1979 Purdue Boilermakers football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1979 Purdue Boilermakers football Big Ten Conference Big Ten 10 10 10–2 7–1 Jim Young 3rd Bob Bockrath 1st Leon Burtnett 3rd Dave Young Steve McKenzie Pete Quinn Keena Turner Ross–Ade Stadium Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl champion Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl W 27–22 vs. Tennessee The 1979 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by third-year head coach Jim Young, the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the Big Ten. Purdue was invited to the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, where the Boilermakers defeated Tennessee. The team played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. This is Purdue's only 10-win season in program history as of 2026. Schedule 1979 AP September 8 w 6 Wisconsin Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 41–20 65,002 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-crosse-tribune-purdue-rocks-badge/157928060/ The La Crosse Tribune Purdue rocks Badgers in sloppy opener, 41–20 September 9, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 15 l y y 5 UCLA Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 21–31 44,174 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-no-5-boilermake/157805042/ The Des Moines Register No. 5 Boilermakers surprised by UCLA September 16, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 22 w y 17 Notre Dame 5 Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN rivalry 28–22 70,567 https://www.newspapers.com/article/gloucester-county-times-purdue-rallies-t/157857664/ The Gloucester County Times Purdue rallies to upset Notre Dame September 23, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 29 w y 10 Oregon Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 13–7 69,327 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-purdue-edges-scrap/157815630/ Lansing State Journal Purdue edges scrappy Oregon, 13–7 September 30, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 6 l y 12 Minnesota Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN 14–31 47,686 https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-minnesota-shocks-12th/157929329/ Detroit Free Press Minnesota shocks 12th-ranked Purdue, 31–14 October 7, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 13 w 20 Illinois Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN rivalry 28–14 69,413 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tulsa-world-hermann-lifts-purdue/157927373/ Tulsa World Hermann lifts Purdue October 14, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 20 w y 16 Michigan State Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI 14–7 79,561 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-lackluster-conte/157928852/ The Des Moines Register Lackluster contest won by Purdue October 21, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 27 w y 16 Northwestern Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 20–16 69,656 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-herrmann-sets-big-te/157926709/ The Courier-Journal Herrmann sets Big Ten record as Purdue nips Northwestern October 28, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 3 w y 15 Iowa Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA 20–14 59,940 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news-herrmann-leads-boilermaker/157930272/ The Lima News Herrmann leads Boilermakers, 20–14 November 4, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 10 w 14 Michigan 10 Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 24–21 69,829 Purdue jolts U-M, 24-21 Detroit Free Press Mick McCabe November 11, 1979 1F, 5F https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43119250/purdue_jolts_um_2421/ Newspapers.comBoilermakers bump blue, 24-21 The Michigan Daily November 11, 1979 1 https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071754373/771 Newspapers.com November 17 w y 12 Indiana Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN Old Oaken Bucket 37–21 53,202 https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-courier-and-press-purdue-her/157930754/ Evansville Courier and Press Purdue, Herrmann survive IU challenge November 18, 1979 October 27, 2024 Newspapers.com December 31 w y 12 Tennessee Houston Astrodome Houston, TX Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl Mizlou 27–22 40,542 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101455829/tennessee-rally-falls-short-purdue-wins/ Johnson City Press-Chronicle Tennessee rally falls short, Purdue wins Bluebonnet Bowl January 1, 1980 May 8, 2022 Newspapers.com1979 Purdue Boilermakers Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football October 27, 2024 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/purdue/1979-schedule.html Game summaries Oregon Wally Jones 30 rushes, 156 yards Illinois Mark Herrmann breaks Mike Phipps' school record for career passing yardage Dave Young 114 Rec Yds, 2 TDOcala Star-Banner. 1979 Oct 14. Retrieved 2018-Oct-28. Jimmy Smith 23 rushes, 125 yards At Michigan State Purdue 7 0 7 0 Michigan St 0 0 0 7 Saturday, October 20 Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan yes 1 Purdue Wayne Smith]|Wayne Smith 42-yard interception return (Seibel kick) Purdue 7-0 3 Purdue Jimmy Smith 1-yard run (Seibel kick) Purdue 14-0 4 Michigan St Steve Smith 1-yard run (Andersen kick) Purdue 14-7 yes Mark Herrmann broke the Big Ten career completion record set by Michigan State's Ed Smith in the previous year. Palm Beach Post. 1979 Oct 21. At Iowa Purdue at Iowa Boilermakers 7 7 6 0 Hawkeyes 6 8 0 0 November 3 Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa yes 1 Purdue D. Young 3-yard pass from Herrmann (Seibel kick) Purdue 7-0 1 Iowa Mosley 1-yard run (kick failed) Purdue 7-6 2 Iowa McKillip 16-yard run (Reid pass from Mosley) Iowa 14-7 2 Purdue McCall 17-yard pass from Herrmann (Seibel kick) Tie 14-14 3 Purdue McCall 6-yard run (kick failed) Purdue 20-14 yes 1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football team Palm Beach Post. 1979 Nov 4. Michigan #10 Michigan at #14 Purdue Michigan 0 0 6 15 Purdue 7 0 7 10 November 10 Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN 69,829 yes 1 PUR Ben McCall 2-yard run (Seibel kick) Purdue 7-0 3 PUR Mark Herrmann 1-yard run (Seibel kick) Purdue 14-0 3 MICH Curt Marsh 6-yard pass from John Wangler (kick failed) Purdue 14-6 4 PUR Seibel 29-yard field goal Purdue 17-6 4 PUR Ben McCall 9-yard run Purdue 24-6 4 MICH Roosevelt Smith 1-yard run (run failed) Purdue 24-12 4 MICH Butch Woolfolk 2-yard run (Virgil kick) Purdue 24-19 4 MICH Safety, Mark Herrmann tackled in end zone Purdue 24-21 yes "Boilermakers nip Michigan but it only helps Buckeyes." Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Nov 11. At Indiana 1979 Indiana Hoosiers football team Old Oaken Bucket Ben McCall 20 rushes, 148 yards Vs. Tennessee (Bluebonnet Bowl) Purdue 0 14 7 6 Tennessee 0 0 16 6 December 31 Astrodome, Houston, Texas 40,542 yes 2 Purdue Ben McCall 6-yard run (John Seibel kick) Purdue 7-0 2 Purdue Bart Burrell 12-yard pass from Mark Herrmann (John Seibel kick) Purdue 14-0 3 Purdue Dave Young 12-yard pass from Mark Herrmann (John Seibel kick) Purdue 21-0 3 Tennessee Glenn Ford 8-yard pass from Jimmy Streater (pass failed) Purdue 21-6 4 Tennessee James Berry 15-yard pass from Phil Ingram (Hubert Simpson run) Purdue 21-14 4 Tennessee Hubert Simpson 1-yard run (Hubert Simpson pass from Jimmy Streater) Tennessee 22-21 4 Purdue Dave Young 17-yard pass from Mark Herrmann (pass failed) Purdue 27-22 yes 1979 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl 1979 Tennessee Volunteers football team PUR: Mark Herrmann 21/39, 303 Yds, 3 TD PUR: Bart Burell 8 Rec, 144 Yds, TD Eugene Register-Guard. 1980 Jan 1. Personnel Roster 1979 Purdue Boilermakers f 23 Sr Mike Augustyniak RB y Tom Barr TE n Bart Burrell WR n Henry Fiel OL n Mike Fuetterer WR n Larry Gates QB n Don Hall OL n Mike Harris WR n 9 Jr Mark Herrmann QB y Wally Jones RB n Eric Jordan RB n John Macon RB n Ben McCall RB n Steve McKenzie OL n Jim Owen RB n Pete Quinn OL n Dale Schwan OL n Jimmy Smith RB y Jimmy Smith (running back) Ray Smith WR n 80 Jr Dave Young Dave Young (American football) TE y Calvin Clark DL n Marcus Jackson DL n Bill Kay DB y Bill Kay (defensive back) Tom Kingsbury DL n Jim Looney LB y Ken Loushin DL n Mike Marks LB n Marcus McKinnie DB n Kevin Motts LB n Larry Perry DB n Tom Seneff DB n Wayne Smith DB y Wayne Smith (defensive back) 85 Sr Keena Turner DE y Bobby Williams DB y Walt Drapeza K n Greg Hayes P y Gregory J. Hayes Tony Hill PR n Terry Kingseed P n Joe Linville P n Dave Retherford PR n John Seibel K n Jeff Speedy PR n *Jim Young Bob Bockrath (offensive coordinator) Leon Burtnett (defensive coordinator) Mike Hankwitz Randy Hart Doug Redmann Bob Spoo Larry Thompson Ed Zaunbrecher 1979 Purdue Boilermakers Roster https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/purdue/1979-roster.html January 22, 2025 Starters Offense: se Burrell/Ray Smith, lt Feil, lg Schwan, c Quinn, rg Hall, rt McKenzie, te Young, qb Herrmann, fb Augustyniak, tb Jones/McCall, fl Harris, k Seibel Defense: de Kingsbury, lt Clark, mg Loushin, rt Jackson, de Turner, lb Motts/Looney/Marks, cb W. smith/Kay, ss Seneff, fs Williams/McKinnie, p Hayes Awards All-Big Ten 1979 All-Big Ten Conference football team Calvin Clark (1st) Ken Loushin (1st) Steve McKenzie (1st) Dale Schwan (1st) Keena Turner (1st) Dave Young (1st) Mark Herrmann (2nd) Marcus Jackson (2nd) Kevin Motts (2nd) Pete Quinn (2nd) Wayne Smith (2nd) Statistics Passing Player Comp Att Yards TD INT Mark Herrmann 203 348 2,377 16 19 References Purdue Category:Purdue Boilermakers football seasons Category:Bluebonnet Bowl champion seasons Purdue Boilermakers football