Welcome back, Dr. Pepper! I am super excited for this new project of yours! Too bad there are no New York or Ohio based schools in the Top 20 at least, but it’s no big deal, as I’ll probably pull for Wisconsin State as I really find them to have the best color scheme out of all of these teams. Can’t wait for Week One!

Steelman wrote:

Hi. Very cool. I like what I see so far. What prompted you to choose the 1980 season in particular? I like this short series idea as that sounds much more manageable and you can focus on the details. I may have to try this format for THL collegiate sports.

Some standouts to me so far are ASU, with an excellent monogram logo and uniform set. I like Pullman's color scheme, along with V-State's color scheme. Sacre Couer is a very cool way to bring a Notre Dame school into the mix. Texas Baptist is clearly the school I would have attended growing up, as they are my hometown school and my parents would have thought they were probably super Christian with that name. Haha. I am a fan of the other Texas schools as well. LAIC is cool, I like the word mark and the yellow and gray color scheme.

Looking forward to seeing this short series develop!

 
Thanks for all the kind words from everyone! I’ll comment on a couple of things here that you brought up Steel. I chose the year 1980, because it’s exactly 4 years after where I left the NFA, meaning that most of the college players from the 1976 season have graduated, giving me a clean slate to begin with. Also, Texas Baptist is a private, non profit university, so yes, it is religious school, founded by some of those involved in the Southern Baptist Convention. I won’t go into the background of all schools though, in order to not commit myself into something I wish I could change.

1980 Week 1 Game of the Week!

Coming into the first official week of the 1980 season, we only had a handful of the top 20 teams actually playing, with one match in particular gaining immense national attention; a rivalry matchup between the 6th ranked East Texas Lonestars, traveling to Dallas, Texas to take on the 10th ranked Texas Baptist Stallions. Both teams were coming off a season in which they both finished the season in the top 15 teams in the nation, Texas Baptist in particular finishing last season at 6th, leading to the program's first ever Harvest Bowl appearance, facing off against the Bell Eagles. They would go onto lose that game in a close match, 21-17, but that has only inspired this year's team to do better. Led by QB Ty Hendersmith, and the best OL in the country, both Hendersmith and the Stallions are looking to start this season off with a bang with a win against their rivals! On the other side of the field stands East Texas University, harkening from an hour down the road, in Fort Worth, Texas. The Lonestars are coming into this game as the higher ranked team, but still considered an underdog. A much younger team then their counterparts, the star of this team is actually one of their wide receivers; Larry Aire. He's a sophomore who ended up winning both the Gifford Award for most valuable wide receiver in the nation, and the Alex Carr Trophy for most valuable freshman of the year, last season as an 18 year old. He's hyped up as one of the best players in the nation and is part of the reason the Lonestars have clocked in so high on the opening week's rankings. 
As the captains head to the center of the field for the coin flip, some words were exchanged before being broken up by the referees, evidence of the tension between these two rivals on this year's opening game. The coin flip goes in favor of the Stallions, who elect to kick off first and receive in the second half. It's about now that the so far rambunctious crowd reaches an early zenith as the ball is kicked off, starting the beginning of the 1980 season. Not long after, WR Larry Aire shows why he's a national gem, catching the first pass of the game, before shaking a couple defenders and making it out to the Lonestar 45, quickly quieting the crowd. That would be about as far as East Texas would make it however, as on the following 3rd and 4, QB James Derwin is picked off by a Stallions defender who is immediately brought down. The Stallions would retaliate with a successful drive down the field where at the 6 yard line the RB is able to punch it in for the first score of the game, and of the season. The rest of the first half really continues to go Baptist's way, as their defense would hold off any attack, forcing two punts from the Lonestar special teams. In retaliation they would sneak a field goal right by the left crossbar, which had the commentators unsure of if the kick was good or not. This put the Stallions up 10 going into the second quarter where they would only continue to dominate this game. Holding off yet another offensive attack by East Texas, they were able to pop another 3 onto the score board, this time thanks to a much more obvious kick. After the two teams exchanged punts, it was finally time that East Texas was able to move into the the opposing redzone for the first time this game. This would lead to their first points, when their QB found, non other then Larry Aire, for the 6, followed by a perfect PAT, putting the game at 13-7. And this is where we would stay until the second half kick off.
Coming out of the locker room for the last 30 minutes of the game, East Texas seemed to have gotten their mojo together. Stopping Baptist on a 3 and out, and then following that up with a 60 yard drive, capped off with a second straight perfect kick, putting them within one possession of the lead, at 13-10. Texas Baptist would be able to retaliate with a successful drive however, making it all the way down to the 10 yard line. However, after landing their first sack of their game, the motivated Lonestar defense, was able to put up a stand, and hold them to 3 points, keeping it a one possession game. The back and forth wouldn't end there however, as East Texas, was finally able to break through for an easy drive down the field, capped off by their second touchdown of the game, which was also caught by WR Larry Aire. This would take us to the last 15 minutes with a score of 16-17, favoring the visiting East Texas University, and although the Lonestars put up a good fight, it would be here, midst the way through the 4th, that their QB; James Derwin, would twist his ankle going down after a brutal hit, benching him for the rest of the game. This would only spiral the Lonestars downwards, as on the following play, the Stallions would get their second pick of the day, taking back 5 yards before going down. Baptist would quickly put themselves back in the lead thanks to a Ty Hendersmith touchdown, that would not be surmounted. East Texas struggled to get their momentum rolling again after getting the ball back, and Baptist ended the game kneeling on a third down. The home crowd roared as their Stallions, had upset (6) East Texas, and squarely put themselves in the mix for the National Title.





I hope that wasn't too long of a write up, haha! The next post will be the week 2 rankings!

Epic first game, cool to see a rivalry take centre stage to open up the season!

Now that I've seen it writing, it's weird to have a school in Dallas called East Texas. That wouldn't fly IRL, in my opinion as DFW is staunchly "north Texas" region. However, I'm rooting for Texas Baptist so screw the East Texans! Great first game matchup.