1980 Arizona Wildcats football team

Arizona finished the 1979 season with a 6–5 record, and lost to Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl. During the offseason, head coach Tony Mason was discovered as being allegedly involved in a cash payment scandal by giving boosters money to players, which was illegal under NCAA rules. As a result, Mason resigned as coach and was replaced by Smith, who was coaching at Tulane.{{cite news|title=Mason out as UA football coach in wake of alleged fraud scandal|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 7, 1980}}{{cite news|title=Smith introduced as new UA football coach|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 28, 1980}} Smith was a former assistant coach at Arizona under Mason's predecessor Jim Young. In a press conference, Smith promised to rebuild the program and bring the team to a winning success.{{cite news|title=New football coach promises change, hopes to bring success back to Tucson|newspaper=Arizona Daily Wildcat|date=April 30, 1980}}

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1980

| poll = AP

| timezone = Mountain

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 20

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Colorado State

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| tv = KZAZ

| score = 13–15

| attend = 48,511

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-pooles-field-goal/158460713/|work=The Arizona Republic|title=Poole's field goal stuns Wildcats; Rams win, 15–13|date=September 21, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 27

| w/l = w

| time = 7:00 p.m.

| away = y

| opponent = California

| site_stadium = California Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Berkeley, CA

| score = 31–24

| attend = 41,000

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee-arizonas-cats-too-much/158512717/|work=The Modesto Bee|title=Arizona's 'Cats too much for 'Bad News Bears'|date=September 28, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 4

| time = 10:00 a.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Iowa

| site_stadium = Kinnick Stadium

| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA

| tv = ESPN

| score = 5–3

| attend = 59,950

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal-iowa-suffers-53/158514405/|work=The Sioux City Journal|title=Iowa suffers 5–3 loss to Arizona|date=October 5, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 11

| time = 6:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| opponent = USC

| opprank = 2

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| tv = CBS

| score = 10–27

| attend = 54,789

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/simi-valley-star-allen-leads-trojans-ove/158514464/|work=Simi Valley Star|title=Allen leads Trojans over 'Cats|date=October 12, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 18

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| opponent = Washington State

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| tv = USA

| score = 14–38

| attend = 47,132

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-harris-cougs-rout-arizona/158513818/|work=The Olympian|title=Harris, Cougs rout Arizona, 38–14|date=October 19, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 25

| time = 7:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Notre Dame

| opprank = 4

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| tv = ESPN

| score = 3–20

| attend = 56,211

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-fake-punt-helps-notre-da/158454611/|work=Chicago Tribune|title=Fake punt helps Notre Dame run to victory over Arizona|date=October 26, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 1

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| homecoming = y

| opponent = UCLA

| opprank = 2

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| tv = ABC

| score = 23–17

| attend = 42,876

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-idaho-statesman-arizona-shocks-secon/158514544/|work=The Idaho Statesman|title=Arizona shocks second-ranked UCLA 23–17|date=November 2, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 8

| time = 8:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Washington

| site_stadium = Husky Stadium

| site_cityst = Seattle, WA

| tv = ESPN

| score = 22–45

| attend = 49,341

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian-huskies-smelling-roses-aft/158514651/|work=The Columbian|title=Huskies smelling Roses after romp|date=November 9, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| time = 3:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Pacific (CA)

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| tv = KZAZ

| score = 63–35

| attend = 39,576

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-wildcats-build-conf/158514727/|work=The Arizona Republic|title=Wildcats build confidence with 63–35 victory|date=November 16, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 22

| time = 2:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Oregon State

| site_stadium = Parker Stadium

| site_cityst = Corvallis, OR

| score = 24–7

| attend = 15,300

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-arizona-rushes-past/158487036/|work=The Arizona Republic|title=Arizona rushes past Oregon State, 24–7|date=November 23, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 29

| time = 10:00 a.m.

| w/l = l

| opponent = Arizona State

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| gamename = rivalry

| tv = ABC

| score = 7–44

| attend = 53,108

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-devils-447-rout-l/158514818/|work=The Arizona Republic|title=Devils' 44–7 rout leaves Cats in mourning|date=November 30, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

}}

{{see also|1980 Colorado State Rams football team}}

Arizona opened the season against ex-WAC foe Colorado State in Smith's debut as Wildcat coach. The Rams converted on a field goal in the game’s final minute to win it and ruin Smith’s first game.{{Cite news|title=Colorado State spoils Smith's UA debut with late FG|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=September 22, 1980}}

{{see also|1980 California Golden Bears football team}}

The Wildcats went on the road to Berkeley to face California. Arizona narrowly defeated the Golden Bears to give Smith not only his first win as Arizona coach, but his first Pac-10 victory as well as his first road win.{{Cite news|title=Cats edge Bears, give Smith his first UA win|newspaper=Arizona Daily Wildcat|date=September 28, 1980}}

{{AFB game box start

| Title = Arizona at Iowa

| Visitor = Wildcats

| Host = Hawkeyes

| V1 = 2| V2 = 3| V3 = 0| V4 = 0

| H1 = 0| H2 = 0| H3 = 0| H4 = 3

| Date = October 4

| Location = Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA

| StartTime =

| TimeZone = CDT

| Attendance = 59,950

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter=1 |Time=12:07 |Team=ARIZ |Event=Safety, punt blocked by Ware out of end zone |Score=ARIZ 2–0 }}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time=7:31 |Team=ARIZ |Event=Weber 37-yard field goal |Score=ARIZ 5–0 }}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |Time=9:23 |Team=IOWA |Event=Reggie Roby 36-yard field goal |Score=ARIZ 5–3 |LastEntry=yes }}

{{AFB game box end}}

{{see also|1980 Iowa Hawkeyes football team}}

The Wildcats traveled to Iowa in their next game against the Hawkeyes. Both Arizona and Iowa's offenses struggled throughout the game, but the Wildcats’ defense dominated and scored a safety early by blocking a punt. Arizona ultimately held on for the victory.{{Cite news|title=Wildcats nip Iowa, 5–3, in low scoring match|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=October 6, 1980}} It was one of the only games in college football history in which a team won by only scoring exactly five points.{{Cite news|title=Wildcats' win over Iowa featured a baseball score|newspaper=Arizona Daily Wildcat|date=October 6, 1980}} It was also Arizona's fifth consecutive win over Iowa dating back to 1970. They would not defeat the Hawkeyes again until 1998.

{{Clear}}

{{see also|1980 USC Trojans football team}}

In Smith's first big test as Arizona's coach, the Wildcats took on USC, who was ranked second in the nation. The Trojans would be no match for the Wildcats as they would earn an easy victory.{{Cite news|title=Cats' weapons can't stop USC victory, 27–10|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=October 12, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=No. 2 USC dominates Arizona|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 12, 1980}} Smith would ultimately leave Arizona to become USC’s coach after the 1986 season.

{{see also|1980 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team}}

Arizona played Notre Dame for the first time since 1941, with Notre Dame making its first visit to the state of Arizona. At home against the tough fourth-ranked Fighting Irish, the Wildcats never had a chance as they would be outplayed and scored only a field goal. A memorable play occurred in the second half when the Irish faked a punt to have more points and Arizona never recovered.{{Cite news|title=Fake punt keys Irish victory over UA|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=October 26, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=#4 Notre Dame 20, Arizona 3: Fighting Irish top Wildcats in desert|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=October 26, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=Cats no match No. 4 Irish|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=October 27, 1980}}

To date, this remains Notre Dame's only visit to Tucson (and very likely the only time ever), as the Wildcats believed that it would be too expensive to schedule a home game against a storied non-conference opponent like the Irish, allegedly since Tucson is a small market.{{Cite news|title=Scheduling elite football opponents may be too expensive for UA's small budget|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=April 20, 2011}}

{{see also|1980 UCLA Bruins football team}}

For homecoming, Arizona hosted second-ranked UCLA. The Bruins were poised to get the top ranking with a win, as #1 Alabama had lost to Mississippi State earlier that day. However, the Wildcats put those hopes to rest by upsetting the Bruins and finally giving Smith his first home win as coach. It was also Smith's first big win at Arizona.{{Cite news|title=Wildcats stun No. 2 UCLA in major upset|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=November 2, 1980}} The win by Arizona, combined with Alabama's loss, stunned the college football world as the top two ranked teams lost that day.{{Cite news|title=College football world shocked by pair of huge upsets|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=November 2, 1980}}

{{AFB game box start

|Title=Arizona State at Arizona

|Visitor=Sun Devils

|V1=14 |V2=17 |V3=13 |V4=0

|Host=Wildcats

|H1=0 |H2=0 |H3=7 |H4=0

|Date=November 29

|Location=Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=

|Weather=

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=ABC

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry= yes|Quarter=1 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Wetzel 22-yard pass from Pagel (Lewis kick) |Score=ASU 7–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=1 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Maxwell recovers blocked punt in end zone (Lewis kick) |Score=ASU 14–0 }}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Richards 35-yard interception return (Lewis kick) |Score= ASU 21–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Lewis 23-yard field goal |Score=ASU 24–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Mistler 4-yard pass from Pagel (Lewis kick)|Score=ASU 31–0 }}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=ARIZ |Event=Netting 18-yard pass from Tunnicliffe (Weber kick) |Score=ASU 31–7 }}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Pagel 1-yard run (Lewis kick) |Score=ASU 38–7}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=ASU |Event=Weathers yard run |Score=ASU 44–7|LastEntry=yes}}

{{AFB game box end}}

{{see also|1980 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona-Arizona State football rivalry}}

In the rivalry game, Arizona and Arizona State faced each other. For the Wildcats, this was Smith's first matchup against ASU. The more experienced Sun Devils dominated the mistake-prone Wildcats in a blowout, as most of the Arizona Stadium crowd had already headed for the exits by the time the fourth quarter began. Arizona managed to get on the scoreboard with a touchdown in the third quarter that prevented a shutout against a blitzing Arizona State defense, but the deficit would be too much to overcome in an embarrassing rivalry loss.{{cite news |title=Sun Devils Club Arizona with Defense|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=4pF9x-cDGsoC&dat=19801130&printsec=frontpage|newspaper=The Register-Guard|location=Eugene|page=3B|date=November 30, 1980|access-date=November 22, 2019}}{{Cite news|title=ASU takes advantage of Wildcats, 44–7|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=November 30, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=Devils' 44-7 rout leaves Cats in mourning; ASU's defense dominates|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=November 30, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=Sun Devils too much for Wildcats|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=December 1, 1980}}

Days after the game (and season) ended, Smith said in an interview that he claimed that ASU's dominance over Arizona in the rivalry at the time was a result of Arizona State being located in the larger Phoenix area (ASU's campus is in the suburb Tempe), as UA is located in Tucson, with its metro area being smaller than Phoenix's, and referred to ASU as the state's “de facto NFL team” as a result (the state of Arizona did not get an NFL team until 1988 when the Cardinals relocated from St. Louis), and that it led to the Wildcats being consistently played in the Sun Devils’ shadow due to Arizona State's performance under the coaching prestige of former coach Frank Kush, who was fired midway through the previous season.{{Cite news|title=Smith refers to ASU as state's NFL team after ugly loss|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=December 3, 1980}} Smith later said that as the new coach, he vowed to rebuild the program to build a bright future and to lead the Wildcats to a winning tradition.{{Cite news|title=Cats hope to rebuild winning football formula under Smith|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=December 5, 1980}}

The Wildcats finished Smith's first season with a record of 5–6.{{Cite news|title=Ugly loss to ASU ends Smith's first year with Wildcats|newspaper=Arizona Daily Wildcat|date=December 1, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=Smith's first year at UA full of highs and lows|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=December 3, 1980}}

• Smith's first season was known as a rebuilding year to fans. An extremely difficult schedule also affected Arizona's chances at a bowl game, and led to the team's mediocre record.
• The season was the only one in the 1980s that Arizona finished with a losing record and one of only two seasons in the decade that they had a non-winning record (the other was in 1987 when they went 4–4–3).
• Also, this season started a decade of resurgence for the Wildcats, fulfilling Smith's promise when he was hired before the season started (see above).
• Arizona did not play Texas Tech for the first time since 1970.
• From mid-October through early November, due to Pac-10 scheduling, the Wildcats played four consecutive home games.
• The victory over UCLA was the first big win under Smith, which became overshadowed by Arizona's upset of USC (UCLA's chief rival) during the following season.
• This season was the only one in Smith lost to ASU at home. Arizona did not lose to their rival at home again until 1992. In addition, this was the only time under Smith that the Wildcats scored less than ten points against ASU.
• The game against Arizona State had the earliest start time in Arizona Stadium history. The 10:00 a.m. kickoff was due to the fact that the game was televised regionally and that there were scheduling conflicts within the broadcasting window, meaning that there wasn't an open afternoon/evening time slot available for the game to kick off.{{Cite news|title=Saturday morning football in Tucson: UA-ASU to kick off at 10AM|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=November 25, 1980}}{{Cite news|title=Cats and Devils set for late-morning kickoff|newspaper=The Arizona Republic|date=November 26, 1980}}
• This was the last season until 2012 that Arizona wore red helmets and also the last season until 2005 that they wore red jerseys for home games. The red helmets had been worn since the 1977 season and were previously used from 1967 to 1972 and the red jerseys had been their primary home jerseys since 1977. Arizona officials believed that the team wearing red was too confusing with Pac-10 schools USC, Stanford, Arizona State, and Washington State, whose colors are a variation and/or a darker shade of red (Arizona and conference foe California have blue as one of their colors, though Arizona's blue is slightly lighter than California's, who has a darker shade of blue). Beginning in 1981, the Wildcats returned to wearing blue jerseys at home and white helmets for the first time since 1976. Prior to 1977, Arizona had worn the blue jerseys for home games. The helmets would feature a red “A” on them and it was worn by players until the end of the 1989 season.{{Cite news|title=Smith seeks change to Wildcats after first season|newspaper=Arizona Daily Wildcat|date=January 15, 1981}}{{Cite news|title=UA football to overhaul uniforms, phase out red to distinguish from other Pac-10 foes|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=January 18, 1981}}
• Arizona did not wear red jerseys for a home game against Arizona State again until 2006.

Although the Wildcats finished the 1980 season with a losing record, they would begin improving under Smith and started to compete with the other conference teams, as Arizona completed their third season as a Pac-10 member, and would build a winning culture for both the university and the Tucson community that lasted through most of the 1980s and the team would become known for their upset victories under Smith's watch.{{Cite news|title=Future looks bright for Smith, Wildcats football|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|date=December 18, 1980}} Even though they would later be punished for their part in the scandal prior to Smith's hiring, Arizona would bring in recruits to bring success to start a period of dominance that would surprise fans across Arizona and credit Smith for making the Wildcats a relevant team again, like what Young did during the mid-1970s.{{Cite news|title=Despite mediocre '80 season, UA football becoming relevant again|newspaper=Tucson Citizen|date=December 23, 1980}}

{{American football roster/Header|year=1980|team=Arizona Wildcats|teamcolors=y

|offensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Rory|last=Barnett|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Bob|last=Carter|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Richard|last=Hersey|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Brian|last=Holland|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Tim|last=Holmes|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Hubert|last=Oliver|pos=RB|note=C}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=John|last=Pace|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Rich|last=Roberts|pos= }}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=Fr|first=Tom|last=Tunnicliffe|pos=QB}}

|defensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Jack|last=Housley|pos=LB}}

|special_teams_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Barry|last=Kramer|pos=P}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Sergio|last=Vega|pos=P}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Brett|last=Weber|pos=K}}

}}

{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=|accessdate=

|head_coach=

• Larry Smith

|asst_coach=

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Arizona Wildcats football navbox}}

Arizona

Category:Arizona Wildcats football seasons

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