1979 Missouri Tigers football
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 20
Record7–5 (3–4 Big 8)
Head coach
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1979 Big Eight Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Oklahoma $ 7 –0 –011 –1 –0
No. 9 Nebraska 6 –1 –010 –2 –0
Oklahoma State 5 –2 –07 –4 –0
Missouri 3 –4 –07 –5 –0
Colorado 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Iowa State 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Kansas 2 –5 –03 –8 –0
Kansas State 1 –6 –03 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Missouri Tigers football team was an American football team that represented the University of Missouri in the Big Eight Conference (Big 8) during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team compiled a 7–5 record (3–4 against Big 8 opponents), finished in fourth place in the Big 8, and was outscored by opponents by a combined total of 260 to 166. Warren Powers was the head coach for the second of seven seasons.[1][2] The team played its home games at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.

The team's statistical leaders included James Wilder with 645 rushing yards, Phil Bradley with 1,448 passing yards and 1,764 yards of total offense, Andy Gibler with 316 receiving yards, and Gerry Ellis with 54 points scored.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 8San Diego State*No. 12
W 45–1562,168
September 15at Illinois*No. 11
W 14–649,049[4][5]
September 22at Ole Miss*No. 9
W 33–746,000[6]
September 29No. 4 Texas*No. 5
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, MO
L 0–2175,136
October 13Oklahoma StateNo. 15
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, MO
L 13–14
October 20at Colorado
W 13–751,123
October 27Kansas State
  • Faurot Field
  • Columbia, MO
L 3–1970,029
November 3No. 2 Nebraska
L 20–2374,575
November 10at Iowa State
W 18–946,800
November 17No. 7 Oklahoma
L 22–2469,973
November 24at Kansas
W 55–734,599
December 29vs. No. 16 South Carolina*
W 24–1462,785
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

1979 Missouri Tigers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
WR 82 Ken Blair Jr
QB 15 Phil Bradley Jr
C 55 Brad Edelman So
RB 43 Gerry Ellis Sr
WR 8 Ron Fellows Jr
WR 83 Andy Gibler Fr
RB 32 James Wilder Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 34 Lester Dickey Jr
DB 29 Demetrious Johnson Fr
DE 88 Kurt Peterson Sr
CB 9 Johnnie Poe Jr
SS 18 Kevin Potter Fr
DE 90 Wendell Ray Jr
DT 56 Jerome Sally So
DT 92 Bennie Smith So
DE 96 Ray Stephens Jr
CB 30 Bill Whitaker Jr
FS 21 Eric Wright Jr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K 3 Jeff Brockhaus Jr
K 1 Ron Verrilli
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • Injured Injured
    • Redshirt Redshirt

    References

    1. ↑ "1979 Missouri Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
    2. ↑ "2016 Mizzou Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Missouri. p. 158. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 10, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
    3. ↑ "2014 Mizzou Football Records Book" (PDF). University of Missouri. pp. 26–27. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
    4. ↑ Richardson, Steve (September 16, 1979). "MU Defense Saves Day At Goal Line". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. p. 1S. Retrieved March 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
    5. ↑ Richardson, Steve (September 16, 1979). "Running of Ellis Puts Tigers in Gear (continued)". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City, Missouri. p. 9S. Retrieved March 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
    6. ↑ "Mizzou defeats Ole Miss, 33–7". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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