1978 Washington Huskies football team

1978 Washington Huskies football
ConferencePacific-10 Conference
Record7–4 (6–2 Pac-10)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDick Scesniak (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorJim Lambright (1st season)
MVPMichael Jackson
Captains
Home stadiumHusky Stadium
Seasons
← 1977
1979 →
1978 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 USC $ 6 1 0 12 1 0
No. 14 UCLA 6 2 0 8 3 1
Washington 6 2 0 7 4 0
Arizona State 4 3 0 9 3 0
No. 17 Stanford 4 3 0 8 4 0
California 3 4 0 6 5 0
Arizona 3 4 0 5 6 0
Oregon 2 5 0 2 9 0
Oregon State 2 6 0 3 7 1
Washington State 1 7 0 3 7 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1978 Washington Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the University of Washington during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. Under fourth-year head coach Don James, the team compiled a 7–4 record, tied for second in the Pacific-10 Conference, and outscored its opponents 270 to 155. Linebacker Michael Jackson was selected as the team's most valuable player. The team captains were Jackson, Nesby Glasgow, Scott Greenwood, and Jeff Toews.

In the newly-expanded Pac-10, the defending champion Huskies returned eighteen starters, but not at quarterback.[1] Washington defeated the two new members, Arizona and Arizona State, and did not play California. The two losses were to UCLA and USC, and the Huskies defeated Washington State in the Apple Cup for the fifth consecutive year.[2][3][4]

An unexpected non-conference loss at unranked Indiana in September likely kept Washington out of a bowl game.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ Withers, Bud (October 21, 1978). "Brooks trying to probe Ducks' 'inner game'". Eugene register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1C.
  2. ^ Missildine, Harry (November 26, 1978). "Steele: Shades of McElhenny". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  3. ^ Drosendahl, Glenn (November 26, 1978). "Joe Steeles Jack's show - UW romps". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  4. ^ Van Sickel, Charlie (November 27, 1978). "Huskies blitz Cougars in one-sided debacle". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 21.
  5. ^ "Hoosiers ambush UW 14-7". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). September 24, 1978. p. F1.
  6. ^ "Huskies find way to lose to Indiana". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. September 24, 1978. p. 4C.
  7. ^ "Huskies get bowl spots". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). UPI. November 28, 1978. p. 18.