1979 NC State Wolfpack football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1979 NC State Wolfpack football Atlantic Coast Conference ACC 7–4 5–1 Bo Rein 4th Carter–Finley Stadium ACC champion The 1979 NC State Wolfpack football team represented the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Bo Rein. NC State has been a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since the league's inception in 1953. The Wolfpack played its home games in 1979 at Carter–Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, which has been NC State football's home stadium since 1966. NC State won the 1979 ACC Championship with a record of 5–1 in conference play. At season's end the Wolfpack did not play in a bowl game, having declined an invitation to play in the Garden State Bowl. Unlike the Big Eight, Big Ten, Pacific-10, Southeastern and Southwest Conferences, the ACC did not have a contract to send its champion to a specific bowl, and would not until an agreement with the Citrus Bowl from 1987-91. As of 2025, the 1979 NC State team is the last bowl-eligible champion from one of the Power conferences not to play in a bowl game. Rein accepted the head coaching position at LSU on November 30, 1979. He never coached a game in Baton Rouge, perishing January 10, 1980 when the private aircraft he was traveling in flew well off course and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia. Schedule 1979 AP September 8 w y East Carolina Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC rivalry 34–20 53,400 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72667167/wolfpack-comeback-topples-ecu/ The News and Observer Wolfpack comeback topples ECU September 9, 1979 March 4, 2021 Newspapers.com September 15 w 19 Virginia Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC 31–27 45,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-leader-cavaliers-push-sta/139718918/ The Daily News Leader Cavaliers push State's Wolfpack September 16, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 22 w y y 19 West Virginia Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV 38–14 26,298 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun-qb-smith-gets-pack-past-w/139717851/ Durham Sunday Herald QB Smith gets Pack past WVU September 23, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 29 w 16 Wake Forest Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC rivalry 17–14 44,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/florence-morning-news-wolfpack-stops-dea/139719021/ Florence Morning News Wolfpack stops Deacons September 30, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 6 l y y 14 Auburn Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, AL 31–44 51,146 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-auburn-rolls-by-wo/134366550/ The News and Observer Auburn rolls by Wolfpack October 7, 1979 October 30, 2023 Newspapers.com October 13 w 17 Maryland Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC 7–0 39,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-roanoke-times-wham-bam-oof-state/139719197/ The Roanoke Times 'Wham-bam-oof,' State runs over Maryland 7–0 October 14, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 20 l 15 North Carolina 19 Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC rivalry ABC 21–35 54,200 https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-tar-heels-subdue-w/139719295/ Winston-Salem Journal Tar Heels subdue Wolfpack October 21, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 27 w y Clemson Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC rivalry 16–13 61,412 Clemson Football Media Guide - 1980 https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/fball_media/53/ Clemson University 1980 2 November 10, 2023 https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-news-pack-edges-tigers-1613/139719430/ The Sun-News 'Pack edges Tigers, 16–13 October 28, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 3 l y y South Carolina Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC 28–30 56,409 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenville-news-rogers-usc-outrun/139716472/ The Greenville News Rogers, USC outrun 'Pack November 4, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 10 l y Penn State Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC 7–9 51,200 https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press-menhardts-late-field-goal-l/139719502/ Daily Press Menhardt's late field goal lifts Penn State by 'Pack November 11, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 17 w y Duke Wallace Wade Stadium Durham, NC rivalry 28–7 24,100 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-chapel-hill-news-wolfpack-pounds-duk/139719574/ The Chapel Hill News Wolfpack pounds Duke, wins title November 18, 1979 January 27, 2024 Newspapers.com https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/north-carolina-state/1979-schedule.html 1979 North Carolina State Wolfpack Schedule and Results | College Football at Sports-Reference.com sports-reference.com October 9, 2017 Roster 1979 NC State Wolfpack f 44 Sr Rickey Adams RB 48 Fr Chris Brown RB 36 So Chuckie Canady RB 62 So Chris Carr T 80 So Lin Dawson TE y 76 Sr Chris Dieterich T y 4 Fr Eddie Jackson WR 66 Fr Sam Jackson G 12 Fr Darnell Johnson QB 65 So Joe Jones G 25 Jr Lee Jukes WR 39 Fr Andre Marks RB 21 So Wayne McClean RB 22 So Mike Quick WR y 6 So Curtis Rein WR 51 Sr Jim Ritcher C y 11 Sr Scott Smith QB 72 Sr Chuck Stone G 46 Jr Dwight Sullivan RB y 28 Sr Billy Ray Vickers RB 53 So Robert Abraham Robert Abraham (American football) LB y 14 Jr Jeff Culler DB 32 Sr Marion Gale LB 91 Jr Bubba Green DT 90 Sr Simon Gupton DT 59 Sr Joe Hannah LB 96 Jr David Horning LB 26 Jr Ronnie Lee DB 42 Jr Donnie LeGrande DB 43 So Dann Lute LB 16 Sr Mike Nell DB 95 Sr Brian O'Doherty DT 93 So Dennis Owens DT y 73 Sr John Stanton DL 17 Sr John Isley P *Bo Rein References NC State Category:NC State Wolfpack football seasons Category:Atlantic Coast Conference football champion seasons NC State Wolfpack football