1979 Ithaca Bombers football team

American college football season March 2026 August 2023 1979 Ithaca Bombers football Independent College Athletic Conference ICAC 11–2 2–0 Jim Butterfield 13th Jerry Boyes 3rd Bill George John Laper NCAA Division III championICAC champion Stagg Bowl W 14–10 vs. 1979 Wittenberg Tigers Wittenberg The 1979 Ithaca Bombers football team was an American football team that represented Ithaca College as a member of the Independent College Athletic Conference (ICAC) during the 1979 NCAA Division III football season. In their 13th season under head coach Jim Butterfield, the Bombers compiled an 11–2 record and won the NCAA Division III championship.1979 Football Schedule Ithaca College October 24, 2021 https://athletics.ithaca.edu/sports/football/schedule/19792010 Media Guide Ithaca college 2010 34 https://ithaca_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/football/2010/FB-2010.pdf The Bombers advanced to the 1979 NCAA Division III playoffs, defeating 1979 Dubuque Spartans Dubuque (27–7) in the quarterfinals, 1979 Carnegie Mellon Tartans Carnegie Mellon (15–6) in the semifinals, and 1979 Wittenberg Tigers Wittenberg (14–10) in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the national championship. Ithaca's 1979 season was part of a school-record 18-game winning streak.Media Guide, p. 23. The streak commenced on October 27, 1979, and continued through the 1980 regular season, ending with a loss to Dayton in the 1980 NCAA Division III championship game. Three Ithaca players were named to the NCAA Division III All-America football team as selected by the sports information directors. Senior center and co-captain Bill George and senior linebacker and co-captain John Laper were both named to the first team. Senior running back John Nicolo totaled 880 rushing yards and was named to the second team.Laper, George: All-Americans The Ithaca Journal December 20, 1979 19 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87760180/laper-george-all-americans/ Newspapers.com Laper led the team with 173 tackles (61 unassisted) and five interceptions and also received first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association on the Kodak College Division All-America team.2010 Media Guide, p. 26.IC's Laper is Kodak All-America The Ithaca Journal December 5, 1979 23 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87760461/ics-laper-is-kodak-all-america/ Newspapers.com The team played its home games at South Hill Field in Ithaca, New York. Schedule y y September 8 1979 Bloomsburg State Huskies Bloomsburg State South Hill Field Ithaca, NY W 13-6 6,800 Good second half wins for Bomber 11 Ithaca Journal John Huenneke September 10, 1979 11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87755733/good-second-half-wins-for-bomber-11/ Newspapers.com September 15 1979 St. Lawrence Saints St. Lawrence South Hill Field Ithaca, NY W 15-13 8,000 Ithaca clips SLU, 15-13 Star-Gazette September 16, 1979 2C https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87759038/ithaca-clips-slu-15-13/ Newspapers.comMomentum is key as IC clips Saints The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke September 17, 1979 11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87759154/momentum-is-key-as-ic-clips-saints/ Newspapers.com September 22 1979 Cortland State Red Dragons Cortland State South Hill Field Ithaca, NY (Cortaca Jug) W 42-7 7,200 Matter of time: Ithaca wins big over Cortland The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke September 24, 1979 11, 14 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87756146/matter-of-time-ithaca-wins-big-over/ Newspapers.com September 29 at 1979 Alfred Saxons Alfred Merrill Field Alfred, NY W 34-12 3,250 Big-gainers propel Ithaca over Alfred Press and Sun-Bulletin September 30, 1979 6B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87758886/big-gainers-propel-ithaca-over-alfred/ Newspapers.com October 6 at 1979 Clarion State Golden Eagles Clarion State Clarion, PA L 10-12 6,000 Clarion State's late field goal frustrates IC The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke October 8, 1979 11, 19 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87758694/clarion-states-late-field-goal/ Newspapers.com October 13 at 1979 Springfield Chiefs Springfield Springfield, MA W 21-14 1,633 Ithaca's infantry tops Springfield's The Press and Sun-Bulletin October 14, 1979 4B https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87758498/ithacas-infantry-tops-springfields/ Newspapers.com October 20 1979 American International Yellow Jackets American International South Hill Field Ithaca, NY L 19-24 7,000–9,000The Ithaca Media Guide places the attendance at an estimate 9,000, then a school record. Bombers are victims as AIC finds combination The Ithaca Journal October 22, 1979 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87756450/bombers-are-victims-as-aic-finds/ Newspapers.com October 27 at 1979 Canisius Golden Griffins Canisius Buffalo, NY W 33-14 600 Bombers tenth in Division III The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke October 29, 1979 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87758223/bombers-tenth-in-division-iii/ Newspapers.com November 3 1979 Albany Great Danes Albany South Hill Field Ithaca, NY W 46-6 4,500 IC's win spreads playoff fever Ithaca Journal John Huenneke November 5, 1979 13, 18 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87756870/ics-win-spreads-playoff-fever/ Newspapers.com November 10 at 1979 Brockport State Golden Eagles Brockport State Brockport, NY W 35-7 2,400 Playoff bound Bombers headed west The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke November 12, 1979 13, 18 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87757952/playoff-bound-bombers-headed-west/ Newspapers.com November 17 at 1979 Dubuque Spartans Dubuque Dubuque, IA (NCAA Division III quarterfinal) W 27-7 Carnegie-Mellon IC's next challenge Ithaca Journal John Huenneke November 19, 1979 17, 26 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87757421/carnegie-mellon-ics-next-challenge/ Newspapers.com November 24 1979 Carnegie Mellon Tartans Carnegie Mellon South Hill Field Ithaca, NY (NCAA Division III semifinal) W 15-6 IC trainer's score is off, but prediction comes true The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke November 26, 1979 11, 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87757047/ic-trainers-score-is-off-but/ Newspapers.com December 1 vs 1979 Wittenberg Tigers Wittenberg Phenix Municipal Stadium Phenix City, AL (Stagg Bowl—NCAA Division III championship game) W 14-10 7,200 Big-play Bombers win national title The Ithaca Journal John Huenneke December 3, 1979 13, 17 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87757649/big-play-bombers-win-national-title/ Newspapers.com Final 1979 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Ithaca) https://stats.ncaa.org/team/313/stats/12715 National Collegiate Athletic Association May 31, 2025 References Ithaca Category:Ithaca Bombers football seasons Category:NCAA Division III Football Champions Ithaca Bombers football