American college football season
The 1978 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-10 Conference during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season . Led by second-year head coach Bill Walsh , the Cardinals were 7–4 in the regular season (4–3 in Pac-10, tied for fourth) and played their home games on campus at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California . Their four losses were by a combined total of sixteen points.[1]
In the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl on New Year's Eve , Stanford rallied from a 22-point deficit in the second half to defeat #11 Georgia 25–22.[2] [3] and finished with an 8–4 record and a top twenty ranking .[4]
Less than two weeks later, Walsh departed for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers ,[5] and receivers coach Rod Dowhower was promoted.[6] Walsh won three Super Bowls in ten seasons with the Niners, took three years off, and returned to Stanford as head coach in 1992 .
Schedule
Date Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 9 No. 4 Oklahoma * L 29–3558,883
September 16 San Jose State * Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA (rivalry ) W 38–942,500
September 23 at Illinois * W 35–1043,143
September 30 Tulane * No. 20 Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA W 17–1440,111 [7]
October 7 at No. 16 UCLA No. 17 L 26–2754,106
October 14 Washington No. 18 Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA L 31–3458,079
October 21 at Washington State W 43–2727,411
October 28 Oregon State Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA W 24–639,214
November 4 No. 6 USC Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA (rivalry ) L 7–1384,084
November 11 at Arizona State W 21–1451,000
November 18 at California W 30–1077,880
December 31 vs. No. 11 Georgia * Mizlou W 25–2234,084 [8]
*Non-conference game Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game
Personnel
1978 Stanford Cardinal football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
LB
Kevin Bates
LB
Bo Boxold
LB
Steve Budinger
DB
Keith Burcham
LB
Gordy Ceresino
DB
Robby Chapman
DL
Chuck Evans
DL
Dan Floyd
DB
Steve Foley
LB
Tom Hall
LB
Milt McColl
DB
Rick Parker
DB
John Pigott
LB
Terry Rennaker
DL
Doug Rogers
DB
Kent Stalwick
DB
Savann Thompson
DL
Dean Wilson
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
P
Brad Fox
K
Ken Naber
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Awards and honors
All-conference
Two sophomores were named to the All-Pac-10 team, halfback Darrin Nelson and wide receiver Ken Margerum , along with senior linebacker Gordy Ceresino .
NFL draft
Two Cardinals were selected in the 1979 NFL draft .
Source: [10]
References
^ "Nelson has a big Big game at Cal" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1978. p. 4B.
^ "Dils, Cards catch fire" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1979. p. 20.
^ "Georgia tries for a victory, Cards get it" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). UPI. January 1, 1979. p. 1C.
^ "AP's Top 20" . Wilmington Morning Star . (North Carolina). Associated Press. January 4, 1979. p. 1D.
^ "Walsh gets pact worth $1 million from the 49ers" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). UPI. January 10, 1979. p. 1C.
^ "Dowhower wants Stanford exciting" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). UPI. January 10, 1979. p. 3C.
^ "Nelson-paced Cards rally past inspired Tulane" . The Modesto Bee . October 1, 1978. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Stanford steals Georgia's script" . The Berkeley Gazette . January 1, 1979. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Touchdown Club Awards" . www.touchdownclubofcolumbus.com . Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
^ "1978 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com" . Pro-Football-Reference.com . Archived from the original on December 22, 2007.
External links
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture and lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
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