Dave Feit's Historical 12-Team College Football Playoffs: Tom Osborne's 1970s Teams

All but one of his first seven Nebraska football teams would have made the hypothetical playoffs.

Nebraska quarterback Tom Sorley runs the offense during the Huskers' 17-14 upset of Oklahoma on Nov. 11, 1978. / Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

This is Part III of our series on "What if the 12-team College Football Playoff had existed in years gone by?" 

For more information on the series, and a look at Nebraska's first hypothetical playoff teams, click here.  Playoff teams from the Bob Devaney era are here. 

After Devaney retired as head coach, he was replaced by a tall redhead from Hastings who had led Nebraska's offense during the national championship seasons. 

Expectations were high.  Could Osborne keep up the new standard of Nebraska football? 

1973 

Nebraska:  8-2-1 (records are regular season only), Second place (tied) in the Big Eight

Conference champion automatic qualifiers (and their AP ranking at the end of the regular season) 

• #1 Alabama (Southeastern Conference) 
• #4 Ohio State (Big Ten) 
• #7 USC (Pacific Eight) 
• #8 Texas (Southwest Conference) 
• #10 Arizona State (Western Athletic Conference) 

  At-large teams (and their AP rankings at the end of the regular season) 

• #3 Notre Dame 
• #5 Michigan 
• #6 Penn State 
• #9 UCLA 
• #11 Texas Tech 
• #12 Nebraska 
• #13 LSU 

First teams out 

• #2 Oklahoma (NCAA probation) 
• #14 Houston 
• #15 Miami (OH) 

The 1973 bracket / Dave Feit, HuskerMax

Osborne's first team had a one-point loss at (then) #12 Missouri, a 17-17 tie to Oklahoma State, and a 27-0 loss to #3 Oklahoma.  But NU's strength of schedule (four wins over ranked teams, including playoff at-large team UCLA) would have gotten Nebraska in as the 11 seed, setting up an epic first round playoff game at Michigan, with the winner to face USC. 

At the start of the 1973 season, Oklahoma was put on probation, which included a two-year bowl ban.  Therefore, the Sooners would not have been eligible for the playoff. 

Team that won the National Championship:  At the end of the regular season, Alabama was #1 in the AP and UPI Coaches polls.  The Coaches named Bama as the champions prior to the bowls, where the Crimson Tide lost to Notre Dame.  The AP named Notre Dame the national champion. 

1974 

Nebraska:  8-3-0, Second place (tied) in the Big Eight

Conference champion automatic qualifiers  

• #2 Alabama (SEC) 
• #3 Ohio State (Big Ten) 
• #5 USC (Pacific 8) 
• #10 Maryland (Atlantic Coast Conference) 
• #12 Baylor (Southwest) 

At-large teams 

• #4 Michigan 
• #6 Auburn 
• #7 Penn State 
• #8 Nebraska 
• #9 Notre Dame 
• #11 Texas 
• #13 North Carolina State 

First teams out 

• #1 Oklahoma (NCAA probation) 
• #14 Michigan State 
• #15 Miami (OH) 

The 1974 bracket / Dave Feit, HuskerMax

Oklahoma was still on NCAA probation in 1974 and not allowed to participate in a bowl game.  Therefore, the Sooners would be ineligible for the hypothetical playoffs.  This allowed Maryland to jump into a first-round bye. 

1974 would have been Nebraska's twelfth playoff appearance, but just their second time hosting a first-round game (and first since 1940).  And the opponent would have been a big name:  9 seed Notre Dame, with the winner facing top seed Alabama. 

Team that won the National Championship:  Despite the probation, Oklahoma was named champion by the AP.  The Coaches, who were unable to vote for Oklahoma, picked Alabama. 

1975 

Nebraska:  10-1-0, First place (tied) in the Big Eight

Conference champion automatic qualifiers  

• #1 Ohio State (Big Ten) 
• #2 Texas A&M (Southwest) 
• #3 Oklahoma (Big Eight) 
• #4 Alabama (SEC) 
• #7 Arizona State (WAC) 

At-large teams 

• #5 Michigan 
• #6 Nebraska 
• #8 Penn State 
• #9 Texas 
• #10 Colorado 
• #11 UCLA 
• #12 Georgia 

First two out 

• #13 Florida 
• #14 California 

The 1975 bracket / Dave Feit, HuskerMax

Good news:  As the 6 seed, Nebraska would be hosting a December playoff game against UCLA.  Bad news:  the winner of that game would face Oklahoma, finally off probation.  The Sooners whooped the Huskers 35-10 at the end of the regular season.  Arizona State, who beat Nebraska 17-14 in the Fiesta Bowl, would be a possible opponent if the Huskers advanced.

Team that won the National Championship:  Oklahoma edged out undefeated Arizona State for the championship in both polls.  

1976 

Nebraska:  8-3-1, Fourth place (tied) in the Big Eight

The Huskers started the 1976 season ranked #1, but had a 6-6 tie at LSU in the opener, and lost to two ranked teams (then #17 Missouri and #8 Oklahoma) at home.  But the 37-28 loss at unranked Iowa State is what kept Nebraska out of the playoffs.  

NU ended up as the #13 team, with fellow Big Eight school Oklahoma State at #14.  The Huskers did beat Texas Tech (who would have been the 9 seed) 27-24 in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl.

Team that won the National Championship:  Pittsburgh rode Heisman winner Tony Dorsett to the title. 

1977 

Nebraska:  8-3-0, Second place (tied) in the Big Eight

Conference champion automatic qualifiers  

• #1 Texas (Southwest) 
• #2 Oklahoma (Big Eight) 
• #3 Alabama (SEC) 
• #4 Michigan (Big Ten) 
• #13 Washington (Pacific 8) 

At-large teams 

• #5 Notre Dame 
• #6 Arkansas 
• #8 Penn State 
• #9 Ohio State 
• #10 Pittsburgh 
• #11 Clemson 
• #12 Nebraska 

First teams out 

• #7 Kentucky (NCAA probation) 
• #14 North Carolina 
• #15 Arizona State 

The 1977 bracket / Dave Feit, HuskerMax

The Huskers were #12 in the final regular-season AP poll and were at risk of being bumped out by #13 Washington (the fifth-highest ranked conference champion, who earned an automatic bid).  But wait!  AP #7 Kentucky's NCAA probation included a postseason ban.  

The Huskers sneak in as the 12 seed ahead of #14 North Carolina (who the Huskers beat in the 1977 Liberty Bowl, 21-17).  Nebraska would travel to 5 seed Notre Dame, with the winner facing Michigan.   

Team that won the National Championship:  Notre Dame knocked off #1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl to win the championship. 

1978 

Nebraska:  9-2-0, First place (tied) in the Big Eight

Conference champion automatic qualifiers  

• #2 Alabama (SEC) 
• #3 USC (Pacific 8) 
• #6 Nebraska (Big Eight) 
• #7 Clemson (ACC) 
• #9 Houston (Southwest) 

At-large teams 

• #1 Penn State 
• #4 Oklahoma 
• #5 Michigan 
• #8 Arkansas 
• #10 Notre Dame 
• #11 Georgia 
• #12 Michigan State 

First two out 

• #13 Maryland
• #14 Texas 

The 1978 bracket / Dave Feit, HuskerMax

After two years of hovering around the playoff bubble, Nebraska used an epic 17-14 upset of #1 Oklahoma to win the Big Eight title, earning a first round bye.  The 3-seed Huskers would play the winner of Georgia at Oklahoma, setting up a possible rematch in the quarterfinals.  As you likely know, in 1978, the Huskers and Sooners were rematched in the Orange Bowl.  Oklahoma won the rematch 31-24. 

Team that won the National Championship:  #2 Alabama upset #1 Penn State in the Sugar Bowl to win the AP's national championship.  The Coaches Poll picked #3 USC, who defeated #5 Michigan in the Rose Bowl. 

1979 

Nebraska:  10-1-0, Second place (tied) in the Big Eight

Conference champion automatic qualifiers  

• #1 Ohio State (Big Ten) 
• #2 Alabama (SEC)
• #3 USC (Pacific 8) 
• #5 Oklahoma (Big Eight) 
• #8 Houston (Southwest) 

At-large teams 

• #4 Florida State 
• #6 Arkansas 
• #7 Nebraska 
• #9 BYU 
• #10 Pittsburgh 
• #11 Texas 
• #12 Purdue 

First two out 

• #13 Washington
• #14 Michigan 

The 1979 bracket / Dave Feit, HuskerMax

Nebraska earned the 7 seed and would host Pittsburgh, with the winner to face Alabama.  The Huskers were 0-2 against teams in the playoffs, losing to Oklahoma and Houston in the Cotton Bowl in back-to-back games that ended in a 17-14 score. 

Team that won the National Championship:  #1 Ohio State lost by one point in the Rose Bowl, opening the door for undefeated Alabama to claim the championship. 

*  *  * 

Tom Osborne's tenure was off to a great start, but it was only going to get better.

Next time, the Tom Osborne 1980s.

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