Before the 1982 college football season, Texas Tech and Air Force had been ranked by some forecasters among the nation’s 20 worst teams.
Tech, coming off a 1-9-1 season in 1981, lost its first 1982 game 14-0 at New Mexico.
Air Force arrived in Lubbock on Sept. 18 for the Red Raiders’ second game and home opener. In this game-day cartoon by Dirk West the Red Raider was confident. However, the Falcons gave the Raiders all they could handle, and Tech squeaked by with a narrow 31-30 victory.
Does the Falcon’s comment seem familiar? It was based on Neil Armstrong’s first words on July 20, 1969, after the Apollo 11 lunar module landed on the moon: "Houston, the Eagle has landed."
Speaking of familiar words, the SMU Mustang’s line was a variation of a catchphrase of Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca in TV commercials, "If you can find a better car, buy it."
Dirk mercilessly needled SMU’s football program. SMU called it Mustang Mania, but Dirk called it Mustang Moneya and referred often to SMU’s many disciplinary actions from the NCAA.
The Aggie’s song referred to oilman H.R. "Bum" Bright, a Texas A&M alumnus who later owned the Dallas Cowboys. Bright was chairman of the Texas A&M board of regents in 1982 and hired Jackie Sherrill as the A&M coach for a record salary at the time - $1.7 million for six years.
Tech finished 1982 with a 4-7 record. Air Force had an 8-5 season mark, including an All-American Bowl victory against Vanderbilt.
