1980 BYU Cougars football team

Schedule

|{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = l |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w |{{CFB schedule entry | w/l = w

Game summaries

San Diego State

• Source: Palm Beach Post

Long Beach State

• BYU: Jim McMahon 339 Yds passing

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 just as dominating, 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

First quarter

• BYU – Eric Lane 1-yard run (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 7–0. Second quarter
• BYU – Jim McMahon 7-yard run (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 14–0.
• BYU – Clay Brown 5-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kurt Gunther kick), 1:47. BYU 21–0. Third quarter
• BYU – Eric Lane 11-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 28–0.
• BYU – Eric Lane 1-yard run (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 35–0.
• BYU – Clay Brown 76-yard pass from Jim McMahon (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 42–0. Fourth quarter
• UTAH – Hilria Johnson 1-yard run (pass failed). BYU 42–6.
• BYU – Steve Carlsen 1-yard run (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 49–6.
• BYU – Scott Pettis 5-yard run (Kurt Gunther kick). BYU 56–6. ;Top passers
• BYU – Jim McMahon – 21/34, 399 yards, 3 TD, INT
• UTAH – Ricky Hardin – 19/31, 258 yards, 2 INT ;Top rushers
• BYU – Scott Pettis – 4 rushes, 81 yards, TD
• UTAH – Tony Lindsay – 22 rushes, 93 yards ;Top receivers
• BYU – Clay Brown – 5 receptions, 184 yards, 2 TD
• UTAH – James Teahan – 7 receptions, 92 yards 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).

Holiday Bowl

SMU vs. BYU

Personnel

• Norm Chow (WR)
• Dick Felt (DB)
• Roger French (OL)
• Garth Hall (RB)
• Mel Olsen (JV)
• Tom Ramage (DL)
• Doug Scovil (OC/QB)
• Fred Whittingham (LB)

References

References

1. (September 7, 1980). "Heartbreak! Lobos ambush Cougars". The Daily Herald.
2. (September 14, 1980). "McMahon, BYU whip San Diego State". Wisconsin State Journal.
3. (September 21, 1980). "Brigham Young bounces Badgers". The La Crosse Tribune.
4. (September 28, 1980). "Cougars club 49ers". The Salt Lake Tribune.
5. (October 12, 1980). "BYU buries Pokes, 52–17". The Billings Gazette.
6. (October 19, 1980). "BYU scores 70, and gives up 46". The Los Angeles Times.
7. (October 27, 1980). "Gutsy McMahon, defense stop Bows". The Daily Herald.
8. (November 2, 1980). "Cougars blast hapless Miners". The Salt Lake Tribune.
9. (November 9, 1980). "McMahon outsoars Eagles with 40-50 – 464 and 3 TDs". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
10. (November 16, 1980). "BYU strikes quickly to top Colorado St.". The Idaho Statesman.
11. (November 23, 1980). "Cougars storm past Utes, 56–6 for title". The Daily Herald.
12. (November 30, 1980). "BYU clobbers Nev.–Las Vegas". South Idaho Press.
13. (December 20, 1980). "Last-play TD lifts BYU to 46–45 Holiday victory". The Arizona Republic.
14. "1980 Brigham Young Cougars Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC.
15. Palm Beach Post. 1980 Sept 29.
16. "Y. football stock up again." ''The Deseret News''. Bill Ewer. 13 Oct 1980.
17. "Brigham Young Crushes Utah." ''Ocala Star-Banner''. 1980 Nov 23
18. "BYU breezes." Eugene Register-Guard. 1980 Nov 23.
19. [http://www.mmbolding.com/bowls/Holiday_1980.htm My Favorite Bowl Games.] {{Webarchive. link. (2013-03-09 Retrieved December 26, 2012.)
20. [http://cougarstats.com/games.php?show=details&game_id=397 CougarStats.] Retrieved December 26, 2012