Anyone that follows the history lessons I give in This Day in UTA Football History knows that I really enjoy the rivalry games. Not that I am in a minority there, since it is a common sports saying that rivalries build sports drama. In fact, that's what I felt was a huge hit to the UTA football program, lack of rivalries.
But that wasn't the case in the later days of Arlington State College as a junior college on until the late 1960's, and both are illustrated in today's game.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Saturday, October 7, 2017
UTA FB Vol. 5 Gm. 6 - Perseverance
1978 may have been the most deceptive season for the UT Arlington football program. The Mavericks entered this week 0-5, with losses to Drake, West Texas State, North Texas, Louisiana Tech and East Carolina. But, the Movin' Mavs were either one play away or had one play go wrong that contributed in every game. Every loss was by a touchdown or less. On top of it, only one loss was to Southland Conference foe, meaning every hope for an Independence Bowl bid was alive.
The year was also a very big microcosm of the the program in the 1970's save for a very big one. The team always played above its head, or at least at its level or higher. It came from an outdated philosophy from the late 1960's and early 1970's. UTA had to play harder teams to move to the higher level as the way to move up back then was to play half the schedule against the higher level. When UTA was the first Southland Conference school to move up, the out of conference schedule had to be tougher. But by the mid-1970's, the entire SLC was playing at the highest level, so that philosophy was no longer needed.
The major difference in 1978 was that UTA played two home games in September. That accounted for 40 percent of the true home games played in the entire decade of the 1970's. It also the big reason 1978 was the best attended season in both total attendance and average in the decade. The higher attended games are always earlier in the year. In UTA's case, it also meant that by the time they played in front of the home crowd, they were out of contention or at least playing with a losing record.
The year was also a very big microcosm of the the program in the 1970's save for a very big one. The team always played above its head, or at least at its level or higher. It came from an outdated philosophy from the late 1960's and early 1970's. UTA had to play harder teams to move to the higher level as the way to move up back then was to play half the schedule against the higher level. When UTA was the first Southland Conference school to move up, the out of conference schedule had to be tougher. But by the mid-1970's, the entire SLC was playing at the highest level, so that philosophy was no longer needed.
The major difference in 1978 was that UTA played two home games in September. That accounted for 40 percent of the true home games played in the entire decade of the 1970's. It also the big reason 1978 was the best attended season in both total attendance and average in the decade. The higher attended games are always earlier in the year. In UTA's case, it also meant that by the time they played in front of the home crowd, they were out of contention or at least playing with a losing record.
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