Greatest Longhorn Football Teams of All Time - No. 9, 1972

The 1972 Horns ran roughshod over the Southwestern Conference

The 1972 season began with an unprecedented move that no one saw coming. The promising offensive coordinator, Emory Bellard, decided to leave Texas and join fellow rival, Texas A&M, as their new head coach.

Texas was ranked No. 14 in the preseason poll, setting up for a season in which a National Championship run would only be a dream. Despite the hurdles, Texas quietly managed to have a quite successful season, going 10-1, with the only loss attributed to No.2 ranked Oklahoma. One of these games included sweet revenge against the former OC, when Texas handed Bellard a 38-3 loss to finish off the regular season. There were some tight games, including wins against SMU (17-9) and wins against Alabama (17-13) in the bowl game.

In the Bowl game against legendary head coach Bear Bryant, quarterback Alan Lowry broke off a 34-yard touchdown run, leading the Horns to a huge win over the tide. Alongside linebacker Randy Braband, Lowry was named as the most valuable player for the Cotton Bowl.

Another surprising x-factor coming into the season was one of the greatest running backs in the history of Texas football, Roosevelt Leaks. In the 1972 season, the sophomore rushed for 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Texas managed to have a top five ranked defense in 1972, while also having a top five ranked strength of schedule.

This season ended with yet another Southwest Conference Championship (one of ten) for the Texas Longhorns.