1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

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1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
Lehigh Engineers Eastern Kentucky Colonels
(10–2)(10–2)
Independent Ohio Valley
730
Head coach: 
John Whitehead 		Head coach: 
Roy Kidd
AP
3 (tied)
AP
3 (tied)
1234Total
Lehigh07007
Eastern Kentucky777930
DateDecember 15, 1979
Season 1979
Stadium Orlando Stadium
Location Orlando, Florida
Attendance5,200 [1]
United States TV coverage
Network ABC Sports
Announcers Bill Flemming (play-by-play), Frank Broyles (color) [2]
NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
 < 1978 1980 > 

The 1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Lehigh Engineers (now the Lehigh Mountain Hawks). The game was played on December 15, 1979, at Orlando Stadium (now Camping World Stadium) in Orlando, Florida. The culminating game of the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 30–7. [3]

Contents

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1979 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a four-team bracket. [4]

Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Eastern Kentucky finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (5–1 in conference); their losses were to East Tennessee State of Division I-A and conference rival Murray State. [5] Tied for third with Lehigh in the final AP Poll for I-AA, [6] the Colonels were the at-large selection to the four-team playoff; they defeated Nevada, the West selection, by a score of 33–30 in double overtime to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Eastern Kentucky in a Division I-AA championship game.

Lehigh Engineers

Lehigh also finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; they had lost to Colgate of Division I-A and Delaware of Division II. [7] Tied with Eastern Kentucky for third in the final AP Poll for I-AA, [6] the Engineers were the East selection to the playoff; they defeated Murray State, the South selection, by a 28–9 score to reach the final. This was also the first appearance for Lehigh in a Division I-AA championship game.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP LEHEKU
13:37EKUBill Hughes 1-yard touchdown run, David Flores kick good07
2EKUNicky Yeast 1-yard touchdown run, Flores kick good014
2LEHBob Romeo 1-yard touchdown run, Ted Iobst kick good714
3EKUDale Patton 2-yard touchdown run, Flores kick good721
4EKU29-yard field goal by Flores724
4EKUTony Braxton 14-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed730
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.730

[1] [3]

Game statistics

1234Total
Engineers07007
Colonels777930
Orlando Stadium, site of the 1979 I-AA title game Florida Citrus Bowl.jpg
Orlando Stadium, site of the 1979 I-AA title game
StatisticsLEHEKU
First downs1016
Plays–yards56–20474–338
Rushes–yards33–10269–289
Passing yards10249
Passing: comp–att–int6–23–41–5–2
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
LehighPassingRich Andres6–19, 102 yds, 2 INT
RushingJoe Rabuck17 car, 55 yds
ReceivingPaul Anastasio2 rec, 42 yds
Eastern KentuckyPassingBill Hughes1–5, 49 yds, 2 INT
RushingDale Patton21 car, 121 yds, 1 TD
ReceivingJerry Parrish1 rec, 49 yds

[1] [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1979, and concluded with the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 15, 1979, at Orlando Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The Eastern Kentucky Colonels won their first I-AA championship, defeating the Lehigh Engineers by a final score of 30−7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level. The third season of I-AA football began in August 1980 and four teams were selected for the postseason, with the national semifinals played on December 13. The 1980 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was the Camellia Bowl played on December 20 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California.

The 1979 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team represented Eastern Kentucky University in the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season. They competed as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference and played their home games at Hanger Field in Richmond, Kentucky. Head coach Roy Kidd was in his 16th season leading the Colonels.

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Western Kentucky, 34–14.

The 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 19, 1998, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by UMass, 55–43.

The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 1997, and was the first I-AA title game contested at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 10–9.

The 1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 1995, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana, 22–20.

The 1994 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Boise State Broncos. The game was played on December 17, 1994, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 28–14.

The 1992 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1992, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Marshall, 31–28. The game was a rematch of the prior season's championship game.

The 1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 21, 1991, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 25–17.

The 1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Northeast Louisiana Indians and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1987, at the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho. The culminating game of the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Northeast Louisiana, 43–42.

The 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Arkansas State Indians and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 19, 1986, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The culminating game of the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 48–21. Georgia Southern, the defending champion from 1985, became the first program to win consecutive Division I-AA titles.

The 1985 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Furman Paladins and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 21, 1985, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The culminating game of the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 44–42.

The 1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Montana State Bobcats and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The game was played on December 15, 1984, at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The culminating game of the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana State, 19–6.

The 1983 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Southern Illinois Salukis and the Western Carolina Catamounts. The game was played on December 17, 1983, at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The culminating game of the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Southern Illinois, 43–7.

The 1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. The game was played on December 18, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 17–14.

The 1981 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Idaho State Bengals. The game was played on December 19, 1981, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Idaho State, 34–23.

The 1980 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Boise State Broncos. The game was played on December 20, 1980, at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California. The culminating game of the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Boise State, 31–29.

The 1978 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Florida A&M Rattlers and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 16, 1978, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Florida A&M, 35–28.

The 1978 Florida A&M Rattlers football team represented Florida A&M University in the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Rattlers had an overall record of 12–1 and were the Division I-AA national champions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "E. Kentucky whips Lehigh for I-AA title". Tallahassee Democrat . Tallahassee, Florida. AP. December 16, 1979. p. 5F. Retrieved May 12, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Henniger, Paul (December 15, 1979). "Viewing Sports". Los Angeles Times . p. 2. Retrieved May 12, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 "Lehigh Routed By 30‐7". The New York Times . AP. December 16, 1979. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Eastern Kentucky Gains Football Playoff Berth". The Tennessean . Nashville, Tennessee. December 3, 1979. p. 36. Retrieved February 9, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Eastern Kentucky Colonels 1979 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved May 12, 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  6. 1 2 "1-AA Top 10". The Victoria Advocate . Victoria, Texas. AP. November 27, 1979. p. 2B. Retrieved May 12, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Lehigh Mountain Hawks 1979 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved May 12, 2019.[ permanent dead link ]

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