1979 Stanford Cardinals football team

Date: October 20
Location: Tucson, AZ

1979 Stanford Cardinals football

Conference	Pacific-10 Conference
1979 record	5–5–1 (3–3–1 Pac-10)
Head coach	Rod Dowhower (1st year)
Home stadium	Stanford Stadium (c. 85,500, grass)
Seasons ← 1978 1980 →

1979 Pacific-10 football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#2 USC $	6	–	0	–	1	11	–	0	–	1
#11 Washington	5	–	2	–	0	9	–	3	–	0
Arizona	4	–	3	–	0	6	–	5	–	1
Oregon	4	–	3	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
California	5	–	4	–	0	6	–	6	–	0
Stanford	3	–	3	–	1	5	–	5	–	1
Arizona State *	3	–	4	–	0	6	–	6	–	0
UCLA	3	–	4	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Washington State	2	–	6	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Oregon State	1	–	7	–	0	1	–	10	–	0

$ – Conference champion * – Arizona State later forfeited 5 wins (3 in conference) due to NCAA sanctions Rankings from AP Poll

	1	2	3	4	Total
• Stanford	7	0	7	16	30
Arizona	0	7	3	0	10

Scoring summary

1	STAN	Hooper 3 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick)	STAN 7-0

2	ARIZ	Hersey 5 yard run (Zivic kick)	Tied 7-7

3	ARIZ	Zivic 27 yard field goal	ARIZ 10-7

3	STAN	Tyler 15 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick)	STAN 14-10

4	STAN	Naber 30 yard field goal	STAN 17-10

4	STAN	Dotterer 7 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick)	STAN 24-10

4	STAN	Margerum 13 yard pass from Elway (kick failed)	STAN 30-10

Scoring summary

1	STAN	Hooper 3 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick)	STAN 7-0

2	ARIZ	Hersey 5 yard run (Zivic kick)	Tied 7-7

3	ARIZ	Zivic 27 yard field goal	ARIZ 10-7

3	STAN	Tyler 15 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick)	STAN 14-10

4	STAN	Naber 30 yard field goal	STAN 17-10

4	STAN	Dotterer 7 yard pass from Schonert (Naber kick)	STAN 24-10

4	STAN	Margerum 13 yard pass from Elway (kick failed)	STAN 30-10

The 1979 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. Rod Dowhower, an assistant coach under previous coach Bill Walsh, was hired as Stanford's new head coach, but resigned after the season to take an assistant coaching position with the NFL's Denver Broncos.

Mike Dotterer became the first freshman in school history to score three touchdowns in one game during Stanford's 45-29 victory.