The 1977 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1977 NCAA Division I football season….as the Longhorns finished the regular season with an 11–0 record….while RB Earl Campbell won the Heisman Trophy….when he led the nation in rushing with 1,744 yards….and became the first recipient of the Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy….which was awarded to the most outstanding player in the now-defunct Southwest Conference…..when he was selected as the Southwest Conference running back of the year in each of his college seasons….while finishing with 4,444 career rushing yards.
Texas had three players off this team that were drafted by the NFL…RB Earl Campbell with the # ! pick of Round 1 by the Houston Oilers…..DT Brad Shearer in Round 3 as the 74th pick in the NFL….and WR Alfred Jackson in the 7th Round as the 167th pick by the Atlanta Falcons. The Longhorns took home some major hardware after the season ended as RB Earl Campbell won the Davey O’Briem Memorial Trophy, as the best player in college football….and the Heisman Trophy for most outstanding player in college football….as well as being a Concensus All-American…..and his teammate DT Brad Shearer won the Outland Trophy for the best defensive player in college football….which also being a Concensus All-American. This 1977 Longhorn team was worthy of the National Championship….but a loss to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl doomed any hopes…..which really didn’t matter too much….cuz this was an outstanding football team that accomplished a perfect regular and SWC season.
