The 1978 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a member of the Big Sky Conference (Big Sky) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their fourth and final year under head coach Joe Salem, the Lumberjacks compiled an 8–2 record (6–0 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 259 to 174, and won the Big Sky championship.[1] The team played its home games at the NAU Skydome, in Flagstaff, Arizona.
1978 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football | |
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Big Sky champion | |
Conference | Big Sky Conference |
Record | 8–2 (6–0 Big Sky) |
Head coach |
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Home stadium | NAU Skydome |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Northern Arizona $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. T–9 Montana State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Montana | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boise State | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weber State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Idaho | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Idaho State | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team's statistical leaders included Allan Clark with 1,366 rushing yards (including 261 yards against Montana State, 250 yards against Boise State, and 245 yards against Idaho State), at the time a Northern Arizona school record.[2] Bill Holst led the team in passing with 835 passing yards. Jerry Lumpkin led with 121 tackles.[3]
Schedule
editDate | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
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September 2 | at North Dakota State* | L 7–23 | 8,100 | [4][5] | |||
September 9 | Portland State* | W 42–14 | [6] | ||||
September 16 | Idaho State |
| W 34–14 | [7] | |||
September 23 | at Montana | W 21–6 | 6,000 | [8] | |||
September 30 | at Idaho | W 34–29 | [9] | ||||
October 7 | Cal Poly Pomona* |
| W 31–3 | 16,153 | [10] | ||
October 21 | at Northern Colorado* |
| L 6–33 | [11] | |||
October 28 | at Montana State | W 43–22 | [12] | ||||
November 11 | Boise State |
| W 31–30 | 14,783 | [13] | ||
November 18 | Weber State |
| W 10–0 | 11,491 | [14] | ||
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References
edit- ^ "2013 Northern Arizona Football Media Guide" (PDF). Northern Arizona University. 2013. p. 78. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
- ^ 2013 Media Guide, pp. 30, 53, 63.
- ^ 2013 Media Guide, p. 63.
- ^ "Bison run over NAU's Loggers for 23–7 victory". The Arizona Republic. September 3, 1978. Retrieved October 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Final 1978 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ "NAU outpasses PSU". Great Falls Tribune. September 10, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NAU commandos dispatch Idaho State, 34–14". The Arizona Republic. September 17, 1978. Retrieved September 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NAU topples Montana 21–6 in Big Sky play". The Idaho Statesman. September 24, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Win special for Loggers". The Arizona Republic. October 1, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cal Lutheran Rips Oxy, 37–0". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 8, 1978. p. III-18. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bears defense guides victory over NAU 33–6". The Idaho Statesman. October 22, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Northern Arizona stuns undefeated Montana State". The Times-News. October 29, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "NAU tops Boise for title". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 12, 1978. p. 3B.
- ^ "NAU silences Weber". The Salt Lake Tribune. November 19, 1978. Retrieved September 9, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.