1980 BYU Cougars football team
American college football season
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The 1980 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University (BYU) for the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars were led by ninth-year head coach LaVell Edwards and played their home games at Cougar Stadium in Provo, Utah. The team competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference, winning their fifth consecutive conference title with a conference record of 6–1. After a season-opening loss to New Mexico, BYU ended on a 12-game winning streak, including a victory over SMU in the 1980 Holiday Bowl, finishing 12–1 overall and ranked 12th in the final AP Poll. The Cougars' offense scored 606 points during the season for an average of 46.6 points per game. They scored over 50 points in a game five times, including two games scoring over 70 points.
| 1980 BYU Cougars football | |
|---|---|
WAC champion Holiday Bowl champion | |
Holiday Bowl, W 46–45 vs. SMU | |
| Conference | Western Athletic Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 11 |
| AP | No. 12 |
| Record | 12–1 (6–1 WAC) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Doug Scovil (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | West Coast |
| Defensive coordinator | Fred Whittingham (2nd season) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Home stadium | Cougar Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 BYU $ | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colorado State | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hawaii | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wyoming | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Diego State | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Mexico | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Air Force | 1 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UTEP | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 11 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6 | at New Mexico | L 21–25 | 16,840 | [1] | |||
| September 13 | San Diego State | ABC | W 35–11 | 36,178 | [2] | ||
| September 20 | at Wisconsin* | KBYU | W 28–3 | 71,496 | [3] | ||
| September 27 | Long Beach State* |
| W 41–25 | 37,152 | [4] | ||
| October 11 | Wyoming |
| W 52–17 | 41,296 | [5] | ||
| October 18 | at Utah State* | ABC | W 70–46 | 23,230 | [6] | ||
| October 25 | at Hawaii | No. 19 | W 34–7 | 49,139 | [7] | ||
| November 1 | UTEP | No. 17 |
| W 83–7 | 36,251 | [8] | |
| November 8 | North Texas State* | No. 13 |
| W 41–23 | 36,583 | [9] | |
| November 15 | Colorado State | No. 13 |
| W 45–14 | 40,515 | [10] | |
| November 22 | at Utah | No. 13 | W 56–6 | 30,520 | [11] | ||
| November 29 | at UNLV* | No. 12 | W 54–14 | 31,406 | [12] | ||
| December 19 | vs. No. 19 SMU* | No. 14 | Mizlou | W 46–45 | 50,200 | [13] | |
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Game summaries
San Diego State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego St | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
| • BYU | 7 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
- Date: Saturday, September 13
- Location: Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah
- Game attendance: 36,178
- Source: Palm Beach Post
| 1 | BYU | Brown 17-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 7-0 | |
| 2 | SDSU | Corral 47-yard field goal | BYU 7-3 | |
| 2 | BYU | Phillips 17-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 14-3 | |
| 2 | BYU | Davis 15-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 21-3 | |
| 3 | BYU | Lacey 12-yard blocked punt return (Gunther kick) | BYU 28-3 | |
| 3 | BYU | Brown 80-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 35-3 | |
| 4 | SDSU | Kofler 4-yard run (Corral kick) | BYU 35-11 | |
Long Beach State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Beach St | 0 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 25 |
| • BYU | 21 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 41 |
- Date: Saturday, September 28
- Location: Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah
- Game attendance: 37,152
| 1 | BYU | Lane 5-yard run (Gunther kick) | BYU 7-0 | |
| 1 | BYU | Jones 20-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 14-0 | |
| 1 | BYU | Braga 28-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 21-0 | |
| 2 | LBS | Duddridge 25-yard pass from Starkey (run failed) | BYU 21-6 | |
| 2 | BYU | Davis 2-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick) | BYU 28-6 | |
| 3 | LBS | Wilson 1-yard run (pass failed) | BYU 28-12 | |
| 3 | LBS | Wilson 1-yard run (Petrosian kick) | BYU 28-19 | |
| 4 | BYU | Lane 1-yard run (Gunther kick) | BYU 35-19 | |
| 4 | BYU | Lane 13-yard pass from McMahon (kick failed) | BYU 41-19 | |
| 4 | LBS | Johnson 12-yard pass from Starkey (pass failed) | BYU 41-25 | |
- BYU: Jim McMahon 339 Yds passing [15]
Wyoming
Wyoming came into the contest with a wishbone attack that was fourth in the nation in rushing and sixth in total offense at 450 yards per game while BYU featured the nation's second best passing squad behind Jim McMahon, the best statistical passer in the country.
McMahon finished 22 of 31 for 408 yards and four touchdowns, his fourth straight game over 300 yards to keep his number one ranking. Wyoming attempted to rush seven and eight at McMahon but the offensive line and backs, normally featured in the passing game, did a superb job blocking. McMahon was never sacked as Nick Eyre, Lloyd Eldredge, Bart Oates, Calvin Close and Ray Linford dominated the line of scrimmage for the Cougars.
With the Cowboys committing to the pass rush, McMahon threw at will to targets Dan Plater (8 receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown), Lloyd Jones (5/120, TD), Bill Davis (7/143, TD) and Clay Brown (2/61, TD), who faced one-on-one coverage and exploit this advantage.
Meanwhile, BYU's defense was also strong, consistently getting into the Wyoming backfield and limiting the wishbone options for a team that came in averaging 323 yards on the ground. With the defensive line of Glen Titensor, Mike Morgan, Chuck Ehin, Pulusila Filiaga and Brad Anae shutting down the run, all the likes of Glen Redd, Kyle Whittingham, Bob Prested and Ed St. Pierre had to do was clean up.
The game was decided in the first quarter as BYU scored on two of its first three possessions and Wyoming gained 30 yards rushing in four. By halftime, BYU led 17-3 and the Cowboys had only increased their rushing total to 42.
"I've never seen a team compare with BYU throwing the football and I don't believe we've seen anyone physically as tough. BYU is much stronger than we are", Wyoming head coach Pat Dye said.
Dye continued, "McMahon is a great quarterback. We knew the four-man rush wouldn't get to them, so we tried different things. Today, a four-man rush or a seven-man rush didn't make any difference."
At Utah
at Rice Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Date: November 22, 1980
- Game weather: Light rain, 42 °F (6 °C)
- Game attendance: 30,520
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
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BYU clinched its third straight Holiday Bowl berth and its fifth straight Western Athletic Conference title with the victory over their in-state rivals. Jim McMahon completed 21 of 34 passes for 399 yards, an NCAA record tenth straight game over 300 yards passing. McMahon also broke San Diego State's Dennis Shaw's 1969 single-season touchdown pass record of 39 with his first scoring toss and later surpassed Shaw for most total touchdowns in a single season (45). [17] [18]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 1980 BYU at Utah – Highlights |
Holiday Bowl
SMU vs. BYU
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMU | 19 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 45 |
| • BYU | 7 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 46 |
- Date: December 19
- Location: Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California
- Game attendance: 50,200
| 1 | SMU | Eric Dickerson 15-yard run (Eddie Garcia kick) | SMU 7-0 | |
| 1 | SMU | Craig James 45-yard run (Eddie Garcia kick) | SMU 14-0 | |
| 1 | SMU | Safety, centered out of end zone | SMU 16-0 | |
| 1 | SMU | Eddie Garcia 42-yard field goal | SMU 19-0 | |
| 1 | BYU | Clay Brown 64-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kurt Gunther kick) | SMU 19-7 | |
| 2 | SMU | Craig James 3-yard pass from Lance McIlhenny (Eddie Garcia kick) | SMU 26-7 | |
| 2 | SMU | Eddie Garcia 44-yard field goal | SMU 29-7 | |
| 2 | BYU | Vai Sikahema 83-yard punt return (pass failed) | SMU 29-13 | |
| 3 | SMU | Eric Dickerson 1-yard run (pass failed) | SMU 35-13 | |
| 3 | BYU | Clay Brown 13-yard pass from Jim McMahon (pass failed) | SMU 35-19 | |
| 3 | SMU | Eddie Garcia 42-yard field goal | SMU 38-19 | |
| 4 | BYU | Scott Phillips 1-yard run (pass failed) | SMU 38-25 | |
| 4 | SMU | Craig James 42-yard run (Eddie Garcia kick) | SMU 45-25 | |
| 4 | BYU | Matt Braga 15-yard pass from Jim McMahon (pass failed) | SMU 45-31 | |
| 4 | BYU | Scott Phillips 1-yard run (Scott Phillips pass from Jim McMahon) | SMU 45-39 | |
| 4 | :00 | BYU | Clay Brown 41-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kurt Gunther kick) | BYU 46-45 |
Personnel
| 1980 BYU Cougars 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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