15 17 Michigan 0 9 0 | 14 14 0 9 0 6 | |
The 1979 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 28, 1979. The North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference defeated the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference, 17–15.
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Background
An 8-1 start (With a loss to #9 Notre Dame) had propelled Michigan to being ranked 10th in the polls, before a loss to #14 Purdue followed by a loss to #2 Ohio State at home made them fall to 14th in the polls and finish 3rd in the Big Ten Conference. The Tar Heels had started 4-0 and were ranked #14 before a loss to Wake Forest started a 1-3-1 middle stretch that ended with victories over Virginia and Duke to make them finish 5th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. This was Michigan's first Gator Bowl appearance. This was North Carolina's third ever Gator Bowl appearance.