1978 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season was the first season of Division I-A football; Division I-A was created in 1978 from the splitting of Division I for football only. The season came down to a rare #1 vs. #2 post-season meeting as #1 Penn State and #2 Alabama met in the New Year's Day Sugar Bowl. The game is most remembered for Alabama's goal line stand with four minutes left in the game. On fourth down and a foot, Alabama managed to keep Penn State out of the end zone and went on to win 14-7. Keith Jackson, who did the play by play for ABC, called it the greatest game he'd ever seen. 76,824 people packed the Louisiana Superdome, which was tremendously loud.

Alabama's only loss that year was 24-14 in Birmingham to Southern California, who were selected the national champions by UPI. Both schools claim this year as a national title year. Alabama claims the national title because it defeated top-ranked Penn State. USC claims the title because it lost once as well, and defeated Alabama in the regular season. The was the first year of the Pacific-10 Conference, as the Pac 8 added Arizona schools the University of Arizona and Arizona State University.

Rules changes for 1978

*Unsuccessful field goals are returned to the previous line of scrimmage. Previously they were placed at the 20-yard line.
*Balls may not be altered and new or nearly new balls are to be used.

Conference Standings

"W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, Conf. = Conference Record"