1969 Texas Longhorns football team explained

The 1969 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The Longhorns won all eleven games to win their second consensus national championship;^[1] the first was six seasons earlier in 1963.

The 1969 team is the last all-white team to be named consensus national champions with the onset of Julius Whittier, the first African-American player in Texas football history, was enrolled at UT as a freshman but was not eligible to play; NCAA rules of the time barred freshmen from playing varsity football and

Ranked fourth to start the year, the #2 Longhorns defeated rival Oklahoma by ten points on October 11,^[2] and gained the top spot in the polls in late November. On December 6, #1 Texas traveled to Fayetteville to meet second-ranked Arkansas;^{[3] [4]} down by fourteen points in the fourth quarter, UT rallied to win in the season's "Game of the Century," attended by President With a wishbone option offense, the Longhorns won all ten games in the regular season, and returned to the Cotton Bowl Classic in Fair Park in Dallas.

On New Year's Day 1970, the Longhorns met ninth-ranked Notre Dame, in its first bowl game in 45 years and second overall; their only previous postseason appearance was a win in the 1925 Rose Bowl. Trailing for most of the game, Texas scored with 68 seconds remaining and won On their final drive, the Longhorns faced fourth down twice.^[1] It was their twentieth consecutive victory, second straight Cotton Bowl Classic title, and third win that season in the stadium.

Rankings

See main article: 1969 NCAA University Division football rankings.

Game summaries

At California

See also: 1969 California Golden Bears football team.

Statistics	TEX	CAL
First downs	21	10
Total yards	329	206
Rushes/yards	71/311	40/127
Passing yards	18	79
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	2–7–2	12–23–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	James Street	2–7, 18 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	16 car, 92 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Randy Peschel	1 rec, 11 yards
California	Passing	TEAM	12–23, 79 yards, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	40 car, 127 yards
Receiving	TEAM	12 rec, 79 yards

Vs. Texas Tech

See also: 1969 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team and Texas–Texas Tech football rivalry.

Statistics	TTU	TEX
First downs	11	14
Total yards	213	286
Rushes/yards	41/42	57/257
Passing yards	171	29
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	14–34–4	10–3–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas Tech	Passing	TEAM	14–34, 171 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	41 car, 42 yards
Receiving	TEAM	14 rec, 171 yards, 1 TD
Texas	Passing	James Street	3–9, 29 yards, 1 INT
Rushing	Steve Worster	15 car, 61 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	Charles Speyrer	2 rec, 17 yards

Vs. Navy

See also: 1969 Navy Midshipmen football team.

Statistics	NAVY	TEX
First downs	15	32
Total yards	278	595
Rushes/yards	27/24	83/523
Passing yards	254	72
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	19–47–1	7–10–0
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Navy	Passing	TEAM	19–47, 254 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	TEAM	27 car, 24 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	TEAM	19 rec, 254 yards, 1 TD
Texas	Passing	Donn Wigginton	5–8, 51 yards
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	8 car, 99 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Randy Peschel	4 rec, 46 yards

Vs. Oklahoma

See also: 1969 Oklahoma Sooners football team and Red River Rivalry.

Statistics	OU	TEX
First downs	20	18
Total yards	282	373
Rushes/yards	63/198	54/158
Passing yards	84	215
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	9–15–2	9–18–3
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Oklahoma	Passing	TEAM	9–15, 84 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	63 car, 192 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	TEAM	9 rec, 84 yards
Texas	Passing	James Street	9–18, 215 yards, 1 TD, 3 INTs
Rushing	Steve Worster	18 car, 63 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Charles Speyrer	8 rec, 160 yards, 1 TD

Vs. Rice

See also: 1969 Rice Owls football team and Rice–Texas football rivalry.

Statistics	RICE	TEX
First downs	11	20
Total yards	138	447
Rushes/yards	43/47	64/291
Passing yards	91	156
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	9–29–3	9–16–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Rice	Passing	TEAM	9–29, 91 yards, 3 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	43 car, 47 yards
Receiving	TEAM	9 rec, 91 yards
Texas	Passing	James Street	6–10, 94 yards
Rushing	Steve Worster	16 car, 57 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Charles Speyrer	3 rec, 38 yards

At SMU

See also: 1969 SMU Mustangs football team.

Statistics	TEX	SMU
First downs	34	15
Total yards	676	296
Rushes/yards	80/611	35/73
Passing yards	65	223
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	4–10–0	20–38–2
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	James Street	4–10, 65 yards
Rushing	Steve Worster	21 car, 137 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Charles Speyrer	3 rec, 56 yards
SMU	Passing	TEAM	20–38, 223 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	35 car, 73 yards
Receiving	TEAM	20 rec, 223 yards, 1 TD

Vs. Baylor

See also: 1969 Baylor Bears football team.

Statistics	BAY	TEX
First downs	12	31
Total yards	203	555
Rushes/yards	38/93	67/388
Passing yards	110	167
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	8–27–5	12–23–0
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Baylor	Passing	TEAM	8–27, 110 yards, 5 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	38 car, 93 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	TEAM	8 rec, 110 yards
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	5–10, 55 yards
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	4 car, 80 yards
Receiving	Randy Peschel	5 rec, 61 yards

Vs. TCU

See also: 1969 TCU Horned Frogs football team and TCU–Texas football rivalry.

Statistics	TCU	TEX
First downs	12	32
Total yards	181	651
Rushes/yards	37/105	80/517
Passing yards	76	134
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	9–34–3	8–15–2
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
TCU	Passing	TEAM	9–34, 76 yards, 3 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	37 car, 105 yards
Receiving	TEAM	9 rec, 76 yards
Texas	Passing	James Street	5–8, 54 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	16 car, 104 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Ken Ehrig	4 rec, 89 yards, 1 TD

At Texas A&M

Statistics	TEX	TAMU
First downs	22	12
Total yards	441	155
Rushes/yards	68/330	52/88
Passing yards	111	67
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	6–14–1	6–18–4
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing	Eddie Phillips	3–8, 31 yards
Rushing	Jim Bertelsen	9 car, 92 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving	Charles Speyrer	2 rec, 43 yards
Texas A&M	Passing	TEAM	6–18, 67 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	52 car, 88 yards
Receiving	TEAM	6 rec, 67 yards, 1 TD

At Arkansas

See main article: 1969 Texas vs. Arkansas football game.

See also: 1969 Arkansas Razorbacks football team and Arkansas–Texas football rivalry.

Statistics	TEX	ARK
First downs	19	18
Total yards	368	308
Rushes/yards	60/244	44/103
Passing yards	124	205
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	6–10–2	14–22–2
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Texas	Passing		6–10, 124 yards, 2 INTs
Rushing		25 car, 94 yards
Receiving		4 rec, 65 yards
Arkansas	Passing		14–22, 205 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
Rushing	TEAM	44 car, 103 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	TEAM	14 rec, 205 yards, 1 TD

With two legendary coaches (Broyles and Royal), two neighboring states, two football powerhouses (8 of last 10 SWC Championships), and two recent National Championships (Arkansas in 1964 and Texas in 1963), Arkansas and Texas had developed a rivalry. The game was moved from the usual third week in October to the first week in December so it could be televised nationally on ABC. President Richard Nixon attended the game, and AstroTurf was even installed in Razorback Stadium in preparation for the game.

Arkansas' top-rated defense was going up against the #1-rated Texas offense, but the Hogs got on top early, with a 1-yard TD run by Bill Burnett. After halftime, Chuck Dicus hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass, giving the Razorbacks a 14–0 lead heading into the game's final quarter. Longhorn QB James Street then led his squad to its first touchdown, and as coach Darrell Royal had planned, Texas attempted and completed the two-point conversion, which would in all likelihood prevent a tie.

Arkansas then had the ball and the lead, and a 73-yard drive later, the Hogs were in good position to tack on a field goal that would put the game out of reach, but Razorback QB Bill Montgomery was intercepted in the end zone, giving the Longhorns new life. The Texas drive appeared stalled at the Longhorns' own 43, on a 4th and 3, when Royal gambled again. A 44-yard pass to Randy Peschel, who caught the ball in double coverage, put Texas at the Arkansas 13. Longhorn RB Jim Bertelsen would run in for the tying six points. The extra-point snap was high, but was snared by third-string QB Donnie Wigginton and the kick was converted by Longhorn kicker Happy Feller, giving Texas a 15–14 lead with 3:58 to play.

Arkansas drove to the Texas 40, looking for a field goal from All-American kicker Bill McClard, but the turnover bug struck again as Montgomery was again picked off.

Vs. Notre Dame (Cotton Bowl)

See main article: 1970 Cotton Bowl Classic.

See also: 1969 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team.

Statistics	ND	TEX
First downs	25	25
Total yards	420	438
Rushes/yards	43/189	67/331
Passing yards	231	107
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	17–27–2	6–11–1
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Notre Dame	Passing		17–27, 231 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
Rushing	Bill Barz	10 car, 49 yards
Receiving		6 rec, 112 yards, 1 TD
Texas	Passing		6–11, 107 yards, 1 INT
Rushing		20 car, 155 yards
Receiving		4 rec, 70 yards

Awards and honors

• Bob McKay, tackle, Consensus All-American^[5]

NFL Draft

Three seniors from the 1969 Longhorns were selected in the 1970 NFL draft:^[6]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Bob McKay		1	21	Cleveland Browns
Leo Brooks		2	31	Houston Oilers
Ted Koy		2	50	Oakland Raiders

Nine juniors from the 1969 Longhorns were selected in the 1971 NFL draft:^[7]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
		2	38	Washington Redskins
Bill Atessis		2	52	Baltimore Colts
Happy Feller		4	83	Philadelphia Eagles
		4	84	New York Jets
		4	90	Los Angeles Rams
Scott Palmer		7	162	New York Jets
Bobby Wuensch		12	294	Baltimore Colts
Danny Lester		13	317	Philadelphia Eagles
Deryl Comer		14	345	Atlanta Falcons

Two sophomores from the 1969 Longhorns were selected in the 1972 NFL draft:^[8]

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Jim Bertelsen		2	30	Los Angeles Rams
		4	95	Los Angeles Rams

Notes and References

1. Texas hangs on to its No. 1 . Sports Illustrated . Jenkins . Dan . Dan Jenkins . January 12, 1970 . 26.
2. News: Texas comes alive to hold 27-17 win . Lewiston Morning Tribune . Idaho . Associated Press . October 12, 1969 . 16.
3. News: The Eyes of Texas? They're all on Arkansas now . Tuscaloosa News . Alabama . Darling . Ed . December 5, 1969 . 6.
4. News: Texas by an eyelash . Sports Illustrated . Jenkins . Dan . Dan Jenkins . December 15, 1969 . 20.
5. Web site: 2010 NCAA Football Records . National Collegiate Athletics Association.
6. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1970.htm Pro Football Reference.com
7. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1971.htm Pro Football Reference.com
8. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1972.htm Pro Football Reference.com