1979 Memphis State Tigers football team

1979 Memphis State Tigers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–6
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJim Ragland (5th season)
Captains
  • Wayne Weedon
  • Leo Cage
Home stadiumLiberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
1979 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Florida State      11 1 0
No. 7 Pittsburgh      11 1 0
UNLV      9 1 2
No. 17 Temple      10 2 0
Tulane      9 3 0
Rutgers      8 3 0
Tennessee State      8 3 0
East Carolina      7 3 1
No. 20 Penn State      8 4 0
South Carolina      8 4 0
Navy      7 4 0
Notre Dame      7 4 0
Southern Miss      6 4 1
Syracuse      7 5 0
Colgate      5 4 1
Boston College      5 6 0
Holy Cross      5 6 0
Memphis State      5 6 0
Miami (FL)      5 6 0
North Texas State      5 6 0
Villanova      5 6 0
Virginia Tech      5 6 0
West Virginia      5 6 0
Georgia Tech      4 6 1
Louisville      4 6 1
William & Mary      4 7 0
Illinois State      3 8 0
Northeast Louisiana      3 8 0
Army      2 8 1
Air Force      2 9 0
Cincinnati      2 9 0
Richmond      0 11 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Memphis State Tigers football team represented Memphis State University (now known as the University of Memphis) as an independent during the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its fifth season under head coach Richard Williamson, the team compiled a 5–6 record and was outscored by a total of 223 to 166. The team played its home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee.

The team's statistical leaders included Kevin Betts with 884 passing yards, Leo Cage with 599 rushing yards, Tony Hunt with 234 receiving yards, and Richard Locke with 30 points scored.