Wikipedia

1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

The 1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University as an independent during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Led by 12th-year head coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions compiled a record of 11–1 with a win over Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State played home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Eastern champion
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 42–30 vs. Arizona State
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 5
Record11–1
Head coach
Offensive schemeI formation
Defensive coordinatorJerry Sandusky (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Captains
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Notre Dame – – 11–1–0
No. 5 Penn State – – 11–1–0
Colgate – – 10–1–0
North Texas State * – – 10–1–0
No. 16 San Diego State – – 10–1–0
Tennessee State – – 8–1–1
No. 14 Florida State – – 10–2–0
No. 8 Pittsburgh – – 9–2–1
East Carolina – – 8–3–0
Rutgers – – 8–3–0
Army – – 7–4–0
Louisville – – 7–4–1
Boston College – – 6–5–0
Cincinnati – – 5–4–2
Georgia Tech – – 6–5–0
Memphis State – – 6–5–0
Northwestern State – – 6–5–0
Syracuse – – 6–5–0
William & Mary – – 6–5–0
Southern Miss – – 6–5–0
Temple – – 5–5–1
Hawaii – – 5–6–0
Navy – – 5–6–0
West Virginia – – 5–6–0
South Carolina – – 5–7–0
Utah State – – 4–7–0
Villanova – – 4–7–0
Illinois State – – 3–7–1
Virginia Tech – – 3–7–1
Miami (FL) – – 3–8–0
Richmond – – 3–8–0
Tulane – – 3–8–0
Air Force – – 2–8–1
Holy Cross – – 2–8–0
Northeast Louisiana – – 2–9–0
  • North Texas State (originally 9–2) awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 2at RutgersNo. 13
W 45–764,790[2]
September 17No. 9 HoustonNo. 10
W 31–1461,704–62,554[3]
September 24MarylandNo. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
ABCW 27–962,079[4]
October 1KentuckyNo. 4
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
L 20–2462,196[5]
October 8Utah StatedaggerNo. 10
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 16–762,015[6]
October 15at SyracuseNo. 10
W 31–2427,029[7]
October 22West VirginiaNo. 10
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
W 49–2862,108[8]
October 29Miami (FL)No. 9
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 49–761,853[9]
November 5at NC StateNo. 9
W 21–1744,800[10]
November 12TempleNo. 9
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 44–761,327[11]
November 26at No. 10 PittsburghNo. 9
ABCW 15–1356,500[12]
December 25vs. No. 15 Arizona StateNo. 8
CBSW 42–3057,766[13]
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

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Miami (FL)

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Team 1 234Total
Miami (FL) 0 007 7
• Penn St 7 28140 49
  • Date: October 29
  • Location: Beaver Stadium • University Park, Pennsylvania
  • Game attendance: 61,853
Scoring summary
1PSUGuthrie 56-yard pass from Fusina (Bahr kick)Penn St 7-0
2PSUSuhey 1-yard run (Bahr kick)Penn St 14-0
2PSUTorrey 3-yard run (Bahr kick)Penn St 21-0
2PSUSuhey 3-yard run (Bahr kick)Penn St 28-0
2PSUSuhey 1-yard run (Bahr kick)Penn St 35-0
3PSUFitzkee 72-yard pass from Fusina (Bahr kick)Penn St 42-0
3PSULaPointe 17-yard pass from Capozzolli (Bahr kick)Penn St 49-0
4MIAHobbs 3-yard pass from McMillian (Dennis kick)Penn St 49-7

[14]

Fiesta Bowl

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Fiesta Bowl
#15 Arizona State vs. #8 Penn State
Team 1 234Total
Arizona St 0 14016 30
• Penn St 14 3718 42
Scoring summary
1PSULally 21-yard blocked punt return (Bahr kick)Penn St 7-0
1PSUTorrey 3-yard pass from Fusina (Bahr kick)Penn St 14-0
2ASULane 11-yard pass from Sproul (Hicks kick)Penn St 14-7
2PSUBahr 23-yard field goalPenn St 17-7
2ASUWashington 13-yard pass from Sproul (Hicks kick)Penn St 17-14
3PSUGeise 18-yard run (Bahr kick)Penn St 24-14
4PSUSuhey 3-yard run (Bahr kick)Penn St 31-14
4ASUWashington 30-yard pass from Sproul (Hicks kick)Penn St 31-21
4PSUBahr 32-yard field goalPenn St 34-21
4ASUPerry 1-yard run (Hicks kick)Penn St 34-28
4PSUSuhey 2-yard run (Geise run)Penn St 42-28
4ASUSafety, Fitzkee runs out of end zonePenn St 42-30

[15]

Roster

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1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
WR 81 Bob Bassett Jr
WR 44 Jimmy Cefalo Sr
WR 19 Tom Donovan So
C 55 Chuck Correal Jr
OT 68 Eric Cunningham Jr
OT 71 Keith Dorney Jr
WR 46 Scott Fitzkee Jr
QB 14 Chuck Fusina Jr
RB 24 Mike Guman So
TE 90 Ron LaPointe So
RB 48 Booker Moore Fr
TE 82 Mickey Shuler Sr
RB 32 Matt Suhey So
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB 25 Tom Bradley Jr
DE 54 Bruce Clark So
LB 95 Tom DePaso Sr
S 27 Pete Harris So
DE 74 Larry Kubin Fr
DT 57 Pete Kugler Fr
LB 56 Lance Mehl So
DT 60 Matt Millen So
DE 28 Rich Milot Jr
DT 78 Randy Sidler Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K 10 Matt Bahr Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

NFL draft

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References

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  1. ↑ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html
  2. ↑ "Lions open big, demolish Rutgers". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 3, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Penn State cages Houston". Asbury Park Press. September 18, 1977. Retrieved March 29, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "State passes Maryland for easy 27–9 victory". Sunday Call-Chronicle. September 25, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Kentucky shocks Penn State". The Tennessean. October 2, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Defense turns tide, Penn State escapes". Asbury Park Press. October 9, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Penn State stops Syracuse, 31–24". The Reporter Dispatch. October 16, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Lions crush Mountaineers". The Times Recorder. October 23, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Penn State calms Hurricanes". The Abilene Reporter-News. October 30, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Penn State improvises, beats Pack". The Roanoke Times. November 6, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Nittany Lions blast Temple". Daily Press. November 13, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Defense does the job in Penn State victory". The Buffalo News. November 27, 1977. Retrieved April 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Lions outpoint Arizona State, 42–30, in Fiesta". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 26, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1977 Oct 29.
  15. ↑ "Penn State runs mark to 11-1." Eugene Register-Guard. 1977 Dec 26.
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