1980 Boise State Broncos football team

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]

1980 Boise State Broncos football
NCAA Division I-AA champion
Big Sky champion
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Ranking
APNo. 7 (November 26)
1980 record10–3 (6–1 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGene Dahlquist (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorLyle Setencich (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumBronco Stadium
1980 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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 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 1980 NCAA Division I-AA Football 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

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
September 6at Utah*W 28–727,231
September 13Southeastern Louisiana*L 13–1721,342
September 20at Northern ArizonaW 20–1810,787
September 27at Montana StateNo. 10L 17–189,121
October 4Montana
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 44–1020,453
October 11No. 9 Idaho
W 44–2121,812
October 18Cal State Fullerton*No. 9
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 26–1117,052
October 25Weber StateNo. 7
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 24–018,455
November 8NevadaNo. 7
  • Bronco Stadium
  • Boise, ID
W 14–320,682
November 15at No. 4(NCAA D-II) Cal Poly*No. 5L 20–238,330
November 22at Idaho StateNo. 9W 22–1313,865
December 13No. 2 Grambling State*No. 7
W 14–917,300
December 20vs. No. 3 Eastern Kentucky*No. 7W 31–298,157
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1980 Boise State Broncos football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
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
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.#NameClass
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.#NameClass
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

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt
Source:[16]

NFL Draft

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

PlayerPositionRoundOverallFranchise
David HughesFB2nd31Seattle Seahawks

References

  1. Rock, Brad (September 6, 1980). "Utes ready for opener with Boise tonight". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. A3.
  2. "Broncos stampede Cal-Poly SLO 56-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Associated Press. November 18, 1979. p. 12D.
  3. "'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. {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. BSU gameday program – Boise State vs. Nevada, Reno – November 8, 1980 – Probable starters, rosters, p. 21–25
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