1978 HOLIDAY BOWL

12.22.78 San Diego, California (52,500) 

The inaugural Holiday Bowl pitted two teams with local drawing power, the Naval Academy and Brigham Young University. Despite chilly temperatures, the two teams engaged in a hard-hitting battle. Defense dominated the first two quarters. Brent Johnson put the Cougars on the scoreboard first with a 33-yard field goal with 8:26 left in the first quarter. But Navy’s Bob Tata boomed a 40-yard field goal to tie the score at 3-3. Jim McMahon sent the Cougars ahead with a 10-yard pass to Mike Chronister, but Johnson missed the PAT. McMahon ran another in from two yards out in the third period for a 16-3 BYU lead. Navy cut the lead to 16-10 after three quarters and then tied the game on two field goals in the fourth quarter, but it was a 65-yard pass to Phil McConkey that did the Cougars in. Some 52,500 witnessed the game in person. McConkey was named Best Offensive Player and BYU’s Tom Enlow won Best Defensive Player honors. Navy finished the year at 9-3, BYU at 9-4.