After finishing 2nd in the final 1977 poll, Alabama began the 1978 season with the top ranking in the country in the Associated Press poll. While the Penn State Nittany Lions started the 1978 season ranked 3rd.
The Crimson Tide coached by the legendary Bear Bryant, returned a lot of starters in 1978 including quarterback Jeff Rutledge, running back Tony Nathan, and Pro Football Hall of Fame center Dwight Stevenson to lead their offense. On defense, they returned defensive linemen Warren Lyles and Marty Lyons, plus promising newcomer E.J. Junior. At linebacker, leading tacklers Barry Krause and Ricky Gilliland returned and they were hungry for more.
The defensive backfield was led by Murray Legg, Don McNeal, and Ricky Tucker. There was a reason they were ranked number one, with that talent returning, but also the Bear roaming the sidelines was scary for opponents.
The Nittany Lions were in much the same boat as the Tide going into the 1978 season with a lot of returning talent. The offensive side returned star quarterback Chuck Fusina which was always big in a Joe Paterno offense. They lacked the star power at running back but ate up chunks of yards by
committee and fullback Matt Suhey was their leading rusher. You may remember Suhey from his days as the blocking fullback for the Chicago Bears in their glory years and he led the way for many of Walter Peyton’s yards.
Keith Dorney and Eric Cunningham led another solid offensive line.
The defense was typical Penn State good with returning linemen Bruce Clark and Matt Millen. Fullback Matt Suhey’s brother, Paul was a leader at linebacker, along with Rick Donaldson, Steve Griffiths, and Lance Mehl.
Grover Edwards was the only returner in the secondary.
This was a solid Penn State team and they had a 19 game win streak going and deserved the ranking.
This was a defensive battle and the Crimson Tide led 14-7 in the middle of the 4th quarter.
Alabama had the football and lined up in the I-formation at their own 25-yard line. Crimson Tide quarterback Jeff Rutledge ran option left. Mr all heart Matt Millen stepped up sooner than the Bama offense expected and forced Rutledge to pitch before the running back was ready. Tony Nathan, the excellent Tide running back was not expecting the ball and it hit him on the arm and dropped to the turf. It was a major catastrophe for Alabama when a Penn State defender fell on the ball at the Alabama 19 yard line.
Down 14-7, Penn State suddenly had new life.
On the first play, quarterback Chuck Fusina handed off to fullback Matt Suhey who showed excellent quickness and power by running the ball all the way down to the Alabama 8 yard line. Suhey was a lot better football player than given credit for, I remember he broke a few long runs in his career and he had legit 4.5 speed for a fullback. If he hadn’t been a fullback he would have been more famous. But, as is, he is remembered only by some as Walter Payton’s blocking fullback.
Now, it was 1st and goal and Penn State had the momentum.
Fusina pitched the ball to tailback Mike Guman who fought his way down to the 6-yard line and now it was second and goal.
Alabama star linebacker Ricky Gilliland ran off the field holding his right arm. Alabama was now down one of it’s best defenders, but luckily the Bear had some depth as talented Rich Wingo came in to replace Gilliland.
Fusina rolled to his right without bothering with a fake and hit tight end Scott Fitzkee right at the goal line. His momentum carried him across the field and right before he could turn it up and score, Bama cornerback Dan McNeil probably made the play of his career as he hit Fitzkee near the sideline and drove him away from the goal line.
Officials gave Alabama a favorable spot and put the ball at the 1-yard line and it was now 3rd down.
On the next play, the Nittany Lions sent Fullback Matt Suhey over the top, but he was met by a host of Alabama defenders and he only got about half a yard.
Penn State’s Chuck Fusina called a time out and went to the Penn State sidelines.
4th and half a yard to possibly tie up the game, or the Nittany Lions could elect to go for 2. This was for all the marbles and Penn State might not get another shot after this one, at least handed to them.
This time, Penn State sent Mike Guman right up the middle and he was stopped cold by mostly middle linebacker Barry Krauss who stuffed him at the line of scrimmage.
Barry Krauss hit Guman right in the face and was down for a few minutes after the play with what looked like a sore neck.
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The rest of the story goes like this:
Alabama had a really poor punt, and it only traveled out to maybe their own 35-yard line, or inside the 40, at least.
But, ‘whoa nelly’ as Keith Jackson would say there was a huge mistake and a penalty flag on the field.
Penn State had 12 men on the field, and back then it was a 15-yard penalty if the 12th player wasn’t trying to get off the field. Alabama got to keep the ball and it was all the way out to the 22-yard line. Huge, huge, huge mistake by Joe Paterno’s team and it may have cost them the national title.
Instead of having the ball at around the Alabama 35 with another excellent shot at a score, the mistake gave Alabama a giant first down. This penalty was almost as big as the goal line stand in the final outcome.
There were 5 minutes left in the game, and all the Tide had to do was run out the clock.
Alabama was going to run the ball, but two costly mistakes hurt them, also. Two illegal procedures where they weren’t set on offense cost them 10 yards in penalties and killed their drive. Bear Bryant went nuts on the sidelines. What a time to make stupid mistakes and in the last game of the season.
Stopped at about their own 34-yard line, this time the Bama punter got off a boomer of a punt going down to the Penn State 20 yard line. The Nittany Lions’ Guman tried a trick play by throwing the ball towards the sidelines to another player, but it did not work as Bama was ready for it.
With 2:42 left in the game, Penn State now had the ball at their own 21-yard line.
The Penn State offense took too much time on their first play and then they were back to their own 16. The dumb penalties had to be infuriating for the coaches on both sides.
But, Fusina hit tight end Scott Fitzkee for a first down, to make up for the mistake.
On 3rd down, Fusina hit Guman on a screen pass and he barely managed another first down at their own 42.
On first down, Fusina hit Guman again and this time down to the Alabama 44 yard line. The Nittany Lions were determined to make this an interesting finish.
Third and 7, Penn State chose to throw the ball deep and into the end zone to a tight end that wasn’t even open. I will never understand a call like that, and it was now 4th and 7 with 1:22 left on the
clock.
On 4th down, Fusina throws it for the yardage, but Alabama defensive back Murray Legg was all over the receiver and knocked down the ball.
Oddly enough, Penn State had enough time outs to stop the Alabama drive and would get one more shot at it, but Fusina threw his fourth interception of the day.
Game over.
Alabama linebacker Barry Krause was named MVP of the game and for a defensive struggle, they made a good choice.
For fans of today’s high flying offenses, this game may seem boring. But, it was a hard-hitting blast of a game for fans of defense, such as myself.
Obviously, Alabama won the national title even though some would say USC deserved because of their head to head matchup earlier in the season which the Trojans won in Birmingham.
The following season, Alabama would leave little doubt.