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1980 East Texas State Lions football team

The 1980 East Texas State Lions football team represented East Texas State University—now known as Texas A&M University–Commerce—as a member of the Lone Star Conference (LSC) during the 1980 NAIA Division I football season. Led by 17th-year head coach Ernest Hawkins, the Lions compiled an overall record of 8–3–1 with a mark of 4–2–1 in conference play, placing fourth in the LSC. Two of the conference's members competed at the NCAA Division II level, while the rest remained in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Despite Southwest Texas State, an NCAA Division II member, winning the conference title, the NAIA division title was shared by East Texas State and Angelo State. The Lions advanced to the NAIA Division I Football National Championship playoffs, where they beat Central Arkansas in the quarterfinals before falling to Elon, the eventual national champion, in the semifinals.

1980 East Texas State Lions football
ConferenceLone Star Conference
Record8–3–1 (4–2–1 LSC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeOption
Defensive coordinatorBobby Fox (10th season)
Base defense5–2
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1979
1981 →
1980 Lone Star Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Southwest Texas State $ 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
No. 2 Angelo State ^ 5 – 1 – 1 8 – 2 – 1
Texas A&I 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
No. 8 East Texas State ^ 4 – 2 – 1 8 – 3 – 1
Stephen F. Austin 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Sam Houston State 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Abilene Christian 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Howard Payne 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

East Texas State began the season 6–0 before dropping consecutive games to Southwest Texas State and Texas A&I. The Lions finished third in the NAIA poll. The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Commerce, Texas.

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 132:00 pmat Cameron*
W 35–20[1]
September 206:00 pmSouthern Arkansas*
W 21–14
September 275:00 pmat Central State (OK)*
W 33–7[2]
October 116:00 pmat Sam Houston State
W 41–7[3]
October 182:00 pmHoward Payne
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX
W 28–14[4]
October 252:00 pmat Abilene Christian
W 24–14[5]
November 12:00 pmNo. 2 Southwest Texas StateNo. 9
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX
L 26–375,500[6][7]
November 82:00 pmNo. 7 Texas A&INo. 10
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX (rivalry)
L 7–14[8]
November 156:00 pmat Stephen F. AustinNo. 8
W 44–7[9]
November 222:00 pmNo. 6 Angelo StateNo. 7
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX
T 13–13[10]
December 62:00 pmat No. 1 Central Arkansas*No. 8
W 27–21[11]
December 133:00 pmNo. 2 Elon*No. 6
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Commerce, TX (NAIA Division I Semifinal)
L 6–142,578[12]

[13]

Postseason awards

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All-Americans

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  • Wade Wilson, Quarterback, Consensus First Team
  • Danny Kirk, Linebacker, Second Team

LSC superlatives

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  • Wade Wilson, Outstanding Back of the Year

All-Lone Star Conference

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LSC First Team

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  • Danny Kirk, Linebacker
  • Cary Noiel, Running Back
  • Curtis Ray, Defensive Line
  • Ron Trammell, Wide Receiver
  • Wade Wilson, Quarterback

LSC Second Team

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  • Jimmy Buster, Defensive Lineman
  • Blake Cooper, Center
  • Anthony Freeman, Defensive Back
  • David Midolo, Tackle
  • Randy Smith, Receiver

LSC Honorable Mention

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  • Vic Combs, Tight End
  • Dennis Hagen, Guard
  • David Lowe, Defensive End
  • Bishop Spencer, Tackle

[14]

References

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  1. ^ "ETSU wins, 35–20". Abilene Reporter-News. September 14, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "East Texas sideswipes No. 1 Central State, 33–7". The Daily Oklahoman. September 28, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "East Texas State crushes Sam Houston". Victoria Advocate. October 12, 1980. Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Wilson sets record in East Texas win". Victoria Advocate. October 19, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "East Texas wins, 24–14; Turnovers plague ACU". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 26, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "SWT earns tie for LSC lead with 37–26 win". Austin American-Statesman. November 2, 1980. Retrieved March 23, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Final 1980 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
  8. ^ "Javelinas surprise East Texas, 14–7". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. November 9, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "E. Texas batters SFA 44–7". The Monitor. November 16, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Angelo State tied, 13–13, by East Texas". The Odessa American. November 23, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "East Texas wins playoff". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 7, 1980. Retrieved August 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Defensive Effort Keys Elon Victory". The Charlotte Observer. December 14, 1980. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Lion Football History". Texas A&M University–Commerce athletics. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  14. ^ "A&M-Commerce Football Award History". Texas A&M University–Commerce athletics. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
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