Ithaca College Athletics

Under head coach Jim Butterfield, the Ithaca College football team captured the school's first-ever national championship with a 14-10 win over Wittenberg at Phenix City, Ala. The comeback victory and national title capped a 10-2 season for Ithaca. Quarterback Doug Bencsko passed for one touchdown and ran for another in the title game, and the Bomber defense limited top-ranked Wittenberg to just 10 points. It was the fourth time in five opportunities during the 1979 season that Ithaca beat an opponent that came into the game undefeated.
 
Ithaca started its season by winning four straight games. Mid-season defeats at the hands of Clarion State and American International didn't deter the Bombers. They won their final six games of the season and outscored their opponents 170-50 over those contests. Ithaca defeated Dubuque 27-7 in the opening round of the playoffs, and Carnegie Mellon in the national semifinals. Ithaca's defense held opponents to 14 points or less in 12 of its 13 games. Team captains were Bill George and John Laper, and they earned All-American honors that year, along with John Nicolo.