I rail on the 1970's a lot here on the Maverick Rambler. And it certainly is earned. So many avoidable errors led to the demise of the football program. But 1975 has a soft spot in my heart. It was the second time since 1972 that the fans felt like the team could compete at the highest level.
The points scored differential was within 70, with only the 1972 season able to say that to that point in the decade. Two of the seven losses were within a touchdown. Another two were within two touchdowns. Every win but one was by ten or more points. There was only one blowout, a 54-7 loss to undefeated Arkansas State. There was a borderline blowout in a 37-8 loss to Louisiana Tech that was on the edge, but the combined score of 121-29 in the previous three games against the Bulldogs showed the gap was narrowing to one of the Southland Conference's best programs.
Halfway through the decade and it was only the second time in the frame that UT Arlington fans felt maybe next year actually meant something.
When this year's edition of This Day in UTA Football History last peaked in on the '75 Mavericks, the Mavs had just got a .500 record for the second time in the decade, but turnovers, penalties erasing touchdowns, special teams' miscues, etc. were costly in a 28-24 loss.