1979 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
Tangerine Bowl, L 10–34 vs. LSU
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Record8–4 (3–2 ACC)
Head coach
CaptainSyd Kitson, Mark Lancaster, James McDougald, James "Quick" Parker
Home stadiumGroves Stadium
Seasons
← 1978
1980 →
1979 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
NC State $ 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Clemson 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Maryland 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Wake Forest 3 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
No. 15 North Carolina 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 1
Virginia 1 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Duke 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team was an American football team that represented Wake Forest University during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its second season under head coach John Mackovic, the team compiled an 8–4 record, finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and lost to LSU in the 1979 Tangerine Bowl.[1]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 8Appalachian State*
W 30–2326,500[2]
September 15at No. 12 Georgia*
W 22–2157,500[3]
September 22East Carolina*
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
W 23–2028,751[4]
September 29at No. 16 NC State
L 14–1744,800[5]
October 6at Virginia Tech*
W 19–1436,600[6]
October 13at No. 14 North Carolina
W 24–1950,720[7]
October 20Maryland
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
W 25–1726,050[8]
October 27 No. 13 Auburn*No. 18
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
W 42–3834,060[9]
November 3at ClemsonNo. 14
L 0–3159,205[10][11]
November 10DukeNo. 20
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry)
W 17–1428,300[12]
November 17at South Carolina*No. 17
L 14–3556,407[13]
December 22vs. LSU
L 10–3438,666[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1979 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 1 Kenny Duckett Jr
QB 10 Gary Suchofield Fr
QB 14 Jay Venuto Sr
RB 21 Albert Kirby Sr
OT 57 Rich Baldinger So
OT 78 Billy Ard Jr
C 59 Steve Truitt Jr
TE 82 Wayne Baumgardner So
TE 83 David Cox So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 38 Carlos Bradley Jr
DT 70 Syd Kitson Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Team leaders

Category Team Leader Att/Cth Yds
Passing Jay Venuto 198/363 2,432
Rushing James McDougald 260 1,177
Receiving Wayne Baumgardner 55 1,000

References

  1. ^ "1979 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  2. ^ "Wake Forest nips Apps". The News and Observer. September 9, 1979. Retrieved December 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Devilish Demon Deacons bump big, bad Bulldogs". The News and Observer. September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Wake downs E. Carolina". Rocky Mount Telegram. September 23, 1979. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Wolfpack stops Deacons". Florence Morning News. September 30, 1979. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Venuto brings Wake back, 19–14". The News and Observer. October 7, 1979. Retrieved December 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Wake Forest stuns UNC". Daily Press. October 14, 1979. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Deacons stop Terps 25–17". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 21, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Auburn baptized by Deacon rally". Rocky Mount Telegram. October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1980". Clemson University. 1980. p. 2. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  11. ^ "Wake Forest bubble bursts at Clemson". The Opelika-Auburn News. November 5, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Wake Forest kicks past Duke". Fort Myers News-Press. November 11, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Wake's mistakes boost Gamecocks". The Charlotte Observer. November 18, 1979. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Tigers claw Wake 34–10". The Orlando Sentinel Star. December 23, 1979. Retrieved October 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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