1979 Sugar Bowl
Encyclopedia
The 1979 Sugar Bowl
was the 45th edition of the Sugar Bowl, which was played on January 1, 1979 in New Orleans, Louisiana
at the Louisiana Superdome
. The matchup featured the #1–ranked, 11–0 Penn State Nittany Lions
and the #2–ranked, 10–1 Alabama Crimson Tide
. A 14–7 victory gave Alabama head coach Bear Bryant
his fifth National Championship
.
The game marked the official debut of Alabama's "Big Al
" costumed elephant mascot.
, with their only loss coming in a four-point heartbreaker to Kentucky
at home. The 1978 Penn State squad would not disappoint. After surviving a very close opener against Temple, Penn State rolled the rest of the season to a perfect 11–0 record. While some games were relatively close, the Nittany Lions generally won with ease. The defense, ranked #1 in the nation in scoring defense, led the charge, as they held opposing teams to ten points or less a grand total of eight times, three of which were shutouts. In the final week of the regular season, Penn State defeated rival Pittsburgh 17–10 to finish an undefeated regular season.
, and steamrolled Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl
. Coming into that day, Alabama was third in the country, and when the top two teams lost, the Crimson Tide thought they were national champions. It was not to be, however, as Notre Dame
, ranked fifth in the nation rolled over #1 Texas
in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and subsequently jumped from 5th to 1st to become national champions. Feeling robbed, the Crimson Tide used it as motivation for the 1978 season. Alabama, however, would suffer an early season loss to USC at Legion Field
. Bryant, who as athletics director made the schedules, later admitted he made a mistake and scheduled out of conference opponents that were too difficult; the schedule included a brutal opener against Nebraska, then against Missouri, and finally against USC, before facing Washington later in the season. The Tide, however, rebounded quite well from the loss, and went on a tear. Aside from a narrow victory against Washington, the defending Rose Bowl
champions, in Seattle, Alabama dominated the rest of the schedule. After beating in-state rival Auburn 34–16 in the annual Iron Bowl
, Alabama finished the season 10–1 and in the thick of the national championship race.
, head coach of Penn State, wanted to play in the Orange Bowl, which would be the last game of the night and would give Penn State the nation's undivided attention. Moreover, Paterno wanted his vaunted defense to face Oklahoma
running back Billy Sims
, the Heisman Trophy
winner.
Bryant wanted things differently. Bryant hoped, along with Sugar Bowl committee member Aruns Callery, that he could get Penn State to agree to face Alabama in a #1 v. #2 matchup in the Sugar Bowl. Bryant was wary of the pollsters after the shun to end the 1977 season, but he knew that if number two Alabama could beat number one Penn State, the Crimson Tide would be guaranteed a national championship regardless of what else happened with other teams.
Finally, after the urging of Callery, Bryant called Paterno and attempted to coax him into meeting the Tide in the Sugar Bowl. Bryant recanted to Paterno that the two schools and coaches had a great matchup in the 1976 Sugar Bowl, which the Tide won narrowly 13–6, and that he wanted to do it again. After several calls, Bryant finally convinced Paterno, and the matchup was on.
. The play-by-play was done by Keith Jackson
, with the color commentary provided by Frank Broyles
, the former Arkansas coach turned ABC color analyst.
Penn State came into the game as a narrow favorite.
Alabama was the home team, and thus wore its crimson jerseys. The uniforms were crimson helmets, crimson jerseys, all over the white pants with the two crimson stripes, with white numerals.
Penn State was the visiting team, and thus wore its white jerseys. Their uniforms were white helmets with the blue stripe down the center, the white jerseys and white pants with blue numerals.
Much of the pre-game hype surrounded the Penn State defense v. the Alabama offense. Penn State had, arguably, its best defense ever under Paterno, and was an immovable object against the run. Alabama, on the other hand, was known for its hard-nosed rushing attack out of the wishbone. However, the x-factor in the game was that Alabama was to be the first team that Penn State would face all season that ran the wishbone, a difficult-to-stop formation that forces defenses to cover the entire field against both the run and the pass. Most pre-game predictions hinged on this, and whether or not Joe Paterno would call a conservative game on offense.
dropped back to throw, and was hit as he attempted to deliver the ball. The pass sailed high, and was intercepted by linebacker Rich Milot
. Milot raced down the sideline with one man to beat. Major Ogilvie, who was on the other side of the field at the time of the interception, raced diagonally across the Superdome turf and knocked Milot out of bounds at the Alabama 37. At this point, Penn State was in field goal range and looked to break the 0–0 tie before halftime. However, on third down, Penn State quarterback Chuck Fusina
was sacked for a big loss by Alabama's Byron Braggs
, putting Penn State out of field goal range.
Penn State punted to Alabama with one minute, thirty-two seconds left in the first half. The Tide started at its own 20, and Ogilvie ran for two yards on first down. Paterno chose to call time-out, hoping that he could preserve the clock and force an Alabama punt, which would hopefully give Penn State a chance to get back into field goal range. Alabama, however, took advantage, when two plays later Steve Whitman rushed for four yards and a first down. Paterno's gamble had backfired, and now Bryant had another opportunity. Ever the opportunist, Bryant swung for the fences. On the subsequent play, Tide fullback Tony Nathan
ran for 30 yards, and followed it with another seven-yard run, down to the Penn State 30. Bryant called timeout, and Alabama came out throwing. Rutledge fired a strike to a diving Bruce Bolton
in the endzone, and Alabama had broken the tie, 7–0. Replays from the end zone showed that Bolton trapped the ball on the play. Also a blatant hold (one leg tackle) by the center was missed by the officials which would have negated the play.
On the other hand, Penn State struggled greatly in the first half. Although the defense kept Alabama mostly out of the endzone, the Tide still racked up plenty of yards. The Penn State offense, though, was simply manhandled. At the end of the first half, Penn State had -7 yards rushing, and only 29 yards passing, thus gaining only 21 total yards in the first half.
After that, though, the Penn State defense would make adjustments. To avoid big passing plays like those that doomed them at the end of the first half, Paterno and company chose to keep the free safety deep in case of a pass. Sure enough, the next time Rutledge went back to throw deep, Penn State safety Pete Harris snagged an interception and returned it to Alabama territory. A few plays later, Fusina finally connected with his star end Scott Fitzkee
for a 17-yard touchdown pass, and the game was tied 7–7.
Late in the third quarter, the game was still tied 7–7, and Penn State was forced to punt. Usually, Major Ogilvie returned punts for Alabama, but on a hunch, Bryant decided to use Lou Ikner, a speedy senior who had seen limited action. As it turned out, Bryant picked the right time to gamble. Ikner fielded the punt, and raced down the left sideline, before cutting back to the middle of the field to cap a 62–yard punt return, giving the Tide a first and goal at the Penn State ten. However, the Penn State defense got tough, and held Alabama to no gain on first and second down. On third down, Bryant and offensive coordinator Mal Moore thought Penn State would be playing a pass, and thus called an option left. Jeff Rutledge took the snap and spun away from center around left end, and a very surprised Penn State defense, which as Bryant and Moore had predicted were expecting a pass, was in no position to defend it. Rutledge forced the sole defender to commit to him, and when he did he pitched the ball to the trailing back, Major Ogilvie, who ran in untouched for the touchdown.
Alabama, once more, was on top. The third quarter ended with Alabama up 14–7, one quarter away from a national championship.
Now with all of the momentum, Penn State found quick success. On first down, Penn State running back Matt Suhey
charged up the middle for 11 yards, and Penn State had it first and goal on the Alabama eight-yard-line. On first and goal, Penn State ran the ball, which netted about two yards. On second and goal, Fusina came out firing to Fitzkee, who caught the ball at about the three and seemed destined to score. There was no Alabama defender in sight, and Fitzkee seemingly could walk in. As he turned to run into the endzone, however, Alabama cornerback Don McNeal
came flying up from his position, finally free from a tangle with a wide receiver, and delivered a picture-perfect hit on Fitzkee, using his own momentum to drive him out of bounds at the one-yard line. The commentators of the game, Jackson and Broyles, gushed over the incredible tackle by McNeal. Fitzkee, who thought he had a sure touchdown, would say after the game, "I have no clue where the Alabama defensive back came from." Now came third and goal, where Penn State ran the ball straight-ahead with Matt Suhey. After finding no hole, Suhey tried to dive in for the touchdown, but was met in the air by Curtis McGriff
, a defensive tackle, and Rich Wingo
, the middle linebacker. After the play, Fusina frantically searched for the ball, and asked Alabama linebacker Marty Lyons
how far it was from the goalline. Lyons replied, "'Bout a foot. You better pass."
Finally, it was fourth and goal from the one-foot line with a national championship on the line. Penn State chose to power it in, but Alabama would have none of it. Again, Alabama surged backward through the Penn State line, and Guman was hit in the hole by Barry Krauss
and Murray Legg, where he was stopped dead in his tracks. The Alabama defense had held after a thunderous collision just short of the goal line. Krauss, the man who delivered the brunt of the hit, was knocked unconscious and temporarily lost feeling in his extremities, but he would get up and run off the field under his own power.
Alabama had held, but the game was not over. Roughly six minutes were still left, and Alabama was pinned up deep in its own territory. Penn State needed a stop and quickly got it. Alabama went three-and-out, and was forced to punt. On fourth down, the snap was botched and bounced to Alabama punter Woody Umphrey, who subsequently had to hurry the punt, resulting in a shank that went out of bounds near the Alabama 30. Penn State, though, had cost themselves. They were flagged for having twelve-men on the field, which gave Alabama a first down and new life.
The Tide subsequently drove the ball farther and farther, nearly running out the clock. Penn State got the ball back with over a minute left, but their last drive came up short, ending on a 4th and 8 attempt by Chuck Fusina that fell incomplete.
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
was the 45th edition of the Sugar Bowl, which was played on January 1, 1979 in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
at the Louisiana Superdome
Louisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
. The matchup featured the #1–ranked, 11–0 Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
and the #2–ranked, 10–1 Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
. A 14–7 victory gave Alabama head coach Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
his fifth National Championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
.
The game marked the official debut of Alabama's "Big Al
Big Al (mascot)
Big Al is the costumed mascot of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.The origin of the mascot dates back to 1930. On October 8, a sportswriter wrote about the previous weekend's Alabama-Ole Miss football game...
" costumed elephant mascot.
Penn State
Penn State had high expectations coming into the 1978 season. The previous year, Penn State had gone 11–1 and won the Fiesta BowlFiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, with their only loss coming in a four-point heartbreaker to Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats football
The Kentucky Wildcats football team is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the East Division of the Southeastern Conference.-History:Paul "Bear" Bryant Era...
at home. The 1978 Penn State squad would not disappoint. After surviving a very close opener against Temple, Penn State rolled the rest of the season to a perfect 11–0 record. While some games were relatively close, the Nittany Lions generally won with ease. The defense, ranked #1 in the nation in scoring defense, led the charge, as they held opposing teams to ten points or less a grand total of eight times, three of which were shutouts. In the final week of the regular season, Penn State defeated rival Pittsburgh 17–10 to finish an undefeated regular season.
Alabama
Alabama, too, had high expectations coming into the 1978 season. The previous year, Alabama had gone 11–1, losing only to NebraskaNebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, and steamrolled Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. Coming into that day, Alabama was third in the country, and when the top two teams lost, the Crimson Tide thought they were national champions. It was not to be, however, as Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
, ranked fifth in the nation rolled over #1 Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and subsequently jumped from 5th to 1st to become national champions. Feeling robbed, the Crimson Tide used it as motivation for the 1978 season. Alabama, however, would suffer an early season loss to USC at Legion Field
Legion Field
Legion Field is a large stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, United States, primarily designed to be used as a venue for American football, but is occasionally used for other large outdoor events. The stadium is named in honor of the American Legion, a U.S. organization of military veterans. At its peak...
. Bryant, who as athletics director made the schedules, later admitted he made a mistake and scheduled out of conference opponents that were too difficult; the schedule included a brutal opener against Nebraska, then against Missouri, and finally against USC, before facing Washington later in the season. The Tide, however, rebounded quite well from the loss, and went on a tear. Aside from a narrow victory against Washington, the defending Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
champions, in Seattle, Alabama dominated the rest of the schedule. After beating in-state rival Auburn 34–16 in the annual Iron Bowl
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
, Alabama finished the season 10–1 and in the thick of the national championship race.
The Matchup Forms
After the end of the regular season, it was a toss-up as to who would play where in the bowl games. Joe PaternoJoe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
, head coach of Penn State, wanted to play in the Orange Bowl, which would be the last game of the night and would give Penn State the nation's undivided attention. Moreover, Paterno wanted his vaunted defense to face Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
running back Billy Sims
Billy Sims
Billy Sims is a former college football and NFL running back. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1978.-Early years:...
, the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner.
Bryant wanted things differently. Bryant hoped, along with Sugar Bowl committee member Aruns Callery, that he could get Penn State to agree to face Alabama in a #1 v. #2 matchup in the Sugar Bowl. Bryant was wary of the pollsters after the shun to end the 1977 season, but he knew that if number two Alabama could beat number one Penn State, the Crimson Tide would be guaranteed a national championship regardless of what else happened with other teams.
Finally, after the urging of Callery, Bryant called Paterno and attempted to coax him into meeting the Tide in the Sugar Bowl. Bryant recanted to Paterno that the two schools and coaches had a great matchup in the 1976 Sugar Bowl, which the Tide won narrowly 13–6, and that he wanted to do it again. After several calls, Bryant finally convinced Paterno, and the matchup was on.
Pre-Game information
The game kicked off at 1:00 p.m. January 1, 1979, and was broadcast by ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. The play-by-play was done by Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson
Keith Jackson is an American sportscaster, known for his long career with ABC Sports , his coverage of college football , his style of folksy, down-to-earth commentary, and his distinctive voice, with its deep cadence, and operatic tone considered "like Edward R...
, with the color commentary provided by Frank Broyles
Frank Broyles
John Franklin Broyles is a former American football player and coach, athletics administrator, and broadcaster. He served as the head football coach the University of Missouri in 1957 and at the University of Arkansas from 1958 to 1976...
, the former Arkansas coach turned ABC color analyst.
Penn State came into the game as a narrow favorite.
Alabama was the home team, and thus wore its crimson jerseys. The uniforms were crimson helmets, crimson jerseys, all over the white pants with the two crimson stripes, with white numerals.
Penn State was the visiting team, and thus wore its white jerseys. Their uniforms were white helmets with the blue stripe down the center, the white jerseys and white pants with blue numerals.
Much of the pre-game hype surrounded the Penn State defense v. the Alabama offense. Penn State had, arguably, its best defense ever under Paterno, and was an immovable object against the run. Alabama, on the other hand, was known for its hard-nosed rushing attack out of the wishbone. However, the x-factor in the game was that Alabama was to be the first team that Penn State would face all season that ran the wishbone, a difficult-to-stop formation that forces defenses to cover the entire field against both the run and the pass. Most pre-game predictions hinged on this, and whether or not Joe Paterno would call a conservative game on offense.
First Quarter
The game started off with what was expected by most: a defensive struggle. Alabama attempted to run the ball hard out of the wishbone, as expected, and while it did have some success, each and every time the Penn State defense would toughen more and more the further Alabama moved the ball, eventually forcing punts. The Penn State offense, on the other hand, was simply non-existent. The Alabama defense was great in its own right, and Penn State literally struggled to gain a positive yard. As the first quarter came to a close, the game was tied 0–0.Second Quarter
The first twelve minutes of the second quarter went just like the first quarter, i.e. a defensive struggle with little or no offensive success. Finally, with about three minutes to go in the second quarter, Alabama seemingly was about to break through. After getting good field position via a Penn State punt, Alabama found itself at the Penn State 22–yard line with a 1st and 10. Alabama quarterback Jeff RutledgeJeff Rutledge
Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee.-Early years:...
dropped back to throw, and was hit as he attempted to deliver the ball. The pass sailed high, and was intercepted by linebacker Rich Milot
Rich Milot
Richard Paul Milot is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who played his entire nine year career with the Washington Redskins from 1979 to 1987. He played college football at Penn State University and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1979 NFL Draft....
. Milot raced down the sideline with one man to beat. Major Ogilvie, who was on the other side of the field at the time of the interception, raced diagonally across the Superdome turf and knocked Milot out of bounds at the Alabama 37. At this point, Penn State was in field goal range and looked to break the 0–0 tie before halftime. However, on third down, Penn State quarterback Chuck Fusina
Chuck Fusina
Charles Anthony Fusina is a former professional American football quarterback. He played in both the National Football League and United States Football League and was an All-American and Maxwell Award winner at Penn State University in 1978.-Professional football:At 6'1" 195-lb., Fusina was a...
was sacked for a big loss by Alabama's Byron Braggs
Byron Braggs
Byron Charles Braggs is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League who played for the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .-Early years:...
, putting Penn State out of field goal range.
Penn State punted to Alabama with one minute, thirty-two seconds left in the first half. The Tide started at its own 20, and Ogilvie ran for two yards on first down. Paterno chose to call time-out, hoping that he could preserve the clock and force an Alabama punt, which would hopefully give Penn State a chance to get back into field goal range. Alabama, however, took advantage, when two plays later Steve Whitman rushed for four yards and a first down. Paterno's gamble had backfired, and now Bryant had another opportunity. Ever the opportunist, Bryant swung for the fences. On the subsequent play, Tide fullback Tony Nathan
Tony Nathan
Tony Curtis Nathan is an American football coach and former running back.Nathan was a running back from Alabama who was selected in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, with whom he played from 1979-1987...
ran for 30 yards, and followed it with another seven-yard run, down to the Penn State 30. Bryant called timeout, and Alabama came out throwing. Rutledge fired a strike to a diving Bruce Bolton
Bruce Bolton
Bruce Alfred Bolton is a former New Zealand cricketer who played in two Tests in 1958-59.Bolton was a right-handed opening batsman and a useful leg-spin bowler who played for almost 10 years for Canterbury in New Zealand domestic cricket and then, after a year's break, for a further five seasons...
in the endzone, and Alabama had broken the tie, 7–0. Replays from the end zone showed that Bolton trapped the ball on the play. Also a blatant hold (one leg tackle) by the center was missed by the officials which would have negated the play.
Halftime
At halftime, Alabama was seemingly the better team on paper. Against the number-one ranked Penn State defense, Alabama had racked up 214 yards, 129 of which were on the ground, and carried a touchdown lead at intermission.On the other hand, Penn State struggled greatly in the first half. Although the defense kept Alabama mostly out of the endzone, the Tide still racked up plenty of yards. The Penn State offense, though, was simply manhandled. At the end of the first half, Penn State had -7 yards rushing, and only 29 yards passing, thus gaining only 21 total yards in the first half.
Third Quarter
Alabama looked to further cement their lead after a solid drive in the third quarter that saw the Tide go deep into Penn State territory. Penn State, however, got tough again as the Tide drove further, and ultimately forced a field goal attempt. The usually reliable Alan McElroy, however, missed a chip-shot field goal that would have put Alabama up 10–0.After that, though, the Penn State defense would make adjustments. To avoid big passing plays like those that doomed them at the end of the first half, Paterno and company chose to keep the free safety deep in case of a pass. Sure enough, the next time Rutledge went back to throw deep, Penn State safety Pete Harris snagged an interception and returned it to Alabama territory. A few plays later, Fusina finally connected with his star end Scott Fitzkee
Scott Fitzkee
Scott Austin Fitzkee is a former professional American football wide receiver. He played in both the National Football League and United States Football League and starred at Penn State University in 1978...
for a 17-yard touchdown pass, and the game was tied 7–7.
Late in the third quarter, the game was still tied 7–7, and Penn State was forced to punt. Usually, Major Ogilvie returned punts for Alabama, but on a hunch, Bryant decided to use Lou Ikner, a speedy senior who had seen limited action. As it turned out, Bryant picked the right time to gamble. Ikner fielded the punt, and raced down the left sideline, before cutting back to the middle of the field to cap a 62–yard punt return, giving the Tide a first and goal at the Penn State ten. However, the Penn State defense got tough, and held Alabama to no gain on first and second down. On third down, Bryant and offensive coordinator Mal Moore thought Penn State would be playing a pass, and thus called an option left. Jeff Rutledge took the snap and spun away from center around left end, and a very surprised Penn State defense, which as Bryant and Moore had predicted were expecting a pass, was in no position to defend it. Rutledge forced the sole defender to commit to him, and when he did he pitched the ball to the trailing back, Major Ogilvie, who ran in untouched for the touchdown.
Alabama, once more, was on top. The third quarter ended with Alabama up 14–7, one quarter away from a national championship.
Fourth Quarter
After getting the ball early in the fourth quarter, Penn State could do nothing. The Crimson Tide defense seemed stronger than ever, and Penn State simply could not move the ball effectively. The clock was running, and finally Alabama regained possession of the ball following a Penn State punt with eight minutes to play. The Nittany Lions were desperate, and everyone knew it; they needed a big turnover. As if the football gods had smiled upon them, they got one. Alabama had the ball on its own 22-yard line when Rutledge ran an option left. He engaged a Penn State defender, and pitched the ball to Major Ogilvie. However, Ogilvie was not expecting a pitch and was in fact not even looking at Rutledge; the ball bounced off of Ogilvie's back and Penn State recovered the fumble deep in Alabama territory.Now with all of the momentum, Penn State found quick success. On first down, Penn State running back Matt Suhey
Matt Suhey
Matthew Jerome Suhey is a former professional American football player, playing fullback/running back for ten seasons in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears...
charged up the middle for 11 yards, and Penn State had it first and goal on the Alabama eight-yard-line. On first and goal, Penn State ran the ball, which netted about two yards. On second and goal, Fusina came out firing to Fitzkee, who caught the ball at about the three and seemed destined to score. There was no Alabama defender in sight, and Fitzkee seemingly could walk in. As he turned to run into the endzone, however, Alabama cornerback Don McNeal
Don McNeal
Don McNeal is a former American professional football player who played defensive back for the Miami Dolphins in the 1980s....
came flying up from his position, finally free from a tangle with a wide receiver, and delivered a picture-perfect hit on Fitzkee, using his own momentum to drive him out of bounds at the one-yard line. The commentators of the game, Jackson and Broyles, gushed over the incredible tackle by McNeal. Fitzkee, who thought he had a sure touchdown, would say after the game, "I have no clue where the Alabama defensive back came from." Now came third and goal, where Penn State ran the ball straight-ahead with Matt Suhey. After finding no hole, Suhey tried to dive in for the touchdown, but was met in the air by Curtis McGriff
Curtis McGriff
Curtis McGriff is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins.-Early life:...
, a defensive tackle, and Rich Wingo
Rich Wingo
Rich Wingo is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He played five seasons for the Green Bay Packers from 1979 to 1984...
, the middle linebacker. After the play, Fusina frantically searched for the ball, and asked Alabama linebacker Marty Lyons
Marty Lyons
Martin Anthony Lyons is a former American Football defensive tackle who played his entire eleven year career from 1979 to 1989 with the New York Jets of the National Football League...
how far it was from the goalline. Lyons replied, "'Bout a foot. You better pass."
Finally, it was fourth and goal from the one-foot line with a national championship on the line. Penn State chose to power it in, but Alabama would have none of it. Again, Alabama surged backward through the Penn State line, and Guman was hit in the hole by Barry Krauss
Barry Krauss
Richard Barry Krauss is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for eleven seasons in the National Football League.-Early years:...
and Murray Legg, where he was stopped dead in his tracks. The Alabama defense had held after a thunderous collision just short of the goal line. Krauss, the man who delivered the brunt of the hit, was knocked unconscious and temporarily lost feeling in his extremities, but he would get up and run off the field under his own power.
Alabama had held, but the game was not over. Roughly six minutes were still left, and Alabama was pinned up deep in its own territory. Penn State needed a stop and quickly got it. Alabama went three-and-out, and was forced to punt. On fourth down, the snap was botched and bounced to Alabama punter Woody Umphrey, who subsequently had to hurry the punt, resulting in a shank that went out of bounds near the Alabama 30. Penn State, though, had cost themselves. They were flagged for having twelve-men on the field, which gave Alabama a first down and new life.
The Tide subsequently drove the ball farther and farther, nearly running out the clock. Penn State got the ball back with over a minute left, but their last drive came up short, ending on a 4th and 8 attempt by Chuck Fusina that fell incomplete.
Scoring summary
| Quarter | |Team | |Scoring Summary | |Score |
|---|---|
| Penn State | Alabama |
| Bruce Bolton Bruce Bolton Bruce Alfred Bolton is a former New Zealand cricketer who played in two Tests in 1958-59.Bolton was a right-handed opening batsman and a useful leg-spin bowler who played for almost 10 years for Canterbury in New Zealand domestic cricket and then, after a year's break, for a further five seasons... 30–yard reception from Jeff Rutledge Jeff Rutledge Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee.-Early years:... , Alan McElroy kick good ! 0 !! 7 |
|
| Scott Fitzkee Scott Fitzkee Scott Austin Fitzkee is a former professional American football wide receiver. He played in both the National Football League and United States Football League and starred at Penn State University in 1978... 17–yard reception from Chuck Fusina Chuck Fusina Charles Anthony Fusina is a former professional American football quarterback. He played in both the National Football League and United States Football League and was an All-American and Maxwell Award winner at Penn State University in 1978.-Professional football:At 6'1" 195-lb., Fusina was a... ! 7 !! 7 |
|
| Major Ogilvie rush, Alan McElroy kick good ! 7 !! 14 |
|