Misplaced Pages

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.

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. and finished with an 8–4 record and a top twenty ranking.

Less than two weeks later, Walsh departed for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers, and receivers coach Rod Dowhower was promoted. 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

Personnel

Awards and honors

• Steve Dils, Sammy Baugh Trophy

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:

References

1. "Nelson has a big Big game at Cal". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1978. p. 4B.
2. "Dils, Cards catch fire". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 1, 1979. p. 20.
3. "Georgia tries for a victory, Cards get it". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. January 1, 1979. p. 1C.
4. "AP's Top 20". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. January 4, 1979. p. 1D.
5. "Walsh gets pact worth $1 million from the 49ers". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. January 10, 1979. p. 1C.
6. "Dowhower wants Stanford exciting". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. January 10, 1979. p. 3C.
7. "Butterfingered Sooners win 35–29". The Oregonian. September 10, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Stanford rips Spartans 38–9". The Sacramento Bee. September 17, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Cardinals followed assignments as Dils threw, Nelson ran, team won". Contra Costa Times. September 24, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Nelson-paced Cards rally past inspired Tulane". The Modesto Bee. October 1, 1978. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "UCLA survives Dils' assault". The Daily Breeze. October 8, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Washington comes alive". Statesman Journal. October 15, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Cougs bombed 43–27". The News Tribune. October 22, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Cards down Beavers 24–6". The Sacramento Bee. October 29, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Did Stanford let USC have game?". The San Francisco Examiner. November 5, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Nelson injured as Cards beat ASU". Oakland Tribune. November 12, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Nelson runs away with the Big Game, 30–10". The Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Stanford steals Georgia's script". The Berkeley Gazette. January 1, 1979. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "1978 Stanford Cardinal Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
20. "Touchdown Club Awards". www.touchdownclubofcolumbus.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011.
21. "1978 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2007.

External links

• Game program: Stanford at Washington State – October 21, 1978

• 1978 Pacific-10 Conference football season
• Stanford Cardinal football seasons
• Bluebonnet Bowl champion seasons
• 1978 in sports in California