The 1978 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represented the University of Tulsa during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second year under head coach John Cooper, the Golden Hurricane compiled a 9–2 record (3-1 against conference opponents) and finished in second place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team defeated Virginia Tech (35-33), Kansas State (24-14), Louisville (24-7), Cincinnati (27-26), and Wichita State (27-13), but lost to No. 2 ranked Arkansas (13-21) and to Missouri Valley Conference champion New Mexico State (20-23).