CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1979 Chattanooga

9–⁠2 (5–⁠1 Southern Conference), coached by Joe Morrison.

Schedule and results

Chattanooga in 1979, game by game: won vs. Western Kentucky 41–28; won vs. Louisiana Tech 24–7; won at Furman 45–14; won vs. Marshall 27–0; won at App State 24–21; lost at East Tennessee State 0–35; won vs. Middle Tennessee 59–15; lost vs. McNeese 17–24; won at Western Carolina 42–35; won vs. The Citadel 28–7; won at Illinois State 42–31+44−35Won 41–28 vs. Western Kentucky+13Western KentuckyWon 24–7 vs. Louisiana Tech+17Louisiana TechWon 45–14 at Furman+31FurmanWon 27–0 vs. Marshall+27MarshallWon 24–21 at App State+3App StateLost 0–35 at East Tennessee State-35East Tennessee …Won 59–15 vs. Middle Tennessee+44Middle TennesseeLost 17–24 vs. McNeese-7McNeeseWon 42–35 at Western Carolina+7Western CarolinaWon 28–7 vs. The Citadel+21The CitadelWon 42–31 at Illinois State+11Illinois State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 8vsWestern KentuckyW 41–⁠2879%
Sep 15vsLouisiana TechW 24–⁠761%
Sep 22atFurmanW 45–⁠1452%
Sep 29vsMarshallW 27–⁠087%
Oct 6atApp StateW 24–⁠2160%
Oct 13atEast Tennessee StateL 0–⁠3583%
Oct 20vsMiddle TennesseeW 59–⁠1585%
Oct 27vsMcNeeseL 17–⁠2450%
Nov 3atWestern CarolinaW 42–⁠3549%
Nov 10vsThe CitadelW 28–⁠768%
Nov 17atIllinois StateW 42–⁠3184%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Illinois State 42–⁠31; unranked in the final AP poll; Southern Conference champions.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 114 on file).

Southern Conference champions5–⁠1 in the conference

Led the nationJoe Burke: yards per catch (28.1); Gwain Durden: yards per carry (7.8)

Record
9–⁠2
Conference
5–⁠1 first in Southern Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
349–⁠217
Coach
Joe Morrison
Elo
1544 +52 this season
SP+ rating
2.4 No. 67 of 135; offense No. 42, defense No. 101
SRS
−1.7 No. 78 of 140 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—

1979 Southern Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Chattanooga5–⁠19–⁠2
VMI4–⁠16–⁠4–⁠1
The Citadel4–⁠26–⁠5
Furman5–⁠35–⁠6
App State3–⁠43–⁠8
East Tennessee State2–⁠37–⁠4
Western Carolina2–⁠46–⁠5
Marshall0–⁠61–⁠10
Davidson0–⁠10–⁠1

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.