| Year Game Played: | 1979 |
| Game Name: | Gator Bowl |
| Subheader: | 35th Gator Bowl |
| Football Season: | 1979 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Michigan |
| Visitor Nickname: | Wolverines |
| Home Name Short: | North Carolina |
| Home Nickname: | Tar Heels |
| Visitor Record: | 8–3 |
| Visitor Conference: | Big Ten |
| Home Record: | 7–3–1 |
| Home Conference: | ACC |
| Visitor Coach: | Bo Schembechler |
| Home Coach: | Dick Crum |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | 14 |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | 14 |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 9 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 6 |
| Home 1Q: | 0 |
| Home 2Q: | 7 |
| Home 3Q: | 7 |
| Home 4Q: | 3 |
| Date Game Played: | December 28 |
| Stadium: | Gator Bowl Stadium |
| City: | Jacksonville, Florida |
| Mvp: | Matt Kupec (North Carolina QB),[1] Amos Lawrence (North Carolina RB), John Wangler (Michigan QB), Anthony Carter (Michigan WR)[2] |
| Referee: | Clint Fuller (SWC) |
| Attendance: | 70,407 |
| Us Network: | ABC |
| Us Announcers Link: | List of announcers of major college bowl games |
| Us Announcers: | Keith Jackson, Frank Broyles and Dave Diles |
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.
An 8-1 start (With a loss to #9 Notre Dame) had propelled Michigan to be ranked at 10th in the polls, before a loss to #14 Purdue followed by a loss to #2 Ohio State at home. This made them fall to 14th position in the polls and they finished as 3rd in the Big Ten Conference.
The Tar Heels had started with a score of 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.