1978 Lafayette Leopards football team

In their eighth year under head coach Neil Putnam, the Leopards compiled a 4–7 record.

[1] Jim Medes and Brian Musician were the team captains.

[2] This was the first year of competition for Division I-AA, later to be renamed the Football Championship Subdivision.

Lafayette, along with its in-state rivals Bucknell and Lehigh, moved up to I-AA after having previously competed as independents in NCAA Division II.

Lafayette played home games at Fisher Field on College Hill in Easton, Pennsylvania.