1979 Lehigh Engineers football
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
APNo. 4
Record10–3
Head coach
Captains
  • Rich Andres
  • Jim McCormick
  • Eric Yaszemski
Home stadiumTaylor Stadium
1979 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Lehigh ^   –  10 –3 –0
Florida A&M   –  7 –4 –0
Portland State   –  6 –5 –0
Lafayette   –  5 –3 –2
Bucknell   –  4 –4 –2
Northwestern State   –  3 –6 –0
Northeastern   –  3 –7 –0
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll

The 1979 Lehigh Engineers football team was an American football team that represented Lehigh University as an independent during the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Engineers finished the year ranked No. 3 in Division I-AA and qualified for the four-team national playoff. They won their semifinal but lost the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game.

In their fourth year under head coach John Whitehead, the Engineers compiled a 10–3 record (9–2 in the regular season).[1] Rich Andres, Jim McCormick and Eric Yaszemski were the team captains.[2]

Lehigh returned to the national championship two years after winning the NCAA Division II Football Championship and the Lambert Cup in 1977. Its two regular season losses in 1979 were away games at Colgate, a Division I-A team, and at Delaware, the eventual Division II champion.

Lehigh played its home games at Taylor Stadium on the university's main campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 8 at West Chester
W 12–7 5,500 [3]
September 15 Slippery Rock
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 44–9 [1]
September 22 at Colgate No. 9
L 3–10 7,200 [4]
September 29 Penn
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 31–7 10,500 [5]
October 6 at No. 2 (D-II) Delaware
L 14–21 20,636 [6]
October 13 Davidson
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 10–0 11,500 [7]
October 20 at New Hampshire
W 16–3 15,400 [8]
October 27 at Bucknell No. 10
W 14–13 8,000 [9]
November 3 C.W. Post No. 7
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 17–0 10,000 [10]
November 10 at Maine No. 7
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 12–6 5,000 [11]
November 17 Lafayette No. 6
W 24–3 19,000 [12]
December 8 at No. 2 Murray State No. 4
W 28–9 10,000 [13]
December 15 vs. No. 3 Eastern Kentucky No. 4
L 7–30 5,200 [14]
  • ^ Parents Day
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

  1. 1 2 "Year-by-Year Results". Lehigh Football Record Book (PDF). Bethlehem, Pa.: Lehigh University. p. 22. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Lehigh Football Captains". Lehigh Football Record Book (PDF). Bethlehem, Pa.: Lehigh University. p. 12. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  3. ↑ Larimer, Terry (September 9, 1979). "Lehigh Starts on 'Right Foot' as Iobst's FGs Decide 12-7". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Marzo Injured in Colgate Win". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, N.Y. September 23, 1979. p. 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Larimer, Terry (September 30, 1979). "Lehigh and Lafayette Turn Back Ivy League Foes; Engineers Play Ball-Control in Handing Penn 31-7 Pasting". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Tomashek, Tom (October 7, 1979). "Lehigh Finds Delaware Defense Offensive in 21-14 Hen Triumph". Sunday News Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Lehigh Controls Ball and Davidson". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, N.C. October 14, 1979. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Defense Plays Key Role as Lehigh Whips New Hampshire, 16-3". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. October 21, 1979. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Larimer, Terry (October 28, 1979). "Lehigh Wins, 14-13, in Last Minute". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Lehigh 17, C.W. Post 0". Palm Beach Post-Times. West Palm Beach, Fla. November 4, 1979. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Maine Gridders Nudged by Touted Lehigh, 12-6". Bangor Daily News. Bangor, Maine. November 12, 1979. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Larimer, Terry (November 18, 1979). "Lehigh Rolls, 24-3; Awaits Playoff Bid". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Pollitte, Dennis (December 9, 1979). "Murray's Trip to Florida Canceled". The Paducah Sun. Paducah, Ky. p. 49 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Larimer, Terry (December 16, 1979). "Lehigh Routed, 30-7, in Title Game". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
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