1978 Lehigh Engineers football team

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1978 Lehigh Engineers football
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
APNo. 9
Record8–3
Head coach
Captains
  • Bill Bradley
  • Pete DeLuca
Home stadiumTaylor Stadium
1978 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
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 Lehigh Engineers football team was an American football team that represented Lehigh University as an independent during the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season.

In their third year under head coach John Whitehead, the Engineers compiled an 8–3 record.[1] Bill Bradley and Pete DeLuca were the team captains.[2]

Lehigh had won the NCAA Division II Football Championship in 1977, and in 1978 the Engineers moved up to the newly formed Division I-AA, later to be renamed the Football Championship Subdivision. Also moving up from Division II, and competing as I-AA independents, were in-state rivals Bucknell and Lafayette. The Engineers' 1978 schedule included opponents from Division I-A, Division I-AA, Division II and Division III.

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

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9West Chester
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 23–2011,900[3]
September 16at Slippery Rock
W 17–0[1]
September 23ColgateNo. 1
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 38–713,500[4]
September 29at PennNo. 1
L 13–2114,158[5]
October 7DelawareNo. 6
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA (rivalry)
W 27–1714,000[6]
October 14Davidson^No. 6
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 27–219,000[7]
October 21at VMINo. 5
W 14–108,400[8]
October 28BucknellNo. 3
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
L 6–1311,000[9]
November 4C.W. PostNo. 8
  • Taylor Stadium
  • Bethlehem, PA
W 24–229,000[10]
November 11at MaineNo. 6
L 18–213,000[11]
November 18at Lafayette
W 25–1517,000[12]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
Poll123456789Final
AP11665386—9

References

  1. "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 10, 1978). "Lehigh Fights for 23-20 Win". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Lehigh Humbles Colgaters, 38-6". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, N.Y. September 24, 1978. p. 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Lewis, Allen (September 30, 1978). "Quaker Sub Quarterback Sciolla Leads Halt of Lehigh Streak at 11". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 1-C – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Simmons, Bill (October 8, 1978). "Lehigh Tops Error-Prone Delaware". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 1-F – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Larimer, Terry (October 15, 1978). "Lehigh Hangs On to Turn Back Davidson, 27-21". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Larimer, Terry (October 22, 1978). "Lehigh's Defense Gets Credit for 14-10 Decision". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Bucknell 13, Lehigh 6". Sunday News Journal. Wilmington, Del. October 29, 1978. p. B-6 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Larimer, Terry (November 5, 1978). "Lehigh Wins Another the 'Hard Way' 24-22". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Warner, Bill (November 13, 1978). "Bears Stun Lambert Cup Leaders". Bangor Daily News. Bangor, Maine. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. McKee, Don (November 19, 1978). "Lafayette Is Downed by Lehigh". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 8-F – via Newspapers.com.