1980 Fresno State Bulldogs football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1980
| team = Fresno State Bulldogs
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Pacific Coast Athletic Association
| short_conf = PCAA
| record = 5–6
| conf_record = 1–4
| head_coach = Jim Sweeney
| hc_year = 3rd
| off_coach =
| oc_year =
| off_scheme =
| def_coach =
| dc_year =
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Bulldog Stadium
}}
{{1980 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings}}
The 1980 Fresno State Bulldogs football team represented California State University, Fresno as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Jim Sweeney, who returned for his third season as head coach after a two-year hiatus, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 1–4 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the PCAA.
The 1980 season saw the opening of a new on-campus football stadium, Bulldog Stadium. This increased the seating capacity for Fresno State football from 13,000 to 30,000.{{cite web|url=http://www.gobulldogs.com/facilities/?id=1|title=Bulldog Stadium|access-date=December 15, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220133420/http://www.gobulldogs.com/facilities/?id=1|url-status=live}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 6
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Cal State Fullerton
| site_stadium = Titan Field
| site_cityst = Fullerton, CA
| score = 25–39
| attend = 7,282
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-for-openers-it-wa/158521515/|work=The Los Angeles Times|title=For openers, it was smashing|date=September 7, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 13
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = UNLV
| site_stadium = Las Vegas Silver Bowl
| site_cityst = Whitney, NV
| score = 6–35
| attend = 19,085
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-spectrum-unlv-triumphs/158451089/|work=The Daily Spectrum|title=UNLV triumphs|date=September 14, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 20
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Southwestern Louisiana
| site_stadium = Ratcliffe Stadium
| site_cityst = Fresno, CA
| score = 16–14
| attend = 12,283
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee-fsus-offense-comes-alive/158485881/|work=The Fresno Bee|title=FSU's offense comes alive; USL falls, 16–14|date=September 21, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 27
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Utah
| site_stadium = Robert Rice Stadium
| site_cityst = Salt Lake City, UT
| score = 12–27
| attend = 25,358
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee-utes-run-by-dogs-2712/158464741/|work=The Fresno Bee|title=Utes run by 'Dogs, 27–12|date=September 28, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 4
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Cal Poly
| site_stadium = Ratcliffe Stadium
| site_cityst = Fresno, CA
| score = 31–25
| attend = 15,221
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee-dogs-corral-mustangs-31/158521826/|work=The Fresno Bee|title='Dogs corral Mustangs, 31–25, with record throng watching|date=October 5, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 11
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = San Jose State
| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
| site_cityst = San Jose, CA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 14–26
| attend = 14,120
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-heady-spartan/158521962/|work=The San Francisco Examiner|title=Heady Spartans whip Fresno St. in 26–14 romp|date=October 12, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 18
| w/l = w
| opponent = Pacific (CA)
| site_stadium = Ratcliffe Stadium
| site_cityst = Fresno, CA
| score = 27–3
| attend = 12,782
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hanford-sentinel-long-beach-st-fre/158522049/|work=The Hanford Sentinel|title=Long Beach St., Fresno State win|date=October 20, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 25
| w/l = l
| opponent = Utah State
| site_stadium = Ratcliffe Stadium
| site_cityst = Fresno, CA
| score = 0–14
| attend = 10,482
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-aggies-keep-winnin/158522129/|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|title=Aggies keep winning ways alive|date=October 26, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 1
| w/l = l
| opponent = Long Beach State
| site_stadium = Ratcliffe Stadium
| site_cityst = Fresno, CA
| score = 9–34
| attend = 8,228
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee-even-in-the-sunshine-bul/158520820/|work=The Fresno Bee|title=Even in the sunshine, Bulldogs see no daylight|date=November 2, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 8
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Southern Illinois
| site_stadium = McAndrew Stadium
| site_cityst = Carbondale, IL
| score = 31–14
| attend = 9,800
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-news-democrat-fresno-stat/158522249/|work=The Belleville News-Democrat|title=Fresno State sacks hapless Salukis|date=November 9, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 15
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Montana State
| site_stadium = Bulldog Stadium
| site_cityst = Fresno, CA
| score = 21–14
| attend = 25,684
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune-fresno-shades-bobcat/155246302/|work=Great Falls Tribune|title=Fresno shades Bobcats|date=November 16, 1980|accessdate=November 5, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=1980 Fresno State Bulldogs Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/fresno-state/1980-schedule.html |website=College Football at Sports-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=January 29, 2025 }}{{cite web |author= |title=1980 Football Schedule |url=https://gobulldogs.com/sports/football/schedule/1980 |publisher=Fresno State Athletics |access-date=January 29, 2025 }}{{cite web |author= |title=Fresno State Football Media Guide |url=https://gobulldogs.com/documents/2024/8/21/5._2024_Record_Book.pdf |publisher=Fresno State Athletics |page=122 |access-date=January 29, 2025 }}
Team players in the NFL
The following were selected in the 1981 NFL draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1981.htm|title=1981 NFL Draft|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=December 7, 2016|archive-date=December 21, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221202823/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1981.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/fresnost/|title=Fresno St. Players/Alumni|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 12, 2016|archive-date=December 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229010553/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/schools/fresnost/|url-status=live}}
| class="wikitable" width="65%" | ||||
| align="center" style="background:#A81933;color:#FFFFFF;"
| Player | Position | Round | Overall | NFL team |
| align="center" bgcolor="" | Defensive back | 2 | 44 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| align="center" bgcolor="" |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Fresno State Bulldogs football navbox}}