Texas

In College Football's 100th Anniversary Year in 1969, the Texas Wishbone became "the" offense as they had perfected it throughout the 1968 season and during the spring of 1969. Starting with the NCAA's Press Director for ABC Television, Beano Cook, the season took on a magical quality. Cook pressed for a change in date for the Texas vs. Arkansas game, moving it to December 6th because he believed that Arkansas, not Texas, would eventually play for the National Championship against Penn State on January 1st in the Cotton Bowl. Bellard "slimmed down" the Wishbone even more, simplifying it so that "...the fewer things we had to do, the more times we'd run the option in practice and the better we'd become." Adding a counter-option and inside belly series actually refined the formation and reduced the playbook. Hitting on all cylinders, the Longhorns manhandled their opponents and it was quickly noted that the conversion of Memorial Stadium's field to AstroTurf made the quick-hitting and talented backfield even more potent. Defeating traditional opponents Oklahoma and Texas A&M left them undefeated going into the final game vs. Arkansas. The Game Of The Century truly was one for the ages as the Longhorns held off the undefeated high flying Hogs 15-14 with last minute heroics that led President Nixon to enter the Texas locker room and anoint them as 1969's National Champions. Although an undefeated Penn State squad voiced their objection, Texas was in fact, the National Champion, sealed with a Cotton Bowl defeat over an 8-1-1 Notre Dame team. Some of the Texas squad still note that Penn State opted to play Missouri in the Orange Bowl when they could have settled the score on the field within the confines of the Cotton Bowl. . Chris Gilbert, Steve Worster, Jim Bertelsen, Ted Koy, and James Street were the most visible members of what SMU Coach Hayden Fry called "...the greatest football team that I've ever seen and probably will see" which was a statement made by many. The Longhorns wore their white helmets, standard since Royal had taken over, with the 100 Year anniversary logo above the iconic Longhorn decal for the games against Cal, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. This one-year, special helmet marked Coach Royal's third national championship team and one that is remembered as one of college football's greatest of all time.