Adams State University Athletics

The program's ninth Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) championship came in 1980 as Adams State shared the honor with Colorado Mesa via their 8-3 overall record and 7-1 mark in conference play. The season concluded with an appearance against Cameron in the 1980 Boot Hill Bowl played in Dodge City, Kansas.

Highlighted by a historically great defense, the 1980 team still holds the RMAC single-game record for interceptions (7 vs. Colorado Mines) and the RMAC season record of 8.4 points per game allowed. That season, kicker Rocky Paulson notched a RMAC single-game record of six made field goals during a 25-7 win over rival Western State.

The vaunted Adams State defense led the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with 60.9 passing yards allowed per game. They also possessed an RMAC-best 205.7 yards allowed per game. The impressive figures resulted in Adams State holding their opponent to 10 points, or less, in 8 games while holding their opponent scoreless in 3. Dominance was on full display throughout 1980 as Adams State recorded six double-digit conference wins.

The season resulted in All-American honors for Ray Garvin, Wayne McGinn, and Rocky Paulson. The aforementioned trio were also First Team All-RMAC selections along with Tom Andreason, Brian Taylor, and Phil DeLorenzo.

With success as a team, notable individual accomplishments from 1980 still rank highly in program annals. With 1,001 rushing yards, McGinn become only the second player in program history to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a season as Garvin's 33.6 yards per kick return ranks second all-time. Randy Begano's 11 sacks in 1980 also ranks second all-time as DeLorenzo's 123 total tackles ranks fifth in program history.