The 1978 Sugar Bowl was the 44th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 2. Part of the 1977–78 bowl game season, it matched the third-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the #9 Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference. The teams were led by their respective hall of fame head coaches, Bear Bryant and Woody Hayes, who were the winningest active coaches. Slightly favored, Alabama won in a rout, 35–6.