The 1980–81 NCAA football bowl games were a series of post-season games played in December 1980 and January 1981 to end the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season . A total of 15 team-competitive games,[ 1] and two all-star games, were played. The post-season began with the Independence Bowl on December 13, 1980, and concluded on January 17, 1981, with the season-ending Senior Bowl .
Schedule [ 2]
Date
Game
Site
Television
Teams
Affiliations
Results
Dec. 13
Independence Bowl
State Fair Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana
Mizlou
Southern Miss Golden Eagles (8–3)McNeese State Cowboys (10–1)
Independent Southland
Southern Miss 16 McNeese State 14
Dec. 14
Garden State Bowl
Giants Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey
Mizlou
Houston Cougars (6–5)Navy Midshipmen (8–3)
Southwest Independent
Houston 35 Navy 0
Dec. 19
Holiday Bowl
Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego , California
Mizlou
No. 14 BYU Cougars (11–1) No. 19 SMU Mustangs (8–3)
WAC Southwest
BYU 46 SMU 45
Dec. 20
Tangerine Bowl
Orlando Stadium Orlando, Florida
Mizlou
Florida Gators (7–4)Maryland Terrapins (8–3)
SEC ACC
Florida 35 Maryland 20
Dec. 26
Fiesta Bowl
Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, Arizona
NBC
No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions (9–2) No. 11 Ohio State Buckeyes (9–2)
Independent Big Ten
Penn State 31 Ohio State 19
Dec. 27
Hall of Fame Classic
Legion Field Birmingham, Alabama
Mizlou
Arkansas Razorbacks (6–5)Tulane Green Wave (7–4)
Southwest Independent
Arkansas 34 Tulane 15
Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl El Paso, Texas
CBS
No. 8 Nebraska Cornhuskers (9–2) No. 17 Mississippi State Bulldogs (9–2)
Big 8 SEC
Nebraska 31 Mississippi State 17
Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, Tennessee
ABC
No. 16 Purdue Boilermakers (8–3)Missouri Tigers (8–3)
Big Ten Big 8
Purdue 28 Missouri 25
Dec. 29
Gator Bowl
Gator Bowl Stadium Jacksonville, Florida
ABC
No. 3 Pittsburgh Panthers (10–1) No. 18 South Carolina Gamecocks (8–3)
Independent Independent
Pittsburgh 37 South Carolina 9
Dec. 31
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
Astrodome Houston , Texas
Mizlou
No. 13 North Carolina Tar Heels (10–1)Texas Longhorns (7–4)
ACC Southwest
North Carolina 16 Texas 7
Jan. 1
Cotton Bowl Classic
Cotton Bowl Dallas , Texas
CBS
No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide (9–2) No. 6 Baylor Bears (10–1)
SEC Southwest
Alabama 30 Baylor 2
Sugar Bowl
Louisiana Superdome New Orleans , Louisiana
ABC
No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs (11–0) No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9–1–1)
SEC Independent
Georgia 17 Notre Dame 10
Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Pasadena, California
NBC
No. 5 Michigan Wolverines (9–2) No. 16 Washington Huskies (9–2)
Big Ten Pac 10
Michigan 23 Washington 6
Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl Miami , Florida
NBC
No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners (9–2) No. 2 Florida State Seminoles (10–1)
Big 8 Independent
Oklahoma 18 Florida State 17
Jan. 2
Peach Bowl
Fulton County Stadium Atlanta , Georgia
CBS
No. 20 Miami Hurricanes (8–3)Virginia Tech Gobblers (8–3)
Independent Independent
Miami 20 Virginia Tech 10
Rankings from AP Poll
References