Greatest Teams in Texas Longhorn History

7. 1983 11-1 (8-0 SWC)

Coach: Fred Akers ( 7th season)

Link to Coach Akers https://www.texaslsn.org/football-under-coach-akers

The 1983 team went 11-1, beating 3 top-10 teams en route to a perfect 11-0 season before losing in the Cotton Bowl. Texas went into the Cotton Bowl game ranked #2, with a National Championship on the line, against SEC foe #7-ranked Georgia.

Akers boys came up just a point shy in a defensive struggle, 10-9, with the Bulldogs. If not for a muffed punt late in the 4th, Texas wins this game, I believe, and probably a National Title ( # 1 Nebraska lost). This Texas team was blue-collar, a throwback team if you will… No superstars on Offense and a shutdown defense.

The Offense had nine guys who carried the ball at least 30 times that season. Ronnie Robinson led the Horns with 479 yards, followed by John Walker’s 392 yards. Walker’s four touchdowns were also tied for the most on the ground with Quarterback Robert Moerschell. Brent Duhan led Texas with five touchdown receptions on 13 catches. Duhan’s 26.7 yards per catch would have led the nation, but his lack of receptions disqualified him from that honor. The Defense was stingy all season long, led by 3 All- Americans.

Mossy Cade led the team with 6 Interceptions, and right behind him was Jerry Grey with 4. Jeff Leiding, who led the Linebacking core, was also an All-American and a no-nonsense kind of leader. The Defense held their opponents to 6 points and forced 31 turnovers as a unit.

(3) Texas @ (5) Auburn W 20-7

(2) Texas North Texas W 26-6

(2) Texas Rice W 42-6

(2) Texas N (8) Oklahoma W 28-16

(2) Texas @ Arkansas W 31-3

(2) Texas @ (9) SMU W 15-12

(2) Texas Texas Tech W 20-3

(2) Texas @ Houston W 9-3

(2) Texas Texas Christian W 20-14

(2) Texas Baylor W 24-21

(2) Texas @ Texas A&M W 45-13

(2) Texas N (7) Georgia L 9-10

Awards and Honors

Mossy Cade-All American

Jerry Grey – All American

Jeff Leiding- All American

Doug Dawson- All-American

• Bon Mallari

  Gray and Leiding were legit studs on defense, BUT I will never EVER forgive Akers for the way Texas played in the bowl game, I was in Dallas and it broke my heart and damn near broke my wallet with Texas losing that game. you can say I am bitter over … See More

  • David Crumb

    The bowl game was pretty much like most of the games that season, but a terrible break near the end, a missed call right after that, and an off day for Jeff Ward is why we lost. We win that game 9-3 or 12-3 and nobody is mad at all…unless your bet w… See More

  • Michael Wash

  A fumbled punt cost them a National championship

  • Allen Miller

  This was the first TEXAS game I ever watched and have been hooked ever since

  • Chris Hudson

  My freshman year…Craig Curry#5 muffed that punt. John Lastinger, Georgia QB, led a short drive to a score. Our offense that year was pedestrian, when we were really led by a punishing ground game of full backs. Terry Orr, Jerome Johnson, Ronnie Robin… See More

  • David Norwood

  I was at the Cotton Bowl that year. Bummer!

  • Terry Adams

  I remember them. Even then I thought a good team but overrated. They struggled often to not so good teams. I was a huge UT fan back then but was realistic to just how good they were.

  • Anthony Snodgrass

    Terry Adams

    I barely remember them… but they was a muffed punt away from being National Champs ( or sharing). Honestly though could have they beat Miami or Nebraska? They beat # 3 Auburn ( final poll)

    • Terry Adams

    That win set expectations of them to route everyone, which just didn’t happen. The undefeated part placed them at the top of the polls but folks were not sure they deserved it. One the many seasons that had folks talking about a better way for National Champs.

  • Jeff Harris

  Great defense- badly managed offense all year long

  • Jae Ellis

  My favorite two players from that Longhorn team were Johnny Ringo and Tony DeGrate !

  • Thomas Rucker

  I would say it’s higher than that. The only we lacked that year was a running game after Edwin Simmons was injured.

  • Larry Hooper

  Poorly coach ball game _ Akers last good team

  • Merrill Whitehead Jr.

  I seem to remember that it was announced during the game that Nebraska (#1) was losing while we (Texas) was leading Georgia and this got a rise from the Texas fans ’cause we had the NC in our hands, only to see it fall away on that fumbled punt, that a… See More

Greatest Teams in Texas Longhorn History

6. . 1968 (9-1-1, 6-1 SWC)

Coach Darrell Royal. (12 season)

Link to 1968 team https://www.texaslsn.org/football-dkr-1968-1970

The first season on the list for the Texas football program, when legendary head coach Darrell Royal and quarterback James Street starred, helping the program reach national prominence, was 1968. Texas started the season ranked #4, but a 20-20 tie with #11 Houston dropped Texas to #6.

Week 2, Texas was surprisingly upset by the Texas Tech Red Raiders and fell entirely out of the polls, but a change was about to come. The Longhorns woke up in week three and got off and running after that point. Once Texas went to this formation, college football couldn’t stop the Longhorns.

With James Street at quarterback and running backs Gilbert, Ted Koy, and Steve Worster, as well as Charles “Cotton” Speyrer at wideout, Texas, rushed for 3,315 yards and 37 touchdowns that season. Texas threw the ball just 154 times, but when the team is averaging 5.2 yards per carrying, why pass? Bellard is credited with creating the wishbone formation.

Texas cleared Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas A&M, and SMU for the rest of the regular season. And they took down No. 8-ranked Tennessee by the final score of 36-13 in the Cotton Bowl to rake in their ninth straight win to cap off the season. That helped them get a top- three ranking in the final AP Poll after that bowl win over Tennessee.

Chris Gilbert led the Longhorns on the ground with 1132 yards to go along with his 13 rushing touchdowns. Steve Worster had 13 touchdowns on the ground to go with his 806 yards. This team was deep at the running back position as Ted Koy, and Billy Dale added to the totals. James Street added 340 yards on the ground and threw for 1099 yards and a combined 11 touchdowns. Cotton Speyrer was the main threat thru the air for Texas as he pulled in 26 catches and four touchdowns.

Awards and honors James Street, quarterback, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player

Cotton Speyrer, wide receiver, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player

Tom Campbell, linebacker, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player

Chris Gilbert, back, Consensus All-American

Jesse Northcutt says,

It was THIS team that made me a lifetime Longhorn fan! I now realize that I did see Chis Gilbert play in person and that was when my father wisely took me to the 1969 Cotton Bowl game to see UT defeat Tennessee! We took along a friend’s son and he kept going to the concession stand for hot dogs! He missed the first two Texas touchdowns as they went up 13-0 early on! I got “hooked” on the team the band – everything. Throughout the game a sweet little Tennessee woman sitting behind us kept trying to shout in her southern voice, “Let’s go, Tennessee!” Unfortunately for her the ‘Horns were firing on all cylinders that day!

Bert Hancock

This team, in my opinion (and many others who covered football in that era), might have been the best team in the nation, even over Ohio State, by the end of the season.

That Tennessee squad was extremely strong, and Texas pulverized them MUCH worse than the final score showed.

Often, especially in that early Wishbone era, DKR called off the first teamers early, giving the subs ample opportunity.

That often kept the score down.

The destruction of near-equally strong Arkansas, for example, showed Texas’ dominance. We jumped out in front of the Hogs (whose only loss was to us and who whipped a great Georgia team in the Sugar Bowl) by a score of 39-15 before allowing two TDs to make the final score look closer.

And SMU was a very good team that year, fighting in fact for the SWC title when we faced them in a showdown for the lead. The result: 38-7, Texas.

Greatest teams in Texas Longhorns History

5. 1977 (11-1, 8-0 SWC)

Coach: Fred Akers ( 1st season)

Click on link for Coach Akers years as head coach

https://www.texaslsn.org/football-under-coach-akers

A genuinely dominant Texas football team that wasn’t able to win a national title came in 1977 when the only slip up came at the hands of No. 5 Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame dominated the Longhorns in that 1977 Cotton Bowl by the final score of 38-10. Before that point, Texas looked like the Nation’s best team.

Texas started the season unranked under first-year coach Fred Akers.. but after outscoring their first three opponents 184-15, the Nation knew Texas was going to be a force on the college football scene in 1977. Texas was dominating the opposition, and there were six straight weeks of the Longhorns holding the top ranking in the AP Poll.

They cleared No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 14 Texas Tech, and No. 12 Texas A&M for the regular season. That dominant win by the final score of 57-28 over Texas A&M in the last week of the regular season was a memorable mark for the Longhorns 1977 team.

Another memorable part of the 1977 season was legendary running back Earl Campbell winning the Heisman Trophy and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft. Campbell led the Longhorns with 1744 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns (1 receiving). Ham Jones finished the season with just under 500 yards on the ground himself and was able to muster six rushing touchdowns on limited carries. Texas had nine players record a rushing touchdown in 1977, and 8 players have at least 25 attempts. Randy McEachern was a liable source when called on to throw the ball as he was able to throw for eight scores and just over 900 yards on the season.

The defense was led by Westlake High native Brad Shearer, who was All-American and a bad man. Glen Blackwood and Johnnie Johnson controlled the airways in the secondary with timely interceptions and delivering bone-crushing hits. The defense unit recorded three shutouts and held six opponents under 10 points on the season. Awards and Honors. Earl Campbell – Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy, Consensus All-American Brad Shearer – Outland Trophy, Consensus All-American Fred Akers – SWC Coach of the Year

Gary McIntosh

I was there and I remember it being very cold…but, the real story was 3 lost fumbles and 3 interceptions. Irish running game killed us, and no one had been able to do that to Shearer and the Horns all season. Earl ran for 116 yards, but didn’t score a TD

Jim Gunlock

Thanks Anthony! I had the fortune to see most all of the home games from 69-79 and Johnnie Johnson will always be one of my favorite DB’s!

He was smart, always in the right position, made game winning/saving plays and could Fly

Jesse Northcutt

It’s great to recall the great things this team did on the year. It was my first year living in Dallas and I was never far from the Cotton Bowl. That loss in the Cotton Bowl was absolutely horrible! I don’t think I recovered for awhile because I thought the team was so much better than the result reflected. It’s great to remember what got them there!

Rick Ingraham

You left out: All American Russell Erxleben. Best kicker/punter ever. All American safety Johnny Johnson. Wide outs Lam Jones and Alfred Jackson made the corners very soft for Earl and Ham. 4 senior offensive linemen did alot to help too. Off avg 42ppg/Def 11 ppg

Greatest Teams in Texas Longhorns History

4. 1970 (10-1, 7-0 SWC)

Coach: Darrell Royal ( 14th season)

What was so tremendous about the 1970 season for the Longhorns was all the loss of production from the previous year’s team, and how good they were still able to do. Street was no longer the starting quarterback for Texas, and the rushing attack didn’t have as many experienced running backs as the 1969 team.

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 awarded the UPI (coaches) national title, released before the bowl games in early December.

The decisive win over No. 4 Arkansas by the final score of 42-7 was the most memorable part of the 1970 season.

There are three national title winners from the 1970 season: Longhorns, Nebraska, and Ohio State. Each had their flaws during the 1970 season, but this was a special run for Texas. A punishing running attack led Texas in 1970 as the Horns had three players record 12 or more rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Eddie Phillips rushed for 666 yards and 12 scores ( 3rd on the team). Bertelsen rushed for 891 and 13 touchdowns, while Worster rushed for a team-leading 898 and 14 scores. Danny Lester led Texas with two receiving touchdowns on 17 catches.

Bobby Wuensch and Jerry Sisemore anchored the O-Line. The defense was nearly as dominant as in the previous season, led by All-American defensive end Bill Atessis and Allen Lowry.

Jesse Northcutt -This was one of my favorite seasons for the team and I got to see the 58-0 victory at Amon Carter Stadium at home in Ft Worth. My uncle, a UT grad came over from Garland for the game with his new wife and the three of us attended with my dad. It was a COLD November day as I recall. I was crushed at the defeat in the Cotton Bowl by ND and was sad that such a great team didn’t have a better showing that day. The 24-11 still comes to mind from time to time. This was a GREAT team in my opinion

Jim Cross- I was 11 years old and my Dad took me to that Longhorn vs Arkansas game. We sat in the end zone but it was great because I think all but 1 touchdown was scored at our end of the field. Also, there was this Razorback fan that sat right behind us and for about a quarter or so he kept yelling ‘souieee’. My Dad finally said to him ‘you might want to shut up because that ain’t working for ya’.

Bon Mallari – I actually think that this team was the best of DKR run from 68-70, they lost a total of 3 games in 3 years, and two of those were before they switched to the Bone …This team was different with Eddie Phillips at QB, its difficult to follow a legend and at Texas nobody is more popular than the back up QB. I think when Eddie got his chance he did a fabulous job at running the offense and this team just flat out rolled people up, the way they clobbered A&M and Ark at the end of the season made us believers that back to back NC was all but a done deal…but I guess thats why they play the game. The month lay off definitely hurt the Horns and they came out flat and got beat

Russ Ingram -As a true sophomore I played for Texas Tech against this team in 1970. We were the home team in Lubbock and at halftime we were only down by one point, 14-13. We went into our locker room so excited, believing we could win it. But they took control in the second half and we lost 35-13. I was an offensive tackle and went up against the great Bill Atessis, a truly gifted player.

Greatest Teams in Texas Longhorns History

3. 1963 (11-0, 7-0 SWC)

Coach: Darrell Royal ( 7th)

Following two seasons that saw Texas flirt with its first National Championship, the Longhorns opened the 1963 campaign as the No. 1 team in the nation according to Sports Illustrated and Street & Smith’s Football Yearbook. The Associated Press did not agree and forced UT to work its way up the ladder with a preseason No. 5 ranking.