1978 Lafayette Leopards football team

1978 Lafayette Leopards football
ConferenceIndependent
Record4–7
Head coach
Captains
  • Jim Medes
  • Brian Musician
Home stadiumFisher Field
Seasons
← 1977
1979 →
1978 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Florida A&M ^   –   12 – 1 – 0
No. 1 Nevada ^   –   11 – 1 – 0
No. 9 Lehigh   –   8 – 3 – 0
Northeastern   –   6 – 5 – 0
Bucknell   –   5 – 5 – 0
Northwestern State   –   5 – 6 – 0
Portland State   –   5 – 6 – 0
Lafayette   –   4 – 7 – 0
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll

The 1978 Lafayette Leopards football team was an American football team that represented Lafayette College as an independent during the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their eighth year under head coach Neil Putnam, the Leopards compiled a 4–7 record.[1] Jim Medes and Brian Musician were the team captains.[2]

This was the first year of competition for Division I-AA, later to be renamed the Football Championship Subdivision. Lafayette, along with its in-state rivals Bucknell and Lehigh, moved up to I-AA after having previously competed as independents in NCAA Division II. The Leopards' 1978 schedule included opponents from Division I-A, Division I-AA, Division II and Division III.

Lafayette played home games at Fisher Field on College Hill in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9Gettysburg
  • Fisher Field
  • Easton, PA
W 31–05,000[3]
September 16at Army
L 14–2425,890[4]
September 23Merchant Marine
  • Fisher Field
  • Easton, PA
L 10–13[5]
September 30at Columbia
L 0–214,500[6]
October 7Fordham^
  • Fisher Field
  • Easton, PA
W 17–147,700[7]
October 14at Bucknell
W 14–7[8]
October 21Penn
  • Fisher Field
  • Easton, PA
W 20–1911,200[9]
October 28at Maine
L 25–313,000[10]
November 4at Colgate
L 7–174,500[11]
November 11at Davidson
L 12–17 2,000[12]
November 18Lehigh
L 15–2317,000[13]
  • ^ Parents Days

References

  1. ^ "Lafayette Football 1963-1986". 2019 Lafayette Football Record Book (PDF). Easton, Pa.: Lafayette College. p. 104. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Team Captains 1882-2019". 2019 Lafayette Football Record Book (PDF). Easton, Pa.: Lafayette College. p. 97. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Kenworthy, Robert (September 11, 1978). "Lafayette Rolls over Bullets". The Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, Pa. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Army dumps Lafayette". Daily Press. September 17, 1978. Retrieved September 11, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Kings Point rallies to beat Lions". The Sunday Times. September 24, 1978. Retrieved September 11, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Wismer, Ted (October 1, 1978). "Columbia Blanks Lafayette 21-0 for 2nd Win". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Wismer, Ted (October 8, 1978). "Lafayette Uses Balanced Attack in 17-14 Win". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C3 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Lafayette hands Bisons 14–7 loss". The Scrantonian. October 15, 1978. Retrieved September 11, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ McKee, Don (October 22, 1978). "Lafayette Upsets Penn, 20–19, on Flea-Flicker Pass". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-F – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Warner, Bill (October 30, 1978). "Records Fall as U-Maine Beats Lafayette, 31–25". Bangor Daily News. Bangor, Maine. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "17-7 Colgate Win on Colosimo TDs". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, N.Y. November 5, 1978. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Sink, Richard (November 12, 1978). "Davidson Holds Off Lafayette for a .500 Season". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, N.C. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ McKee, Don (November 19, 1978). "Lafayette Is Downed by Lehigh". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 8-F – via Newspapers.com.