1980 Dayton Flyers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1980
| team=Dayton Flyers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 14–0
| head_coach = Rick E. Carter
| hc_year = 4th
| def_coach = Mike Kelly
| dc_year = 3rd
| captain = Jim O'Hara
| captain2 = Mark Schmitz
| captain3 = Tim Schoen
| stadium = Welcome Stadium
| champion = NCAA Division III champion
| bowl = Stagg Bowl
| bowl_result = W 63–0 vs. {{cfb link|year=1980|team=Ithaca Bombers|title=Ithaca}}
}}
{{1980 NCAA Division III independents football records}}
The 1980 Dayton Flyers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Dayton as an independent during the 1980 NCAA Division III football season. In their fourth and final season under head coach Rick E. Carter, the Flyers compiled a 14–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 509 to 70.
They participated in the NCAA Division III playoffs, defeating {{cfb link|year=1980|team=Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets|title=Baldwin–Wallace}} in the quarterfinals, {{cfb link|year=1980|team=Widener Pride|title=Widener}} in the semifinals, and {{cfb link|year=1980|team=Ithaca Bombers|title=Ithaca}} (63-0) in the Stagg Bowl for the national championship.{{cite web|title=2019 Dayton Flyers Football Media Guide|publisher=University of Dayton|year=2018|page=16|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/udayton.sidearmsports.com/documents/2018/9/20/2018_FB_Guide_3_19_18.pdf|accessdate=October 24, 2021}}
Quarterback Jim O'Hara, linebacker Mark Schmitz, and strong safety Tim Schoen were the team captains.2018 Dayton Flyers Football Media Guide, p. 13. The team's statistical leaders included running back Gradlin Pruitt with 1,591 rushing yards and 1,980 yards of total offense and receiver Al Laubenthal with 883 receiving yards.2018 Dayton Flyers Football Media Guide, p. 6. Pruitt received the team's most valuable player award.2018 Dayton Flyers Football Media Guide, p. 10.
Ten days after the championship game, Carter resigned as Dayton's head coach to accept the same position at Holy Cross.{{cite news|title=Carter reportedly accepts coaching jog at Holy Cross|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Dave Long|date=December 17, 1980|pages=1, 10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87743865/carter-reportedly-accepts-coaching-job/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Holy Cross found the man it wanted|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=December 18, 1980|page=37|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87744070/holy-cross-found-the-man-it-wanted/|via=Newspapers.com}} In January 1981, he was voted as the Division III Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).{{cite news|title=Carter is named top coach|newspaper=The Journal Herald|agency=Associated Press|date=January 9, 1981|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87743360/carter-is-named-top-coach/}}
The team played its home games at Welcome Stadium in Dayton, Ohio.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 6||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=California Vulcans|title=California (PA)}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 20-0|9,218|{{cite news|title=Opportunistic Flyers in 20-0 getaway|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=September 7, 1980|pages=1C, 2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87739758/opportunistic-flyers-in-20-0-getaway/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|September 13|at|{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Ashland Eagles|title=Ashland}}||Ashland, OH|W 20-10|2,000|{{cite news|title=Flyers win 2nd, 20-10|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=September 14, 1980|page=1C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87739942/flyers-win-2nd-20-10/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|September 20||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Butler Bulldogs|title=Butler}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 29-0|10,484|{{cite news|title=Flyers blast Butler, 29-0, before 10,484|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=September 21, 1980|pages=1C, 4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87740104/flyers-blast-butler/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|September 27||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Georgetown Tigers|title=Georgetown (KY)}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 35-6|8,794|{{cite news|title=UD Flyers zoom to 4th straight, 35-6|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=September 28, 1980|pages=1C, 4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87740259/ud-flyers-zoom-to-4th-straight-35-6/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 4||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Slippery Rock|title=Slippery Rock}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 45-10|10,173|{{cite news|title=Division III pollsters: attention; Dayton 45, Slippery Rock 10, now vote|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=October 5, 1980|pages=1C, 4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87740424/division-iii-pollsters-attention/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 11|at|{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Frostburg State Bobcats|title=Frostburg State}}||Frostburg, MD|W 31-7|4,000|{{cite news|title=UD's option play frosts Frostburg|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=October 12, 1980|pages=1C, 4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87740621/uds-option-play-frosts-frostburg/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 18|at|{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Merchant Marine Mariners|title=Merchant Marine}}|Tomb Field|Kings Point, NY|W 35-7|4,800|{{cite news|title=Flyers give Mariners message, 35-7|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=October 19, 1980|pages=1C, 2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87740776/flyers-give-mariners-message-35-7/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 25||Buffalo|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 55-0|6,872|{{cite news|title=Record 8th: Flyers discourage Buffalo grid reincarnation, 55-0|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=October 26, 1980|pages=1C, 3C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87741070/record-8th-flyers-discourage-buffalo/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 1||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Ferris State Bulldogs|title=Ferris State}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 38-0|9,881|{{cite news|title=Record-setting 9-0 Dayton wheels past Ferris, 38-0|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=November 2, 1980|pages=1C, 4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87741242/record-setting-9-0-dayton-wheels-past/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 8|at|{{cfb link|year=1980|team=John Carroll Blue Streaks|title=John Carroll}}||Cleveland, OH|W 41-3|3,500|{{cite news|title=Make it an unprecedented 10-0 for Flyers|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=November 9, 1980|pages=1C, 10C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87741444/make-it-an-unprecedented-10-0-for/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 15||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Wisconsin–Superior Yellow Jackets|title=Wisconsin–Superior}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH|W 35-3|6,331|{{cite news|title=Contented cows: Unbeaten, untied Flyers await playoffs after bullying Superior, 35-3|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Hal McCoy|date=November 16, 1980|pages=1C, 8C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87741731/contented-cows-unbeaten-untied-flyers/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 22||{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets|title=Baldwin–Wallace}}|Welcome Stadium|Dayton, OH (NCAA Division III quarterfinal)|W 34-0|6,500|{{cite news|title=Widener next as UD overwhelms B-W 34-0|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=November 23, 1980|pages=1C, 2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87741954/widener-next-as-ud-overwhelms-b-w-34-0/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 30|at|{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Widener Pioneers|title=Widener}}||Chester, PA (NCAA Division III semifinal)|W 28-24||{{cite news|title=WOW! Select your own adjective, but any fits UD comeback|newspaper=Journal Herald|author=Dale Dempsey|date=December 1, 1980|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87717022/wow-select-your-own-adjective-but-any/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Coinless Flyers good enough|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=December 1, 1980|pages=7, 9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87742204/coinless-flyers-good-enough/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|December 6|vs|{{cfb link|year=1980|team=Ithaca Bombers|title=Ithaca}}||Phenix City, AL (Stagg Bowl)|W 63-0|8,701|{{cite news|title=Flyers roll to title, carve niche in history|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=December 7, 1980|page=1A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87716989/flyers-roll-to-title-carve-niche-in/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title='The Dream' team|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Gary Nuhn|date=December 7, 1980|page=1C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87743073/the-dream-team/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1980 Cumulative Football Statistics Report |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/175/stats/13636 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=April 21, 2022 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dayton Flyers football navbox}}
{{NCAA Division III National Champion navbox}}
Category:Dayton Flyers football seasons
Category:NCAA Division III Football Champions