| Record | 9–0–1 |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Rod Dowhower (1st season) |
| Home stadium | San Diego Stadium |
This was San Diego State's last year in the College Division of the NCAA. They had been a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) for the previous 29 years, but competed as an Independent during the 1968 season. The team was led by head coach Don Coryell, in his eighth year, and played their home games at San Diego Stadium[note 2] in San Diego, California.
The team finished the season undefeated for the second time under Coach Coryell, with nine wins, zero losses, and one tie (9–0–1). At the end of the season, the Aztecs were voted the College Division national champion for the third consecutive year in the UPI small college football rankings and No. 2 in the AP small college football rankings.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 14 | UT Arlington* | W 23–18 | 35,227 | [1] | ||
| September 20 | Northern Illinois* |
| W 40–21 | 30,560 | [2] | |
| September 28 | at Montana State* | No. 1 |
| W 34–22 | 9,000 | [3] |
| October 12 | Texas Southern* | No. 1 |
| W 42–23 | 38,305 | [4] |
| October 19 | Cal State Los Angeles* | No. 1 |
| W 37–14 | 44,169 | [5] |
| October 26 | San Jose State* | No. 1 |
| W 48–6 | 34,641 | [6] |
| November 2 | Fresno State* | No. 1 |
| W 42–12 | 24,387 | [7] |
| November 9 | Southern Miss* | No. 1 |
| W 68–7 | 43,766 | [8] |
| November 23 | Tennessee State* | No. 1 |
| T 13–13 | 37,713 | [9] |
| November 30 | Utah State* | No. 2 |
| W 30–19 | 37,425 | [10] |
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Roster
| 1968 San Diego State Aztecs football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Team players in the NFL/AFL
The following San Diego State players were selected in the 1969 NFL/AFL draft.[12]
| Player | Position | Round | Overall | NFL team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Dryer | Defensive end | 1 | 13 | New York Giants |
| Lloyd Edwards | Tight end | 3 | 75 | Oakland Raiders |
| Tom Nettles | Flanker | 7 | 179 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Doug Fisher | Linebacker | 12 | 290 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
The following finished their college career in 1968, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.[13]
| Player | Position | First NFL Team |
|---|---|---|
| Clancy Oliver | Defensive back | 1969 Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Nate Wright | Defensive back | 1969 Atlanta Falcons |
Team awards
| Award | Player |
|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player (John Simcox Memorial Trophy) | Tom Nettles |
| Outstanding Offensive & Defensive Linemen (Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy) | Larry Findley, Off Fred Dryer, Def |
| Team captains Dr. R. Hardy / C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy | Dennis Shaw, Off Mike Meagher, Def |
| Most Inspirational Player | Mike Meagher |
Notes
- San Diego State University was known as San Diego State College from 1935 to 1971.
- San Diego County Credit Union Stadium (SDCCU Stadium) was known as San Diego Stadium from its opening in 1967 through 1980.
