The 1970 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. The Longhorns shared the national championship with Nebraska, their third national championship overall. Texas had previously won consensus national titles in 1963 and 1969.
Utilizing a wishbone option offense, the defending national champion Longhorns won all ten regular season games to extend their winning streak to thirty games. They were again awarded the UPI (coaches) national title, released prior to the bowl games in early December.
On New Year's Day 1971, Texas had a rematch with Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park in Dallas. This time, the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish won 24–11, denying top-ranked Texas a third straight Cotton Bowl victory and consecutive consensus national championship.
Later that day, second-ranked Ohio State lost to #12 Stanford in the Rose Bowl. That night, third-ranked Nebraska defeated in the Orange Bowl to give the unbeaten Huskers the post-bowl AP national championship. Through the 1973 season, the final UPI coaches poll was released prior to the bowl games. (In December 1973, UPI champion Alabama also lost their bowl game.)
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries Vs. California
Statistics CALTEX First downs 21 29 Total yards 356 556 Rushes/yards 41/116 62/443 Passing yards 240 113 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–30–3 7–18–0 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsCalifornia Passing TEAM 16–30, 240 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs Rushing TEAM 41 car, 116 yards, 1 TD Receiving TEAM 16 rec, 240 yards, 1 TDTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 3–10, 44 yards Rushing Eddie Phillips 9 car, 129 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Dan Steakley 2 rec, 43 yards
At Texas Tech
Statistics TEXTTU First downs 29 13 Total yards 522 241 Rushes/yards 76/432 49/190 Passing yards 90 51 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 6–15–2 4–14–1 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 6–15, 90 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Eddie Phillips 18 car, 127 yards, 1 TD Receiving Charles Spreyer 3 rec, 56 yardsTexas Tech Passing TEAM 4–14, 51 yards, 1 INT Rushing TEAM 49 car, 190 yards, 2 TDs Receiving TEAM 4 rec, 51 yards
Vs. UCLA
Statistics UCLATEX First downs 21 23 Total yards 407 337 Rushes/yards 40/67 65/235 Passing yards 340 102 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19–30–1 6–15–0 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing TEAM 19–30, 340 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing TEAM 40 car, 67 yards Receiving TEAM 19 rec, 340 yards, 2 TDsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 6–15, 102 yards, 1 TD Rushing Steve Worster 19 car, 106 yards Receiving Charles Spreyer 4 rec, 77 yards, 1 TD
Vs. Oklahoma
Statistics TEXOU First downs 18 16 Total yards 335 222 Rushes/yards 66/310 63/212 Passing yards 25 10 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 3–7–0 3–11–2 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 3–6, 25 yards, 1 TD Rushing Steve Worster 17 car, 81 yards, 1 TD Receiving Charles Spreyer 1 rec, 10 yardsOklahoma Passing TEAM 3–11, 10 yards, 2 INTs Rushing TEAM 63 car, 218 yards, 1 TD Receiving TEAM 3 rec, 10 yards
At Rice
Statistics TEXRICE First downs 31 10 Total yards 562 130 Rushes/yards 85/500 34/52 Passing yards 62 78 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 4–10–1 7–14–1 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 2–5, 30 yards Rushing Steve Worster 23 car, 170 yards, 1 TD Receiving Deryl Comer 3 rec, 38 yardsRice Passing TEAM 7–14, 78 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing TEAM 34 car, 52 yards Receiving TEAM 7 rec, 78 yards, 1 TD
Vs. SMU
Statistics SMUTEX First downs 22 27 Total yards 456 532 Rushes/yards 28/44 70/430 Passing yards 412 102 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 32–49–2 6–9–1 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing TEAM 32–49, 412 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing TEAM 28 car, 44 yards Receiving TEAM 32 rec, 412 yards, 2 TDsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 5–5, 87 yards Rushing Steve Worster 25 car, 144 yards, 4 TDs Receiving Danny Lester 5 rec, 87 yards
At Baylor
Statistics TEXBAY First downs 17 15 Total yards 309 262 Rushes/yards 66/244 50/148 Passing yards 65 114 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 3–9–0 6–18–1 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 3–9, 65 yards Rushing Steve Worster 23 car, 97 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Danny Lester 2 rec, 53 yardsBaylor Passing TEAM 6–18, 114 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing TEAM 50 car, 148 yards Receiving TEAM 6 rec, 114 yards, 1 TD
At TCU
Statistics TEXTCU First downs 20 13 Total yards 408 220 Rushes/yards 61/301 47/140 Passing yards 107 80 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 7–16–0 9–24–2 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 4–12, 58 yards Rushing Jim Bertelsen 14 car, 92 yards, 3 TDs Receiving Danny Lester 4 rec, 58 yardsTCU Passing TEAM 9–24, 80 yards, 2 INTs Rushing TEAM 47 car, 140 yards Receiving TEAM 9 rec, 80 yards
Vs. Texas A&M
Statistics TAMUTEX First downs 15 27 Total yards 358 603 Rushes/yards 43/186 74/386 Passing yards 172 217 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–22–1 8–21–2 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsTexas A&M Passing TEAM 10–22, 172 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing TEAM 43 car, 186 yards, 1 TD Receiving TEAM 10 rec, 172 yards, 1 TDTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 5–16, 148 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Steve Fleming 8 car, 84 yards Receiving Danny Lester 5 rec, 148 yards, 2 TDs
Vs. Arkansas
Statistics ARKTEX First downs 13 29 Total yards 165 517 Rushes/yards 24/20 90/464 Passing yards 145 53 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–27–3 3–5–0 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsArkansas Passing TEAM 11–27, 145 yards, 3 INTs Rushing TEAM 24 car, 20 yards, 1 TD Receiving TEAM 11 rec, 145 yardsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 2–3, 46 yards Rushing Jim Bertelsen 30 car, 189 yards, 3 TDs Receiving Jim Bertelsen 1 rec, 27 yards
Vs. Notre Dame (Cotton Bowl)
Statistics NDTEX First downs 16 20 Total yards 359 426 Rushes/yards 52/146 55/216 Passing yards 213 240 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–19–1 10–27–1 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNotre Dame Passing Joe Theismann 9–16, 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Cieszkowski 13 car, 52 yards Receiving Yoder 2 rec, 96 yardsTexas Passing Eddie Phillips 9–17, 199 yards Rushing Eddie Phillips 23 car, 164 yards Receiving Deryl Comer 4 rec, 67 yards
Roster
Awards and honors Bobby Wuensch, tackle, Consensus All-American Steve Worster, back, Consensus All-American Bill Atessis, defensive end, Consensus All-American
NFL draft Nine seniors from the 1970 Longhorns were selected in the 1971 NFL draft:Pro Football Reference.com – 1971 NFL Draft
Cotton Speyrer WR 2 38 Washington RedskinsBill Atessis DE 2 52 Baltimore ColtsHappy Feller K 4 83 Philadelphia EaglesBill Zapalac LB 4 84 New York JetsSteve Worster RB 4 90 Los Angeles RamsScott Palmer DT 7 162 New York JetsBobby Wuensch T 12 294 Baltimore ColtsDanny Lester DB 13 317 Philadelphia EaglesDeryl Comer TE 14 345 Atlanta Falcons
Two juniors from the 1970 Longhorns were selected in the 1972 NFL draft:Pro Football Reference.com – 1972 NFL Draft
Jim Bertelsen RB 2 30 Los Angeles RamsEddie Phillips QB 4 95 Los Angeles Rams
One sophomore from the 1970 Longhorns was selected in the 1973 NFL draft:Pro Football Reference.com – 1973 NFL Draft Jerry Sisemore OT 1 3 Philadelphia Eagles
References