The 1982 edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the second place ranked Georgia Bulldogs and the eighth ranked Pittsburgh Panthers

1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

The 1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1981 college football season. Despite having one loss, the Panthers were selected as National Champions by the National Championship Foundation and Montgomery Full Season Championship, although a national...

. The Panthers won the game, and left ranked fourth in the country, while the losing Bulldogs left the game ranked sixth in the country. It has often been called one of the greatest bowl games, and bowl upsets, of all time.

Game

Dan Marino

Dan Marino

Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...

, eventually a first round draft pick, started the game at quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

. Buck Belue

Buck Belue

Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. He was the quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1980, when the team went 12-0, and, after beating Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, was named the consensus national champion...

 started for Georgia, but the Bulldogs were relying on their running game, powered by Herschel Walker

Herschel Walker

Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...

, who rushed for two touchdowns.
Georgia led early with an 8 yard run from Walker. However, Pitt kicked a field goal and scored a touchdown to go ahead 10-7. Georgia got the lead back and the game was 13-10 (as a result of a missed PAT), but Dan Marino

Dan Marino

Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...

 threw a short touchdown to John Brown to take the lead 17-13. Georgia scored again with a 6 yard pass and the game was 20-17. Pitt took the lead again with just 35 seconds to go with a 33 yard pass to Brown, taking it for good, and won 24-20.

Legacy

Twenty-two players from the winning team would be drafted over the next four years by the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

. Six of them were in the first round, including Dan Marino

Dan Marino

Daniel Constantine "Dan" Marino, Jr. is a retired American football quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...

, Jim Covert

Jim Covert

James Paul "Jimbo" Covert is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Institute for Transfusion Medicine and a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears.-High school:Covert excelled in both football and wrestling at Freedom Area High...

, Tim Lewis

Tim Lewis

Tim Lewis is an American football coach and former cornerback. He is currently the secondary coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League.-Playing career:...

, Bill Maas

Bill Maas

William Thomas Maas , is a former American Football defensive tackle who played for the Kansas City Chiefs , and the Green Bay Packers . Maas was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987. In 1984 Maas was named The NFL Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press...

, Chris Doleman

Chris Doleman

Christopher John Doleman is a former American Football defensive end who played in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers from 1985 to 1999. He was an 8-time Pro Bowl selection and a 3-time First-team All-Pro during his playing days, recording 150⅓ career sacks...

, and Bill Fralic

Bill Fralic

William P. Fralic, Jr. is a former professional American football offensive guard in the NFL.-Early years:...

. Marino was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...

.