1980 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1980 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented Ohio State University during the 1980 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second season under head coach Earle Bruce, the Buckeyes began the season ranked No. 1 in the pre-season AP Poll. They finished in a tie for second place in the Big Ten Conference (Big Ten), compiled a 9–3 (7–1 against Big Ten opponents), lost to Penn State in the 1980 Fiesta Bowl, were ranked No. 15 in the final AP Poll, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 387 to 181. The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
| 1980 Ohio State Buckeyes football | |
|---|---|
Fiesta Bowl, L 19–31 vs. Penn State | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 15 |
| AP | No. 15 |
| Record | 9–3 (7–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Glen Mason (1st season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Dennis Fryzel (2nd season) |
| MVP | Calvin Murray |
| Captains |
|
| Home stadium | Ohio Stadium (Capacity: 83,112) |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Michigan $ | 8 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Ohio State | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Purdue | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 11 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Art Schlichter with 1,930 passing yards, running back Calvin Murray with 1,267 rushing yards, wide receiver Doug Donley with 887 receiving yards, and placekicker Vlade Janakievski with 90 points scored. Several Ohio State players also ranked among the Big Ten leaders in various statistical categories, including the following:
- Calvin Murray led the Big Ten with 1,267 rushing yards, 1,471 yards from scrimmage, and 6.5 yards per rushing attempt.
- Vlade Janakievski led the Big Ten with 90 points scored and 45 extra points made, and ranked second with 15 field goals made and a 68.2 field goal percentage.
- Doug Donley led the Big Ten with 20.6 yard per reception and ranked fifth with 887 receiving yards.
- Art Schlichter ranked second in the Big Ten with a 139.7 passing efficiency rating, 8.5 yards per pass attempt, and 22 total touchdowns, and third with 1,930 passing yards, a 54.0 pass completion percentage, and 2,255 total yards.
- Tim Spencer ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 5.3 yards per rushing attempt and eight rushing touchdowns.