1970 Texas Longhorns football team
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 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.Schedule
Roster
NFL Draft
Nine seniors from the 1970 Longhorns were selected in the 1971 NFL Draft:
Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
Cotton Speyrer | WR | 2 | 38 | Washington Redskins |
Bill Atessis | DE | 2 | 52 | Baltimore Colts |
Happy Feller | K | 4 | 83 | Philadelphia Eagles |
Bill Zapalac | LB | 4 | 84 | New York Jets |
Steve Worster | RB | 4 | 90 | Los Angeles Rams |
Scott Palmer | DT | 7 | 162 | New York Jets |
Bobby Wuensch | T | 12 | 294 | Baltimore Colts |
Danny Lester | DB | 13 | 317 | Philadelphia Eagles |
Deryl Comer | TE | 14 | 345 | Atlanta Falcons |
Two juniors from the 1970 Longhorns were selected in the 1972 NFL Draft:
Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
Jim Bertelsen | RB | 2 | 30 | Los Angeles Rams |
Eddie Phillips | QB | 4 | 95 | Los Angeles Rams |
One sophomore from the 1970 Longhorns was selected in the 1973 NFL Draft:
Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
Jerry Sisemore | OT | 1 | 3 | Philadelphia Eagles |
Awards and honors
- Bobby Wuensch, Tackle, Consensus All-American
- Steve Worster, Back, Consensus All-American
- Bill Atessis, Defensive end, Consensus All-American