This season will mark 40 years since the 1977 season

[Ben]

This coming season will mark 40 years since we fielded one of the best teams in program history. It will also be 40 years since the Hogs have won a major bowl game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB8jWTIqu6g

[WilsonHog]

Hard to believe it has been 40 years. I was 14 years old at the time, and that is still my favorite Razorback football team. I still remember the names of all 22 starters. I can't say that for any team since. Of course, that may in part be because the whole Razorback experience was new and magical for me. I attended my first Hog game that season, a 34-0 victory over Bill Yeoman's Houston Cougars in WMS.

[daBoar]

This coming season will mark 40 years since we fielded one of the best teams in program history. It will also be 40 years since the Hogs have won a major bowl game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB8jWTIqu6g

40 Years since a stadium full of fans threw oranges on the field; that was great fun, too.

[SWMrshogfan]

I was one of the orange throwers!!! That was a great year to be a Razorback and a junior at the U of A.

[sowmonella]

Hard to believe it has been 40 years. I was 14 years old at the time, and that is still my favorite Razorback football team. I still remember the names of all 22 starters. I can't say that for any team since. Of course, that may in part be because the whole Razorback experience was new and magical for me. I attended my first Hog game that season, a 34-0 victory over Bill Yeoman's Houston Cougars in WMS.

I was at that game but I was 22.

[Vantage 8 dude]

Oh the tales I could tell about being at that game! Man, one of the best and rowdiest atmospheres I've ever seen and experienced. We were sitting in the end zone where the vast majority of our TDs were being scored. Were also in the midst of a bunch of Okie fans and no doubt began giving them hell for the vast majority of the game. Ran them out of the area after the end of the third quarter.

Later took over a "dive" called "The Wreck Bar".....how appropriate....actually turned out to be a pretty nice place. In any event, we ran out a huge crowd of Sooner fans who had gotten there early to drink away their sorrows. Not sure where those guys might have ended up; quite frankly don't care....Gosh, was that REALLY forty years ago

[Hawgzinbowlz]

When that '77 team crossed the white lines they brought ferocious game intensity with them...Razorback Winning Attitude...

The okies were on the receiving end of one of The Hogs greatest victories...And one of my favorites as the company I worked for was constructing Frank's new home on the hill during that season and every game seemed magnified.

Love him or not, Lou had us dialed in.

" GO HOGS "

[Exit Pursued by a Boar]

I was at that game but I was 22.

I was at the UT game.  Damn that Earl Campbell!

EFBAB

[LZH]

I was one of the orange throwers!!! That was a great year to be a Razorback and a junior at the U of A.

You owe me some white jeans!        (I was standing up clapping and an orange hit my seat....splat)

[longtimeHogfan]

That was a special team.  Even at 11-1 we weren't considered much of a threat to beat Okie.  Especially with nearly 80% of our scoring offense for the year suspended and sidelined (Cowins & Bobo).  Back-up running back, Sales, few knew was even on the roster.  His Orange bowl rushing record stood for something like 20 years. 

Dan Hampton.....Steve Little.....Special team.

Barry Switzer was quoted:  "It'd be our luck that one of the Hog's back-ups will break one for a long TD."  About that time we did.

[DeltaBoy]

Hard to believe it has been 40 years. I was 14 years old at the time, and that is still my favorite Razorback football team. I still remember the names of all 22 starters. I can't say that for any team since. Of course, that may in part be because the whole Razorback experience was new and magical for me. I attended my first Hog game that season, a 34-0 victory over Bill Yeoman's Houston Cougars in WMS.

I was just 11 and it was one of the greatest years of my life.  Dad said Roland Sales bought a ton of Caddies and Lincolns for Framers wifes across the Delta after that Orange Bowl win.   My Great Uncle put down 500 on the Hogs and took his wife to a trip to Hawaii on his winnings.

[RedSkiesAtNightHog]

Many people forget that to finish the regular season 10-1, Arkansas escaped with a 17-14 victory over Texas Tech in Lubbock.  The game was on ABC national television with Keith Jackson on the call.  I, however, was in the stands in Lubbock with my Dad and a large contingent of Arkansas fans!

Arkansas trailed Texas Tech 14-3 at the half.  The game turned when Arkansas blocked a Texas Tech field goal attempt in the 3rd quarter that would have put Tech up 17-3.  We personally witnessed Ron Calcagni launch a perfect bomb to Bobby Duckworth in the 4th quarter to give the Hogs the lead! 

After watching that game in person, we could have never predicted the magnificent game Arkansas would play against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl!

Go Hogs!

[LZH]

Many people forget that to finish the regular season 10-1, Arkansas escaped with a 17-14 victory over Texas Tech in Lubbock.  The game was on ABC national television with Keith Jackson on the call.  I, however, was in the stands in Lubbock with my Dad and a large contingent of Arkansas fans!

Arkansas trailed Texas Tech 14-3 at the half.  The game turned when Arkansas blocked a Texas Tech field goal attempt in the 3rd quarter that would have put Tech up 17-3.  We personally witnessed Ron Calcagni launch a perfect bomb to Bobby Duckworth in the 4th quarter to give the Hogs the lead! 

After watching that game in person, we could have never predicted the magnificent game Arkansas would play against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl!

Go Hogs!

Very true, easily could have lost that one.

We went into College Station and beat A&M (they were Top 10 I think) in a close one, too.  I remember my dad telling me that if we win, I'll take you to Fayetteville next weekend (for the SMU game, which was my first).  Of course, his buddy at the bank had already given him the tickets and we were going anyway (and my mother is from there and we were gonna stay with her brother), but it made it more fun.

[PonderinHog]

I was one of the orange throwers!!! That was a great year to be a Razorback and a junior at the U of A.

"Just glad it wasn't the Gator bowl!"  - SIAP

[Vantage 8 dude]

"Just glad it wasn't the Gator bowl!"  - SIAP

Okay, Lou

[DeltaBoy]

Yes losing to Texas that year made me want to puke.

[WilsonHog]

Yes losing to Texas that year made me want to puke.

Almost got me killed. I was watching the game by myself at my house. My mom had gone to get groceries, and arrived back home during the game. I could hear her calling me from outside to come help bring them in, but, well, the game was on. So as not to miss a play, I sprinted to our front door and before I could think, yelled, "MOM! I'm watching the damn game!!"

Once she figured out it was the Texas game, we were all cool again.

[ur]

When that '77 team crossed the white lines they brought ferocious game intensity with them...Razorback Winning Attitude...

The okies were on the receiving end of one of The Hogs greatest victories...And one of my favorites as the company I worked for was constructing Frank's new home on the hill during that season and every game seemed magnified.

Love him or not, Lou had us dialed in.

" GO HOGS "

Does this bring back memories?
https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Fayetteville-AR/pmf,pf_pt/72851108_zpid/31543_rid/globalrelevanceex_sort/36.073279,-94.113334,36.067356,-94.121059_rect/16_zm/

[DeltaBoy]

Almost got me killed. I was watching the game by myself at my house. My mom had gone to get groceries, and arrived back home during the game. I could hear her calling me from outside to come help bring them in, but, well, the game was on. So as not to miss a play, I sprinted to our front door and before I could think, yelled, "MOM! I'm watching the damn game!!"

Once she figured out it was the Texas game, we were all cool again.

LOL

[hogcard1964]

Yes losing to Texas that year made me want to puke.

Should have won that game.

[mizzouman]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but is it being said that Arkansas hasn't won a major bowl game in 40 years?  Are you counting the Cotton Bowl as major?

[hogcard1964]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but is it being said that Arkansas hasn't won a major bowl game in 40 years?  Are you counting the Cotton Bowl as major?

It wasn't a "major" bowl when we beat Kansas St. in it.  It was on the rise again.  When we beat Texas in 2000, it was a second tier bowl.

[gchamblee]

Here is the game in its entirety an in better quality...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ3Jg321pK0

[Hawgzinbowlz]

Does this bring back memories?
https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/Fayetteville-AR/pmf,pf_pt/72851108_zpid/31543_rid/globalrelevanceex_sort/36.073279,-94.113334,36.067356,-94.121059_rect/16_zm/

Yes it does. Thanks and it was an incredible home to participate on.
Prior to the Oct. 15 Texas game Frank brought Chris Schenkel and Ara Parseghian up for a tour of his new home under construction. A win on Saturday would have been icing on the cake...
Thanks again.

" GO HOGS "

[OS2 (SW) Razor Back]

Good God man. Now I'm feeling old as dirt.

[bennyl08]

I was just 11 and it was one of the greatest years of my life.  Dad said Roland Sales bought a ton of Caddies and Lincolns for Framers wifes across the Delta after that Orange Bowl win.   My Great Uncle put down 500 on the Hogs and took his wife to a trip to Hawaii on his winnings.

I always assumed you would have been in your late 20's to early 30's then, not a preteen.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

I was 16 at the time and sitting on the top row of the lower deck of the old Orange Bowl on about the goalline, with my mom, dad and sister.  That's still the happiest I think I've ever been during and after a Razorback game. 

[Hawgzinbowlz]

Here is the game in its entirety an in better quality...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ3Jg321pK0

Thanks for the game post.

" GO HOGS "

[Torqued pork]

Earl Campbell gained at least 1/2 of his 23,174 career yards against the Hogs. He may have left their OU game on a gurney, but was always his awesome self against us.

[Steef]

Best Hog team in my lifetime. And Im old enough to remember our Natty in the 60s. I believe the 77 team could have beaten any of our own 60s team.

But Earl Campbell was just magnificent that year. He ruined our season, but he was. Breaks my heart that he was a Horn.

I wasnt at the Bowl game. I was married with three daughters in 77.

At some point late in the game, score 24-6, one of the talking heads said, "You know, Arkansas just might WIN this game!"

I still to this day, chuckle over that.

[Iwastherein1969]

My pops took me(17 yrs old), my girlfriend (16 yrs old), my older brother and his girlfriend along with, obviously, my mom, to South Beach a full week before the game. The absolute best time I've had in my life. I was young, the Cowboys were in their glory days, the Hogs were college's version of the Doomsday Defense and we were going to south Florida for a week just after Christmas. The only problem with the trip is that the whole week it was unseasonably cold. The temperature hoovered in the mid 50's to low 60's the whole trip. I have never before, nor since, watch a Razorback defense absolutely put it on a great team like OU. Our defense played like mad dogs and Englishmen. Lou's game plan, run the veer, run it straight at them with quick hitters with the occasional Gary Stiggers reverse. OU didn't know what hit them.

Where have those days gone ? Teams, no matter who they were, feared our defense. I guess a much younger Monte Kiffin did the trick. It took Earl Campbell's best game of his life to deny us the National Championship in Fayetteville. Oh, the irony. Texas doing it to us once again. Those were the days. Everyone pats Lou on the back but that team was Frank Broyles' recruits from top to bottom. His last great class. It was back in the day when central Arkansas football ruled the roost. We need Little Rock to have a football renaissance and if we could get that, we could compete with Alabama. But not until central Arkansas high school football of the 60's and 70's returns. I hope I live that long.

[gchamblee]

Thanks for the game post.

" GO HOGS "

the commercials are awesome 

[longtimeHogfan]

What a joy to watch that again after all these years.  THANK YOU!

[mizzouman]

It wasn't a "major" bowl when we beat Kansas St. in it.  It was on the rise again.  When we beat Texas in 2000, it was a second tier bowl.

I know but I still consider the Cotton Bowl one of the top tier ones.  I'm old school....Rose, Orange, Cotton and Sugar.

[DeltaBoy]

It was a wonderful year.

[hogcard1964]

It was a wonderful year.

That it was.  If you think about it, we actually came within 1 play of playing for the national championship.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

You owe me some white jeans!        (I was standing up clapping and an orange hit my seat....splat)

After Labor Day.!?!? SMH...

[PonderinHog]

After Labor Day.!?!? SMH...

[LZH]

After Labor Day.!?!? SMH...

Mama is that you...?

[welchog]

First Hog game I ever saw in person!  Highlight of my life.   I will never forget Roland Sales getting over 200 yrds and whipping the tar out of the Sooners.

[ChicoHog]

I watched the entire game last night on my laptop while I had baseball on TV.  That was a great game to watch.  That was maybe the best New Years Day games ever for me as I grew up a Notre Dame fan and they stomped Texas and by that time (I was 16) I had become a Hog fan because my sister was a teacher at the University and I had been there several times visiting her. 

Some observations:

Very few substitutions.  The guys who started played just about every down.  Except for the WRs who were shuffling in the plays for both teams.  Nice not to see those cartoon boards so many teams have now.  Everything is so specialized and micro managed now.

WR's using the 3 point stance.  I can't remember when that stopped.  Mid 80's?

No holding calls. Love that! 

Actually calling intentional grounding although the one Calcagni threw into the endzone was a bad call.  I like when the QB can't just throw it out of bounds like they do now.

OU statistically was competitive but because they had so many negative yardage plays they could not sustain a drive.  Our defense completely shut down the QB wide run/toss option.  They got all their yards on halfback or fullback dives. 

Freeman was a monster for us on the line.  He had so many great tackles for loss it was amazing. 

The players were so much smaller then. 

The D-linemen played a yard off the line of scrimmage.  Was that a rule back then or just a choice?  I don't remember.  I need to watch more of these old games on Youtube.  Pretty cool stuff. 

Little really got loft on the XP and FGs but maybe that was because of the tee. 

The slick field definitely hurt OU more than us.  they had numerous players lose their footing and cost them yardage.

Holtz and his staff did a great job with their game plan both on offense and defense.

Calcagni was a lot more athletic than I remembered. 

The commercials were fun and nice to see stuff that wasn't concerned about being politically correct and only catering to the young demographic. 

I was a freshman at U of A in fall of 79 and don't remember Trent Bryant playing RB.  He was a freshman in this game would have been a junior for the 79 season.  What happened to him?  I just remember Gary Anderson and Daryl Bowles and Jessie Clark. 

I always liked Merlin Olson but boy did he make a lot of mistakes!   

[HogBreath]

I know but I still consider the Cotton Bowl one of the top tier ones.  I'm old school....Rose, Orange, Cotton and Sugar.

You're right, it is one of the major bowls.

[DeltaBoy]

I always assumed you would have been in your late 20's to early 30's then, not a preteen.

Yea I was an old man before my time per my mom.

[factchecker]

Found this on YouTube:

[Tejano Jawg]

I had that 45, of the Orange Bowl song by Lefty Floyd.

I share everyone's great memories of that season, how strong that team was (if you recall, the previous year we were a ho-hum 5-5-1), all those wins, another sickening Texas loss with the help from the refs, concluding with the upset of OU. That was my freshman year of high school.

As good as our offense was, with Ron Calcagni, Ben Cowins, Steve Little, this may be the first Hog team where I knew everything about every guy on defense, including tackles Jimmy Walker and Dan Hampton. I played defensive back, so I was really into our amazing secondary—Sampson, Martin, Lusby and Shoup (3 All-SWC, 1 Academic All-American). We never gave up long plays.

Something else, the Spring before this season, Lou Holtz came to Bentonville to speak at our athletic banquet. There are 2 odd things about this—one, I would have been in 8th grade, so I'm not sure why I would have been to the varsity banquet (unless it was just to hear Holtz). And two, why the heck would he come to Bentonville??...it's not like it was the thriving metropolis it is now. No one knew much about Holtz then, but with his comedy schtick and magic tricks, he blew everyone away.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

14 years before I was born lol. Kind of sad that nothing of that magnitude has taken place in my lifetime. Biggest Razorback achievement was Petrino taking us to the Sugar Bowl against Ohio State, and that was a loss 

[HognotinMemphis]

This coming season will mark 40 years since we fielded one of the best teams in program history. It will also be 40 years since the Hogs have won a major bowl game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB8jWTIqu6g

Given the fact stated in your last sentence, I applaud the business folk at the U of A over the decades for raising ticket prices at triple the rate of inflation every year on average while the product was pitched at an emotional level to U of A alums and Ark residents. Pitched the come to us all yet never realized much of anything other than a couple of years under BP.

[HognotinMemphis]

You owe me some white jeans!        (I was standing up clapping and an orange hit my seat....splat)

Ha. All this time i thought you were a guy. Had no idea you are a female.

[HognotinMemphis]

Best Hog team in my lifetime. And Im old enough to remember our Natty in the 60s. I believe the 77 team could have beaten any of our own 60s team.

But Earl Campbell was just magnificent that year. He ruined our season, but he was. Breaks my heart that he was a Horn.

I wasnt at the Bowl game. I was married with three daughters in 77.

At some point late in the game, score 24-6, one of the talking heads said, "You know, Arkansas just might WIN this game!"

I still to this day, chuckle over that.

Sort of sad that neither of those "talking heads" are with us anymore. Good announcers.

[bollweevil]

I still have the ticket stub from the Orange Bowl. $15 for a seat in the upper deck.  And they gave everyone who entered the stadium a small flashlight and three gel cards of different colors to use during the halftime show.  They turned off the lights and had the even-numbered sections hold up their lights with one color over the end and the odd-numbered sections with a different color. Was actually pretty cool. I was fresh out of the UA and it is my second favorite Razorback memory, right behind beating Texas in Fayetteville 27-24 in 1965.