1970 Texas Longhorns football team explained

Year:	1970
Team:	Texas Longhorns
Sport:	football
Conference:	Southwest Conference
Short Conf:	SWC
Coachrank:	1
Aprank:	3
Record:	10–1
Conf Record:	7–0
Head Coach:	Darrell Royal
Hc Year:	14th
Off Coach:	Emory Bellard
Off Scheme:	Wishbone
Def Coach:	Mike Campbell
Def Scheme:	4–4
Stadium:	Memorial Stadium
Champion:	Coaches' Poll national champion NFF co-national champion SWC champion
Bowl:	Cotton Bowl Classic
Bowl Result:	L 11–24 vs. Notre Dame

The 1970 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. The Longhorns shared the national championship with Nebraska, their third national championship overall.^[1] Texas had previously won consensus national titles in 1963 and 1969.

Utilizing a wishbone option offense, the defending national champion Longhorns won all ten regular season games to extend their winning streak to thirty games. They were again awarded the UPI (coaches) national title, released prior to the bowl games in early December.^[2]

On New Year's Day 1971, Texas had a rematch with Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park in Dallas. This time, the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish won 24–11, denying top-ranked Texas a third straight Cotton Bowl victory and consecutive consensus national championship.^[3] ^[4]

Later that day, second-ranked Ohio State lost to #12 Stanford in the Rose Bowl. That night, third-ranked Nebraska defeated in the Orange Bowl to give the unbeaten Huskers the post-bowl AP national championship.^[3] Through the 1973 season, the final UPI coaches poll was released prior to the bowl games. (In December 1973, UPI champion Alabama also lost their bowl game.)

Rankings

See main article: 1970 NCAA University Division football rankings.

Game summaries

Vs. California

Statistics	CAL	TEX
First downs	21	29
Total yards	356	556
Rushes/yards	41/116	62/443
Passing yards	240	113
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	16–30–3	7–18–0
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
California	Passing	TEAM	16–30, 240 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	41 car, 116 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	TEAM	16 rec, 240 yards, 1 TD
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	3–10, 44 yards
Rushing	Eddie Phillips	9 car, 129 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	Dan Steakley	2 rec, 43 yards

At Texas Tech

Statistics	TEX	TTU
First downs	29	13
Total yards	522	241
Rushes/yards	76/432	49/190
Passing yards	90	51
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	6–15–2	4–14–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	6–15, 90 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing	Eddie Phillips	18 car, 127 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Charles Spreyer	3 rec, 56 yards
Texas Tech	Passing	TEAM	4–14, 51 yards, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	49 car, 190 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	TEAM	4 rec, 51 yards

Vs. UCLA

Statistics	UCLA	TEX
First downs	21	23
Total yards	407	337
Rushes/yards	40/67	65/235
Passing yards	340	102
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	19–30–1	6–15–0
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UCLA	Passing	TEAM	19–30, 340 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	40 car, 67 yards
Receiving	TEAM	19 rec, 340 yards, 2 TDs
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	6–15, 102 yards, 1 TD
Rushing	Steve Worster	19 car, 106 yards
Receiving	Charles Spreyer	4 rec, 77 yards, 1 TD

Vs. Oklahoma

Statistics	TEX	OU
First downs	18	16
Total yards	335	222
Rushes/yards	66/310	63/212
Passing yards	25	10
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	3–7–0	3–11–2
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	3–6, 25 yards, 1 TD
Rushing	Steve Worster	17 car, 81 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Charles Spreyer	1 rec, 10 yards
Oklahoma	Passing	TEAM	3–11, 10 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	63 car, 218 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	TEAM	3 rec, 10 yards

At Rice

Statistics	TEX	RICE
First downs	31	10
Total yards	562	130
Rushes/yards	85/500	34/52
Passing yards	62	78
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	4–10–1	7–14–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	2–5, 30 yards
Rushing	Steve Worster	23 car, 170 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Deryl Comer	3 rec, 38 yards
Rice	Passing	TEAM	7–14, 78 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	34 car, 52 yards
Receiving	TEAM	7 rec, 78 yards, 1 TD

Vs. SMU

Statistics	SMU	TEX
First downs	22	27
Total yards	456	532
Rushes/yards	28/44	70/430
Passing yards	412	102
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	32–49–2	6–9–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
SMU	Passing	TEAM	32–49, 412 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	28 car, 44 yards
Receiving	TEAM	32 rec, 412 yards, 2 TDs
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	5–5, 87 yards
Rushing	Steve Worster	25 car, 144 yards, 4 TDs
Receiving	Danny Lester	5 rec, 87 yards

At Baylor

Statistics	TEX	BAY
First downs	17	15
Total yards	309	262
Rushes/yards	66/244	50/148
Passing yards	65	114
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	3–9–0	6–18–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	3–9, 65 yards
Rushing	Steve Worster	23 car, 97 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	Danny Lester	2 rec, 53 yards
Baylor	Passing	TEAM	6–18, 114 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	50 car, 148 yards
Receiving	TEAM	6 rec, 114 yards, 1 TD

At TCU

Statistics	TEX	TCU
First downs	20	13
Total yards	408	220
Rushes/yards	61/301	47/140
Passing yards	107	80
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	7–16–0	9–24–2
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	4–12, 58 yards
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	14 car, 92 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving	Danny Lester	4 rec, 58 yards
TCU	Passing	TEAM	9–24, 80 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	47 car, 140 yards
Receiving	TEAM	9 rec, 80 yards

Vs. Texas A&M

Statistics	TAMU	TEX
First downs	15	27
Total yards	358	603
Rushes/yards	43/186	74/386
Passing yards	172	217
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	10–22–1	8–21–2
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas A&M	Passing	TEAM	10–22, 172 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	43 car, 186 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	TEAM	10 rec, 172 yards, 1 TD
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	5–16, 148 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing	Steve Fleming	8 car, 84 yards
Receiving	Danny Lester	5 rec, 148 yards, 2 TDs

Vs. Arkansas

Statistics	ARK	TEX
First downs	13	29
Total yards	165	517
Rushes/yards	24/20	90/464
Passing yards	145	53
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	11–27–3	3–5–0
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Arkansas	Passing	TEAM	11–27, 145 yards, 3 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	24 car, 20 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	TEAM	11 rec, 145 yards
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	2–3, 46 yards
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	30 car, 189 yards, 3 TDs
Receiving	Jim Bertelsen	1 rec, 27 yards

Vs. Notre Dame (Cotton Bowl)

Statistics	ND	TEX
First downs	16	20
Total yards	359	426
Rushes/yards	52/146	55/216
Passing yards	213	240
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	10–19–1	10–27–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Notre Dame	Passing		9–16, 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Cieszkowski	13 car, 52 yards
Receiving	Yoder	2 rec, 96 yards
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	9–17, 199 yards
Rushing	Eddie Phillips	23 car, 164 yards
Receiving	Deryl Comer	4 rec, 67 yards

Awards and honors

Bobby Wuensch, tackle, Consensus All-American^[5]
Steve Worster, back, Consensus All-American^[5]
Bill Atessis, defensive end, Consensus All-American^[5]

NFL Draft

Nine seniors from the 1970 Longhorns were selected in the 1971 NFL draft:^[6]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
		2	38	Washington Redskins
Bill Atessis		2	52	Baltimore Colts
Happy Feller		4	83	Philadelphia Eagles
		4	84	New York Jets
		4	90	Los Angeles Rams
Scott Palmer		7	162	New York Jets
Bobby Wuensch		12	294	Baltimore Colts
Danny Lester		13	317	Philadelphia Eagles
Deryl Comer		14	345	Atlanta Falcons

Two juniors from the 1970 Longhorns were selected in the 1972 NFL draft:^[7]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Jim Bertelsen		2	30	Los Angeles Rams
		4	95	Los Angeles Rams

One sophomore from the 1970 Longhorns was selected in the 1973 NFL draft:^[8]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Jerry Sisemore		1	3	Philadelphia Eagles

Notes and References

Web site: UT Longhorns 1970 Championship Season. Texas Archive of the Moving Image. November 12, 2019.
News: Texas first in final UPI poll . Reading Eagle . Pennsylvania. UPI . December 8, 1970 . 30.
The one-day season . Sports Illustrated . Jenkins . Dan . Dan Jenkins . January 11, 1971 . 10.
News: Irish defense spills Texas . Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington . Associated Press . January 2, 1971 . 10.
Web site: 2010 NCAA Football Records . National Collegiate Athletics Association.
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1971.htm Pro Football Reference.com
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1972.htm Pro Football Reference.com
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1973.htm Pro Football Reference.com