The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
1970 National Champions
The Longhorns are named UPI national champions prior to their season-ending defeat to Notre Dame.
FRONT ROW: Asst. Coach Glen Swenson, Asst. Coach Leon Manley, Asst. Coach Willie Zapalac, Asst. Coach Tim Doerr, Asst. Coach Jim Helms, Head Coach Darrell Royal, Asst. Coach Emory Ballard, Asst. Coach Fred Akers, Asst. Coach R.M. Patterson, Asst. Coach Bill Ellington, Asst. Coach Mike Campbell, Asst. Coach David McWilliams
SECOND ROW: Donnie Wigginton, Happy Feller, Jerry Sisemore, Jim Bertlesen, Terry Collins, Mike Dean, Jim Achilles, Bobby Mitchell, Bobby Wuensch, Daryl Comer, Danny Lester, Eddie Phillips, Cotton Speyrer, Steve Worster, Billy Dale
THIRD ROW: Gary Keithley, Bill Atessis, Carl White, Ray Dowdy, Scott Henderson, David Richardson, David Arledge, Rick Nabors, Alan Lowry, Stan Hicks, Stan Mauldin, Mike Bayer, Bill Zapalac, Randy Braband, Scott Palmer, Dean Campbell
FOURTH ROW: Steve Fleming, Hans Helland, Bill Harrington, Jeff Zapalac, Steve Oxley, Julius Whittier, Tommy Lee, Sam McBrierty, Pat Macha, Larry Webb, John Ulrich, Steve Williams, Jim Morris, Randy Stout, Tommy Woodard, Alan Weddell, Doug Rostedt
FIFTH ROW: Jimmy Dreyer, Bill Rutherford, Donny Windham, Bud Hudgins, Paul Robichau, Keifer Marshal, Cary Xipp, Lee Lyles, Darrell Gray, Bobby Callison, Steve Adger, Mike Janda, Jack Rushing, Ronnie Tyler, Travis Roach, Bill Catlett, Tom Whiteside
SIXTH ROW: Jim McIngvale, Jay Cormier, Scott Moore, R.J. Childress, Tommy Matula, Sid Keasler, Bruce Gaw, Donnie Wood, Mike Speer, Steve Valek, Mike Stephens, George McIngvale, Kevin Hutson, Rock Martin, Danny Baker, Lukin Gilliland, David Ballew, Dan Terwelp, Tony Malouf, Charles Loeffler
SEVENTH ROW: David Fox, Juan Conde, Bill Allison, Bubba Simpson, David Anderson, Mike Cave, Jim Lemmon, Jimmy Kay, Paul Hobbs, Barrett Gaus, Rob Schultz, Dan Steakley, Mike Rowan, Rusty Campbell, Jim Randall, Jimmy Hull, Johnnie Robinson, Jerrell Bolton, Jim Johnson, A.Y. McWright, Kim Cade, Tom Kirschner, Asst. Trainer Spanky Stephens, Trainer Frank Medina
| RECORD: 10-1 (7-0 SWC Champs) | ||||
| Date | Score | UT Rank | Opponent | Attendance |
| Sept. 19 | 56-15 | #2 | California | 61,000 |
| Sept. 26 | 35-13 | #2 | at Texas Tech | 53,124 |
| Oct. 3 | 20-17 | #2 | #13 UCLA | 66,370 |
| Oct. 10 | 41-9 | #2 | Oklahoma at Dallas | 72,032 |
| Oct. 24 | 45-21 | #2 | at Rice | 70,500 |
| Oct. 31 | 42-15 | #1 | SMU | 66,500 |
| Nov. 7 | 21-14 | #1 | at Baylor | 36,000 |
| Nov. 14 | 58-0 | #1 | at TCU | 40,179 |
| Nov. 26 | 52-14 | #1 | Texas A&M | 66,400 |
| Dec. 5 | 42-7 | #1 | #4 Arkansas | 68,510 |
| Jan. 1 | 11-24 | #1 |
#6 Notre Dame (Cotton Bowl) |
73,000 |
| Rankings from Associated Press entering the game. | ||||
Texas entered the 1970 season with a 20-game winning streak on the line and as the defending National Champions. With all of their startling credentials, the Longhorns entered the season ranked No. 2 behind Ohio State in the polls.
Despite a rash of preseason injuries, UT stormed into the year with a pair of decisive victories against California (56-15) and at Texas Tech (35-13).
The win over the Golden Bears propelled the Longhorns into the No. 1 spot in the UPI poll and narrowed their gap on Ohio State for the top spot in The AP poll. Despite the easy win against Tech, the Horns dropped back to No. 2 in the UPI poll, with Ohio State claiming a unanimous No. 1, again.
With UT's winning streak standing at 22 games, it appeared that the string of success with the unstoppable "Wishbone" had finally run out. In the season's third week, No. 13 UCLA conceived a unique defense which stymied the Longhorns. The Bruins appeared ready to end the streak with a 17-13 lead, 25 seconds remaining and Texas 45 yards away from the end zone. It was then that UT quarterback Eddie Phillips hit Cotton Speyrer in stride at the 25-yard line. Speyrer shook a UCLA defender and crossed the goal line with only 12 seconds left as UT came away with a 20-17 victory.
After the come-from-behind home victory against UCLA, the Longhorns posted back-to-back victories against Oklahoma (41-9) and at Rice (45-21). Those wins vaulted the Longhorns ahead of Ohio State into the nation's top spot.
A 42-15 win against SMU helped the Longhorns maintain the top spot. In its second week at No. 1, UT was forced to hold off a stubborn Baylor team in Waco (21-14) to remain at No. 1.
The Longhorns continued to hold the top spot with decisive victories at TCU (58-0) and against arch-rival Texas A&M (52-14) to set up a battle with No. 4 Arkansas. For the second consecutive year, the meeting with the Razorbacks would decide the Southwest Conference crown.
After claiming their third consecutive SWC crown with a 42-7 win against Arkansas, the Longhorns were awarded the UPI National Championship.
UT entered its Cotton Bowl rematch with No. 6 Notre Dame as the nation's top team in both The AP and UPI polls.
After falling 24-11 to the Fighting Irish, which snapped UT's 30-game winning streak, the Longhorns dropped to No. 3 in The AP poll but remained UPI's National Champion. The 30-game winning streak currently stands as the 10th-longest in NCAA history.
Defensive end Bill Atessis, fullback Steve Worster and offensive tackle Bobby Wuensch earned consensus All-America and All-SWC honors, while linebacker Scott Henderson and Speyrer earned All-America and All-SWC recognition. Running back Jim Bertelsen and offensive guard Bobby Mitchell also earned All-SWC accolades. Henderson, Worster, Wuensch and Zapalac were the captains for the 10-1 (7-0, SWC Champion) Longhorns.