American college football season
The 1978 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The team was not seen as a favorite in the pre-season to win the national championship.[1]
Game summaries
Temple
#3 Penn State at Temple
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Penn St |
0 |
0 | 7 | 3 |
10 |
Temple |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
| Q3 | :56 | PSU | Booker Moore 26 yard run (Matt Bahr kick) | PSU 7–0 |
| Q4 | 10:49 | TEM | Zachary Dixon 21 yard pass from Brian Broomell (Firovanti kick) | Tie 7–7 |
| Q4 | :10 | PSU | Matt Bahr 23 yard field goal | PSU 10–7 |
|
[7]
Ohio State
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Penn St |
3 |
0 | 7 | 9 |
19 |
Ohio St |
0 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
0 |
- Date: September 18
- Location: Ohio Stadium
- Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Elapsed time: 2:48
- Game attendance: 88,202
- Game weather: Cloudy; 80 °F (27 °C); wind 10 mph (16 km/h) SW
- Television network: ABC
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
| Q1 | 9:52 | PSU | Bahr 30 yard field goal | PSU 3–0 |
| Q3 | 4:52 | PSU | Suhey 3 yard run (Bahr kick) | PSU 10–0 |
| Q4 | 13:12 | PSU | Bahr 41 yard field goal | PSU 13–0 |
| Q4 | 6:45 | PSU | Bahr 25 yard field goal | PSU 16–0 |
| Q4 | 2:53 | PSU | Bahr 30 yard field goal | PSU 19–0 |
|
[8]
Maryland
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Maryland |
0 |
3 | 0 | 0 |
3 |
• Penn State |
3 |
10 | 7 | 7 |
27 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
| 1 | | PSU | Bahr 33-yard field goal | PSU 3-0 |
| 2 | | PSU | Fusina 1-yard run (Bahr kick) | PSU 10-0 |
| 2 | | MD | Loncar 39-yard field goal | PSU 10-3 |
| 2 | | PSU | Bahr 44-yard field goal | PSU 13-3 |
| 3 | | PSU | Donovan 63-yard pass from Fusina (Bahr kick) | PSU 20-3 |
| 4 | | PSU | Moore 4-yard run (Bahr kick) | PSU 27-3 |
|
[9][10]
Syracuse
Chuck Fusina threw four touchdown passes, including two to Scott Fitzkee as second-ranked Penn State extended its win streak to 15 games. Fusina finished 15 of 27 for 293 yards.[11]
NFL Draft
Nine Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1979 NFL Draft.