1970 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
Encyclopedia
The 1970 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University
in the 1970
college football
season. The Buckeyes compiled a 9–0 regular season record to attain a #2 ranking. Ohio State won the Big Ten Conference
title and a berth in the 1971 Rose Bowl
in Pasadena
against the Stanford Indians, ranked #12 and champions of the Pac-8.
, top-ranked and defending national champion Texas
was upset 24-11 by #6 Notre Dame
, ending the Longhorns' 30-game winning streak.
Heavily-favored Ohio State could claim their second national title
in three years that afternoon with a Rose Bowl
victory over Stanford in Pasadena. Stanford (8-3) was led by quarterback Jim Plunkett
, the 1970 Heisman Trophy
winner. The Indians had climbed to a 6-0 conference record and 8-1 overall, but lost their final two regular season games, to Sugar Bowl
-bound Air Force
and arch-rival California
. Stanford lost earlier in the season at home to Purdue
, a team OSU defeated on the road.
The Buckeyes led Stanford by four points after three quarters, but were outscored 14-0 in the fourth quarter and lost 27-17. Later that night, #3 Nebraska
won the Orange Bowl
17-12 over #5 LSU
in Miami
to claim the top spot in the AP writers poll.
1971 NFL draftees
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in the 1970
1970 college football season
The 1970 college football season was marked by tragedy, due to two airplane crashes. On October 2, one of the planes carrying the Wichita State football team crashed on the way to a game against Utah State, killing 31 people on board, including 14 players...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season. The Buckeyes compiled a 9–0 regular season record to attain a #2 ranking. Ohio State won the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title and a berth in the 1971 Rose Bowl
1971 Rose Bowl
The 1971 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1971. It was the 57th Rose Bowl Game. The Stanford Indians defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 27-17. The MVP was Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett.-Ohio State:...
in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
against the Stanford Indians, ranked #12 and champions of the Pac-8.
Schedule
New Year's Day
In the Cotton Bowl in DallasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, top-ranked and defending national champion Texas
1970 Texas Longhorns football team
The 1970 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1970 college football season. The Longhorns shared the National Championship with Nebraska...
was upset 24-11 by #6 Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, ending the Longhorns' 30-game winning streak.
Heavily-favored Ohio State could claim their second national title
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
in three years that afternoon with a Rose Bowl
1971 Rose Bowl
The 1971 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1971. It was the 57th Rose Bowl Game. The Stanford Indians defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 27-17. The MVP was Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett.-Ohio State:...
victory over Stanford in Pasadena. Stanford (8-3) was led by quarterback Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
, the 1970 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner. The Indians had climbed to a 6-0 conference record and 8-1 overall, but lost their final two regular season games, to Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
-bound Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
and arch-rival California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
. Stanford lost earlier in the season at home to Purdue
Purdue Boilermakers football
The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of...
, a team OSU defeated on the road.
The Buckeyes led Stanford by four points after three quarters, but were outscored 14-0 in the fourth quarter and lost 27-17. Later that night, #3 Nebraska
1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1970 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1970 college football season. The team was coached by Bob Devaney and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln...
won the Orange Bowl
1971 Orange Bowl
The 1971 Orange Bowl featured the third-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, champions of the Big Eight Conference, and the fifth-ranked LSU Tigers, champions of the Southeastern Conference....
17-12 over #5 LSU
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
to claim the top spot in the AP writers poll.
1971 NFL draftees1971 NFL DraftThe 1971 National Football League Draft was held on January 28–29, 1971.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
| Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL Club |
| John Brockington John Brockington John Stanley Brockington is a former American football running back. He was the National Football League's Green Bay Packers' 1st round draft choice out of the Ohio State University, and was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1971.-College career:Brockington played halfback and fullback for... |
1 | 9 | Running Back | Green Bay Packers 1971 Green Bay Packers season The 1971 Green Bay Packers season was their 51st season in the National Football League. The club posted a 4-8-2 record under first-year coach Dan Devine, earning them a fourth-place finish in the NFC Central division.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*... |
| Jack Tatum Jack Tatum John David Tatum was an American football defensive back who played ten seasons from 1971 through 1980 for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League... |
1 | 19 | Defensive Back | Oakland Raiders 1971 Oakland Raiders season The 1971 Oakland Raiders season was the team’s 12th season. After winning the AFC West in 1970, the Raiders failed to make the playoffs as their main rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs, would win the division title.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:... |
| William Anderson | 1 | 23 | Defensive Back | San Francisco 49ers 1971 San Francisco 49ers season The 1971 San Francisco 49ers season was the team's 22nd year with the National Football League. The 49ers appeared in the NFC Championship Game for the second consecutive year. The team moved into a new home, Candlestick Park.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:... |
| Leo Hayden Leo Hayden Leophus "Leo" Hayden, Jr. is a former National Football League running back who played from 1971 to 1973 for the Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Cardinals... |
1 | 24 | Running Back | Minnesota Vikings 1971 Minnesota Vikings season 1971 was the 11th year of season play for the Minnesota Vikings and the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The Vikings won the NFC Central title as they finished with a record of 11 wins and three losses, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys at home,... |
| Jan White | 2 | 29 | Tight End | Buffalo Bills 1971 Buffalo Bills season The 1971 Buffalo Bills season was the 12th season for the club and its 2nd in the National Football League.For the second time in four seasons, the Bills finished with a 1-13 record. The season began in turmoil when coach John Rauch resigned, forcing pro personnel director Harvey Johnson to assume... |
| Jim Stillwagon Jim Stillwagon Jim Stillwagon is a former all star American college football player and Canadian Football League player.Stillwagon was a three-year starter with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was a consensus All-America selection as a junior and senior, and won the Outland Trophy and was the first-ever winner of... |
5 | 124 | Linebacker | Green Bay Packers 1971 Green Bay Packers season The 1971 Green Bay Packers season was their 51st season in the National Football League. The club posted a 4-8-2 record under first-year coach Dan Devine, earning them a fourth-place finish in the NFC Central division.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*... |
| Doug Adams | 7 | 165 | Linebacker | Denver Broncos 1971 Denver Broncos season The 1971 Denver Broncos season was the teams 12th season in professional football and 2nd in the NFL. The team finished the season with four wins, nine losses, and one tie. They once again finished fourth in the AFC West. Floyd Little became the 13th player ever in professional football to rush for... |
| Mike Sensibaugh Mike Sensibaugh James Michael "Mike" Sensibaugh is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He played eight seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and the St. Louis Cardinals... |
8 | 191 | Defensive Back | Kansas City Chiefs 1971 Kansas City Chiefs season The 1971 Kansas City Chiefs season saw the club bounce back from a 7–5–2 campaign in 1970 to record a 10–3–1 mark and win the AFC West division championship, the Chiefs' first division title since 1966... |
| Larry Zelina | 8 | 196 | Running Back | Cleveland Browns 1971 Cleveland Browns season The 1971 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 22nd season with the National Football League.After missing the playoffs the previous year, the Browns got off to a good start at 4–1 only to stumble losing 4 straight to fall to 4–5. However, the Browns would rebound to win the final 4 games of the... |
| Bruce Jankowski | 10 | 250 | Wide Receiver | Kansas City Chiefs 1971 Kansas City Chiefs season The 1971 Kansas City Chiefs season saw the club bounce back from a 7–5–2 campaign in 1970 to record a 10–3–1 mark and win the AFC West division championship, the Chiefs' first division title since 1966... |
| Rex Kern Rex Kern Rex William Kern is a former American football player. He played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1968 to 1970, and played professional football in the National Football League at defensive back for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills... |
10 | 260 | Defensive Back | Baltimore Colts 1971 Baltimore Colts season The 1971 Baltimore Colts season was the 19th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1971 season with a record of 10 wins and 4 losses, and finished second in the AFC East.- Schedule :... |
| Ron Maciejowski | 15 | 376 | Quarterback | Chicago Bears 1971 Chicago Bears season The 1971 Chicago Bears season was their 52nd regular season completed in the National Football League. The club posted a 6-8 record, another below .500 showing, eventually costing head coach Jim Dooley his job. This was their 1st season at Soldier Field.... |
| Mark Debevc | 16 | 405 | Linebacker | Cincinnati Bengals 1971 Cincinnati Bengals season The 1971 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's fourth year in professional football and its second with the National Football League.Cornerback Lemar Parrish set a team record with seven interceptions, including one for a 65-yard score, Cincinnati's first-ever interception return for a... |