The 1980 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-10 Conference during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season.
Following the surprise resignation of Rod Dowhower after one season in January,[1][2][3] Stanford's new head coach was alumnus Paul Wiggin,[4][5] and he led the Cardinals to a 6–5 record (3–4 in Pac-10, tied for sixth).
Hired in February, Wiggin was a former star defensive end at Stanford (All-Pacific Coast in 1955, 1956), played 11 years in the National Football League (NFL), was a head coach for three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs (1975–1977), and most recently was the defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints.
[4][7] After the season in December, offensive coordinator Dennis Green became the head coach at Northwestern in the Big Ten Conference,[8][9] and receivers/backs coach Jim Fassel was promoted.
Two costly fumbles and being stopped on the goal line with 1:07 left, ended Stanford's season on a sour note, and knocked them out of possible Peach Bowl consideration.