# 1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

The 1979 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Lehigh Engineers (now the Lehigh Mountain Hawks). The game was played on December 15, 1979, at Orlando Stadium (now Camping World Stadium) in Orlando, Florida. The culminating game of the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 30–7.

## Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1979 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a four-team bracket.

### Eastern Kentucky Colonels

Eastern Kentucky finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (5–1 in conference); their losses were to East Tennessee State of Division I-A and conference rival Murray State. Tied for third with Lehigh in the final AP Poll for I-AA, the Colonels were the at-large selection to the four-team playoff; they defeated Nevada, the West selection, by a score of 33–30 in double overtime to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Eastern Kentucky in a Division I-AA championship game.

### Lehigh Engineers

Lehigh also finished their regular season with a 9–2 record; they had lost to Colgate of Division I-A and Delaware of Division II. Tied with Eastern Kentucky for third in the final AP Poll for I-AA, the Engineers were the East selection to the playoff; they defeated Murray State, the South selection, by a 28–9 score to reach the final. This was also the first appearance for Lehigh in a Division I-AA championship game.

## Game summary
### Scoring summary

Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | LEH | EKU |
| 1 | 3:37 | | | | EKU | Bill Hughes 1-yard touchdown run, David Flores kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | EKU | Nicky Yeast 1-yard touchdown run, Flores kick good | 0 | 14 |
| 2 | | | | | LEH | Bob Romeo 1-yard touchdown run, Ted Iobst kick good | 7 | 14 |
| 3 | | | | | EKU | Dale Patton 2-yard touchdown run, Flores kick good | 7 | 21 |
| 4 | | | | | EKU | 29-yard field goal by Flores | 7 | 24 |
| 4 | | | | | EKU | Tony Braxton 14-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass failed | 7 | 30 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 7 | 30 |

### Game statistics

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Engineers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Colonels | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 30 |
| Statistics | LEH | EKU |
| First downs | 10 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 56–204 | 74–338 |
| Rushes–yards | 33–102 | 69–289 |
| Passing yards | 102 | 49 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 6–23–4 | 1–5–2 |
| Time of possession | | |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Lehigh | Passing | Rich Andres | 6–19, 102 yds, 2 INT |
| Lehigh | Rushing | Joe Rabuck | 17 car, 55 yds |
| Lehigh | Receiving | Paul Anastasio | 2 rec, 42 yds |
| Eastern Kentucky | Passing | Bill Hughes | 1–5, 49 yds, 2 INT |
| Eastern Kentucky | Rushing | Dale Patton | 21 car, 121 yds, 1 TD |
| Eastern Kentucky | Receiving | Jerry Parrish | 1 rec, 49 yds |