1978 Chico State Wildcats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1978
| team = Chico State Wildcats
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Far Western Conference
| short_conf = FWC
| record = 5–5
| conf_record = 2–3
| head_coach = Dick Trimmer
| hc_year = 5th
| off_coach =
| oc_year =
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Roland "Red" Smith
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = University Stadium
}}
{{1978 Far Western Conference football standings}}
The 1978 Chico State Wildcats football team represented California State University, Chico as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1978 NCAA Division II football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Dick Trimmer, Chico State compiled an overall record of 5–5 with a mark of 2–3 in conference play, placing fourth in the FWC. The team was outscored by its opponents 217 to 161 for the season. The Wildcats played home games at University Stadium in Chico, California.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1978
| rankdivision = NCAA Division II
| poll = Associated Press
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 16
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1978|team=Cal Lutheran Kingsmen|title=Cal Lutheran}}
| site_stadium = University Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 15–12
| attend = 2,872
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 23
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Cal State Northridge
| site_stadium = North Campus Stadium
| site_cityst = Northridge, CA
| score = 7–28
| attend = 2,583–3,752
| source = {{cite news |title= Utah St. Wins PCAA Opener, 45-22 |newspaper= The Los Angeles Times |date= September 24, 1978 |page=III-16 |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9953405/utah_st_wins_pcaa_opener/ |via= Newspapers.com |access-date= March 31, 2017}}{{Open access}}{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1978 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Cal State Northridge) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/101/stats/13635 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=May 29, 2022 }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Cal Poly Pomona
| site_stadium = University Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 23–3
| attend = 2,500–2,611
| source = {{cite news|title=Kingsmen Win Despite Errors|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|date=October 1, 1978|page=III-18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9953473/kingsmen_win_despite_errors/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=March 31, 2017}}{{Open access}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 7
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = San Francisco State
| site_stadium = Cox Stadium
| site_cityst = San Francisco, CA
| score = 28–24
| attend = 1,837
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 14
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1978|team=Central Washington Wildcats|title=Central Washington}}
| site_stadium = Tomlinson Stadium
| site_cityst = Ellensburg, WA
| score = 24–11
| attend = 2,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1978|team=Puget Sound Loggers|title=Puget Sound}}
| site_stadium = University Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 16–35
| attend = 2,622
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 28
| w/l = l
| opponent = Cal State Hayward
| site_stadium = University Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 11–42
| attend = 1,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 4
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Sacramento State
| site_stadium = Hornet Stadium
| site_cityst = Sacramento, CA
| score = 12–3
| attend = 1,850
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 11
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Humboldt State
| site_stadium = Redwood Bowl
| site_cityst = Arcata, CA
| score = 23–28
| attend = 3,000–3,150
| source = {{cite web |author= |title=Final 1978 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Humboldt State) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/291/stats/13635 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=September 20, 2024 }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 18
| w/l = l
| opponent = UC Davis
| opprank = 4
| site_stadium = University Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 2–31
| attend = 4,429
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1978 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Chico State) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/95/stats/13635 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=May 22, 2022 }}