1973 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
Penn State's third undefeated season under Joe Paterno was led by John Cappelletti who would become the first Penn State player to win the Heisman Trophy.
Schedule
Date |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
September 15 |
at Stanford |
No. 7 |
Stanford Stadium • Stanford, CA |
ABC |
W 20–6 |
57,000 |
September 22 |
at Navy |
No. 7 |
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, MD |
|
W 39–0 |
28,383 |
September 29 |
Iowa |
No. 6 |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA |
|
W 27–8 |
59,980 |
October 6 |
at Air Force |
No. 7 |
Falcon Stadium • Colorado Springs, CO |
ABC |
W 19–9 |
37,077 |
October 13 |
Army |
No. 7 |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA |
|
W 54–3 |
58,194 |
October 20 |
at Syracuse |
No. 5 |
Archbold Stadium • Syracuse, NY (Rivalry) |
|
W 49–6 |
27,595 |
October 27 |
West Virginia |
No. 5 |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA (Rivalry) |
|
W 62–14 |
59,138 |
November 3 |
at Maryland |
No. 6 |
Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD (Rivalry) |
|
W 42–22 |
44,135 |
November 10 |
NC State |
No. 6 |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA |
|
W 35–29 |
59,424 |
November 17 |
Ohio |
No. 6 |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA |
|
W 49–10 |
51,804 |
November 24 |
No. 20 Pittsburgh |
No. 6 |
Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA (Rivalry) |
|
W 35–13 |
56,600 |
January 1 |
vs. No. 13 LSU |
No. 6 |
Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) |
NBC |
W 16–9 |
60,477 |
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time. |
Game summaries
Navy
Game information |
- First Quarter
- PSU - Heyman 17-yard pass from Shuman (Bahr kick)
- Second Quarter
- PSU - Cappelletti 10-yard run (Bahr kick)
- PSU - Herd 23-yard pass from Shuman (kick failed)
- PSU - Shuman 1-yard run (Bahr kick)
- Third Quarter
- PSU - Bahr 22-yard field goal
- PSU - Clark 1-yard run (Bahr kick)
- Fourth Quarter
- PSU - Safety, Navy center snapped ball out of end zone
|
Penn State capitalized on a fumble and two short punts to score three second-quarter touchdowns and break the game wide open against Navy. The Nittany Lions opened scoring with just one second left in the first as QB Tom Shuman hit SE Gary Heyman for a touchdown to cap an 88-yard drive. On the first play after the ensuing kickoff, E Greg Murphy recovered a fumble by RB Bob Jackson at the Navy 41, and the Lions took two-and-a-half minutes and five plays to score again. Penn State scored on two more quick drives of 60 and 51 yards following short punts into a stiff wind by John Stufflebeem. The Lions added a field goal by Chris Bahr midway through the third and backup QB John Clark capped a 56-yard drive with a keeper to put Penn State ahead 37-0. The final points of the contest came when a snap from Navy's center sailed over Stufflebeem's head and out of the end zone for a safety.[1]
Syracuse
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
• Penn St |
3 |
19 | 21 | 6 |
49 |
Syracuse |
0 |
0 | 6 | 0 |
6 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
1 |
| PSU | Bahr 50-yard field goal | Penn St 3–0 |
|
2 |
| PSU | Bahr 21-yard field goal | Penn St 6–0 |
|
2 |
| PSU | Shuman 1-yard run (pass failed) | Penn St 12–0 |
|
2 |
| PSU | Nagle 1-yard run (Bahr kick) | Penn St 19–0 |
|
2 |
| PSU | Bahr 33-yard field goal | Penn St 22–0 |
|
3 |
| SYR | Brennan 16-yard pass from Milch (pass failed) | Penn St 22–6 |
|
3 |
| PSU | Nagle 78-yard fumble recovery (Bahr kick) | Penn St 29–6 |
|
3 |
| PSU | Taylor 1-yard run (Bahr kick) | Penn St 36–6 |
|
3 |
| PSU | Boyle 4-yard run (Bahr kick) | Penn St 43–6 |
|
4 |
| PSU | Barvinchak 4-yard run (kick failed) | Penn St 49–6 |
|
[2]
Statistics
Passing
Player | Comp | Att | Yards | TD | INT |
Shuman | 83 | 161 | 1,375 | 13 | 5 |
Barvinchak | 8 | 15 | 163 | 1 | 2 |
Cappelletti | 1 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Clark | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 | 0 |
Petchel | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
[3]
Post season
NFL Draft
Ten Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1974 NFL Draft.
Awards
- Heisman Trophy
- Maxwell Award
- Walter Camp Award
References
- ↑ "Nittany Lions Roar Past Outclassed Midshipmen." Palm Beach Post. p. 84. 1973 Sep 23.
- ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1973 Oct 21.
- ↑ Nittany Anthology
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