The 1980 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represented the University of Tulsa during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fourth year under head coach John Cooper, the Golden Hurricane compiled an 8–3 record (4–1 against conference opponents) and won the Missouri Valley Conference championship.^[1][2]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Kenny Jackson with 1,208 passing yards, Kenneth Session with 662 rushing yards, and Paul Johns with 420 receiving yards.^[3] Head coach John Cooper was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 13	Cincinnati*	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	W 31–13	19,941	[4]
September 20	at Wichita State	Cessna Stadium Wichita, KS	L 10–23	19,010	[5]
September 27	at No. 15 Arkansas*	Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR	L 10–13	41,082	[6]
October 4	Kansas State*	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	W 3–0	23,213	[7]
October 11	North Texas State*	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	W 28–27	18,315	[8]
October 18	at TCU*	Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX	W 23–17	12,367	[9]
October 25	West Texas State	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	W 44–24	18,011	[10]
November 1	at No. 5 Florida State*	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	L 2–45	47,683	[11]
November 8	Indiana State	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	W 30–7	17,647	[12]
November 15	at Southern Illinois	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 41–7	6,432	[13]
November 22	at New Mexico State	Aggie Memorial Stadium Las Cruces, NM	W 21–20	10,081	[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[15]

The following Golden Hurricane players were selected in the 1981 NFL draft following the season.^[16][17]