1978 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team

1978 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record9–2 (4–1 MVC)
Head coach
Home stadiumSkelly Stadium
Seasons
← 1977
1979 →
1978 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
New Mexico State $ 5 1 0 6 5 0
Tulsa 4 1 0 9 2 0
Southern Illinois 3 2 0 7 4 0
Drake 3 3 0 4 7 0
Indiana State 2 3 0 3 8 0
Wichita State 2 4 0 4 7 0
West Texas State 1 5 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1978 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represented the University of Tulsa as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second year under head coach John Cooper, the Golden Hurricane compiled an overall record of 9–2 record with a mark of 4–1 in conference play, placing second in the MVC.[1] The team defeated Virginia Tech (35–33), Kansas State (24–14), Louisville (24–7), Cincinnati (27–26), and Wichita State (27–13), but lost to No. 2-ranked Arkansas (21–13) and MVC champion New Mexico State (23–20).[2]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback David Rader with 1,683 passing yards, Sherman Johnson with 826 rushing yards, and Rickey Watts with 730 receiving yards.[3] Head coach John Cooper was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

  1. ^ "College Standings". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. United Press International. November 27, 1978. p. 15. Retrieved January 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  2. ^ "1978 Tulsa Golden Hurricane Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  3. ^ "1978 Tulsa Golden Hurricane Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 27, 2016.