1980 Boise State Broncos football team

1980 Boise State Broncos football
NCAA Division I-AA national champion
Big Sky champion
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Ranking
APNo. 7 (November 26)
Record10–3 (6–1 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGene Dahlquist (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorLyle Setencich (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumBronco Stadium
Seasons
← 1979
1981 →
1980 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 7 Boise State $^ 6 – 1 – 0 10 – 3 – 0
Idaho 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Nevada 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Idaho State* 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Weber State* 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Montana State 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Northern Arizona 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Montana 1 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
  • * – Idaho State and Weber State met twice in league play with each game counting as a half game.
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA AP Poll

The 1980 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. They were led by fifth-year head coach Jim Criner and the "Four Horseman" senior backfield: quarterback Joe Aliotti, fullback David Hughes, halfback Cedric Minter, with halfback Terry Zahner in reserve.[1]

The previous season, the Broncos had a 10–1 record and were undefeated in the Big Sky,[2][3][4] but were on probation for a scouting violation in November 1978, making them ineligible for the conference title or the 1979 I-AA playoffs.[5][6][7]

Regular season

The Broncos finished the regular season in 1980 at 8–3 and 6–1 in conference to win their fifth Big Sky title in eleven seasons, their first since 1977. BSU defeated their two Division I-A opponents, but lost a road contest in November to Cal Poly-SLO, the eventual Division II national champions, whom they had routed at the end of the previous season.[2][3]

The Broncos easily defeated rival Idaho, then ranked ninth, for the fourth consecutive year in mid-October in Boise. During halftime of the Nevada-Reno game on November 8, BSU dedicated the playing field at Bronco Stadium to athletic director and former head coach Lyle Smith.[8] The only conference setback was a one-point loss in late September at Montana State, the difference was a last-minute two-point conversion.[9]

Division I-AA playoffs

The Broncos were invited to the four-team I-AA playoffs. As Big Sky champions with a substantial stadium and fan base, BSU was chosen to host in the first round, a national semifinal on December 13, three weeks after the completion of the regular season. The opponent was Grambling State, coached by legend Eddie Robinson. The Broncos won 14–9 in sub-freezing fog and advanced to the championship game the following week in California against defending champion Eastern Kentucky, coached by Roy Kidd.[10][11][12] In a back-and-forth contest played in the fog at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, Boise State won 31–29 to win their only I-AA national title.[13][14]

The Broncos returned to the I-AA semifinals the following season and 1990, and the title game in 1994; they moved up to Division I-A in 1996.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 67:30 pmat Utah*
W 28–727,231[1][15]
September 137:30 pmSoutheastern Louisiana*
L 13–1721,342[16]
September 208:00 pmat Northern Arizona
W 20–1810,787[17]
September 271:30 pmat Montana StateNo. 10
L 17–189,121[18]
October 47:30 pmMontana
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 44–1020,453[19]
October 117:30 pmNo. 9 Idaho
W 44–2121,812[20]
October 187:30 pmCal State Fullerton*No. 9
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 26–1117,052[21]
October 257:30 pmWeber StateNo. 7
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 24–018,455[22]
November 81:30 pmNevadadaggerNo. 7
W 14–320,682[23]
November 158:30 pmat No. 4 (D-II) Cal Poly*No. 5
L 20–238,330[24]
November 227:30 pmat Idaho StateNo. 9
W 22–1313,865[25]
December 1311:30 amNo. 2 Grambling State*No. 7
W 14–917,300[26]
December 2012:30 pmvs. No. 3 Eastern Kentucky*No. 7
ABCW 31–29  8,157[27]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Mountain time

Roster

1980 Boise State Broncos football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
FL 1 Ron Harvey So
QB 7 Kevin McDonald Sr
FL 11 Lance LaShelle Sr
QB 14 Joe Aliotti Sr
QB 18 Tim Klena Fr
TB 20 Cedric Minter Sr
TB 27 Terry Zahner Sr
FB 33 David Hughes Sr
OL 54 Art Valero Sr
C 55 Randy Schrader Sr
LT 60 Dennis Brady Jr
RG 62 John Gasser Jr
RT 67 Bill Madinger Jr
LG 69 Shawn Beaton Sr
SE 80 Kipp Bedard Jr
TE 90 Duane Dlouhy Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LCB 28 Chris Bell Jr
SS 29 Rick Woods Jr
RCB 30 Mike Bradeson Sr
FS 42 Larry Alder So
NG 43 Bob Skinner So
ROLB 48 Ron Chatterton Sr
ROLB 52 Larry Lewis Sr
LOLB 57 Ralph Esposito Sr
RILB 58 Dan Williams Sr
LILB 59 Dan Brown Sr
LILB 61 Ray Santucci Jr
LDT 70 Randy Trautman Jr
RDT 83 Michel Bourgeau Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 10 Kenrick Camerud So
P, K 18 Tim Klena Fr
KR 20 Cedric Minter Sr
KR 27 Terry Zahner Sr
PR 29 Rick Woods Jr
P 33 Tom Spadafore Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Gene Dahlquist (OC)
  • Lyle Setencich (DC)
  • John Fox (DB)
  • Dave Wasick (DL)
  • Claude Tomasini (LB)
  • John Fox (DB)
  • Mitch Britzman
  • Mike Solari
  • Jeff Skocko
  • Jim Farmer
  • Ed Lambert
  • Randy Stewart
  • Bob Markovich
  • John Williams (manager)
  • Ed Pflefer (assistant trainer)
  • Kevin Roberts (assistant trainer)
  • Jim Neal (assistant trainer)
  • Ted Choules (assistant trainer)
  • T.J. Byrne (assistant trainer)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[28]

NFL draft

One Bronco senior was selected in the 1981 NFL draft, which lasted twelve rounds (332 selections).

Player Position Round Overall Franchise
David Hughes FB 2nd 31 Seattle Seahawks

References

  1. ^ a b Rock, Brad (September 6, 1980). "Utes ready for opener with Boise tonight". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. A3.
  2. ^ a b "Broncos stampede Cal-Poly SLO 56-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 18, 1979. p. 12D.
  3. ^ a b "'Our bowl game,' cries Criner". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 19, 1979. p. 12D.
  4. ^ "College standings". Lewiston Morning Tribune. November 26, 1979. p. 4C.
  5. ^ "Boise St. coach admits to scouting violation". Daily News. (Bowling Green, Kentucky). Associated Press. November 16, 1978. p. 4-B.
  6. ^ "Big Sky's down hard on Boise". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 17, 1978. p. B1.
  7. ^ "Probation slapped on Boise State football". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). UPI. December 18, 1978. p. 7.
  8. ^ BSU Game Day program – November 8, 1980 – p.8
  9. ^ "Montana State stuns Broncos". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. September 28, 1980. p. 2C.
  10. ^ "Boise State gains finale". Spokane Daily Chronicle. UPI. December 15, 1980. p. 28.
  11. ^ "Boise State moves into I-AA finals". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Lewiston, Idaho. Associated Press. December 14, 1980. p. 7B.
  12. ^ "Camellia: who vs. who?". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 20, 1980. p. 24.
  13. ^ "Broncos squeak by Colonels, take title". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 21, 1980. p. B2.
  14. ^ "Boise gets title". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. December 22, 1980. p. 28.
  15. ^ Rock, Brad (September 8, 1980). "Start believing, Utah, Nebraska's up next". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B3.
  16. ^ "S.E. Louisiana stuns Boise State 17–13". The Times-News. September 14, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "BSU holds on to edge Northern Arizona". The Idaho Statesman. September 21, 1980. p. 37.
  18. ^ "Bobcat gamble succeeds". The Billings Gazette. September 28, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Boise blasts Grizzlies". Great Falls Tribune. October 5, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "Boise State blasts Idaho". The Arizona Republic. October 12, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Boise State rolls past Fullerton 26–11". The Idaho Statesman. October 19, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "Broncos smack Weber". Arizona Daily Sun. October 26, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Boise St. tops UN–Reno". The Daily Spectrum. November 9, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Cal Poly stuns Boise State on game-closing field goal". The Times-News. November 16, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Broncos best Bengals". The Idaho Statesman. November 23, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Nasty Boise defense, cold stall Grambling". The Shreveport Times. December 14, 1980. Retrieved September 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Last-grasp pass lifts Boise 31–29". The Sacramento Bee. December 21, 1980. Retrieved March 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ BSU gameday program – Boise State vs. Nevada, Reno – November 8, 1980 – Probable starters, rosters, p. 21–25