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1978 Bluebonnet Bowl

1978 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
1 2 3 4 Total
Stanford 0 0 22 3 25
Georgia 3 12 7 0 22
Date December 31, 1978
Season 1978
Stadium Houston Astrodome
Location Houston, Texas
MVP Steve Dils (QB), Stanford
Gordy Ceresino (LB), Stanford
Attendance 34,084
United States TV coverage
Network Mizlou Television Network
Announcers Merle Harmon, Don Perkins and Howard David
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
 < 1977  1979

The 1978 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Stanford Cardinals, and was played on December 31, 1978, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was the twentieth edition of the Bluebonnet Bowl. Stanford overcame a 22–0 third quarter deficit and won the game, 25–22.

Stanford was making its second consecutive bowl appearance under second-year head coach Bill Walsh. Stanford was noted for its pass-heavy offense, led by Sammy Baugh Trophy-award winning quarterback Steve Dils and his targets, receiver Ken Margerum and back Darrin Nelson.

A tie in their second-to-last game of the season kept Georgia out of a possible berth in the 1979 Sugar Bowl. Led by long-time coach Vince Dooley, the Bulldogs were ranked #11 and featured a punishing defense and a rushing attack led by SEC offensive player of the year Willie McClendon. The Bulldogs had lost their last three bowl games, dating back to the 1974 Tangerine Bowl.

Georgia dominated the first half, scoring on two Carmon Prince touchdown receptions and a Rex Robinson field goal to lead 15–0 at the half. The only miscues were in the kicking game: Robinson missed the extra point on both touchdowns. Early in the third quarter, another Bulldog score on a one-yard run by quarterback Jeff Pyburn made the score 22–0, and it appeared that Georgia would complete a rout.

But following that score, Stanford quarterback Steve Dils hit receiver Ken Margerum on a 32-yard touchdown pass. Stanford's attempt at a two-point conversion was no good, but on Georgia's ensuing possession, running back Willie McClendon fumbled on the Georgia 19. Two plays later, Dils connected with Darrin Nelson for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Stanford then completed a successful two-point conversion, in which kicker Ken Naber faked a kick attempt and then ran in to the end zone to make the score 22–14.


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