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
Defensive coordinatorJerry Sandusky (1st season as DC; 9th overall season)
Captains
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
(Capacity: 60,203)
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   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

The 1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 2at RutgersNo. 13
W 45–764,790
September 17No. 9 HoustonNo. 10
W 31–1462,554
September 24MarylandNo. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
ABCW 27–962,079[2]
October 1KentuckyNo. 4
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
L 20–2462,196[3]
October 8Utah StatedaggerNo. 10
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 16–762,015
October 15at SyracuseNo. 10
W 31–2427,029
October 22West VirginiaNo. 10
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
W 49–2862,108[4]
October 29Miami (FL)No. 9
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 49–761,853
November 5at NC StateNo. 9
W 21–1744,800[5]
November 12TempleNo. 9
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 44–761,327
November 26at No. 10 PittsburghNo. 9
ABCW 15–1356,500
December 25vs. No. 15 Arizona StateNo. 8
CBSW 42–3057,766
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 81 Bob Bassett Jr
WR 44 Jimmy Cefalo Sr
WR 19 Tom Donovan So
OT 68 Eric Cummingham Jr
OT 71 Keith Dorney Jr
WR 46 Scott Fitzkee Jr
QB 14 Chuck Fusina Jr
RB 24 Mike Guman So
TE 82 Mickey Shuler Sr
RB 32 Matt Suhey So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
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
LB 60 Matt Millen So
DE 28 Rich Milot Jr
DT 78 Randy Sidler Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 10 Matt Bahr Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

Game summaries

Miami (FL)

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

[6]

Fiesta Bowl

Fiesta Bowl
#15 Arizona State vs. #8 Penn State
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

[7]

Post season

NFL Draft

Seven Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1978 NFL Draft.

Round Pick Overall Name Position Team
3rd 5 61 Mickey Shuler Tight end New York Jets
3rd 25 81 Jimmy Cefalo Wide receiver Miami Dolphins
5th 4 113 Randy Sidler Defensive tackle New York Jets
6th 17 155 Steve Geise Running back Cincinnati Bengals
9th 5 227 Neil Hutton Running back/Defensive back New York Jets
10th 17 267 Tom DePaso Linebacker Cincinnati Bengals
11th 25 303 Ron Hostetler Linebacker/Defensive back Los Angeles Rams

References

  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html
  2. ^ "State passes Maryland for easy 27–9 victory". Sunday Call-Chronicle. September 25, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Kentucky shocks Penn State". The Tennessean. October 2, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Lions crush Mountaineers". The Times Recorder. October 23, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Penn State improvises, beats Pack". The Roanoke Times. November 6, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1977 Oct 29.
  7. ^ "Penn State runs mark to 11-1." Eugene Register-Guard. 1977 Dec 26.
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