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American college football season
The 1979 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season .[ 1] The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania .
Date Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 15 Rutgers No. 7 W 45–1077,309
September 22 Texas A&M No. 6 Beaver Stadium University Park, PA L 14–2777,575
September 29 at No. 6 Nebraska No. 18 ABC L 17–4276,151
October 6 at Maryland W 27–752,348
October 13 Army Beaver Stadium University Park, PA W 24–377,157
October 20 vs. Syracuse W 35–753,789
October 27 West Virginia Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry ) W 31–677,923 [ 2]
November 3 Miami (FL) No. 19 Beaver Stadium University Park, PA TCS L 10–2675,332
November 10 at NC State W 9–751,200 [ 3]
November 17 No. 18 Temple Beaver Stadium University Park, PA W 22–776,000
December 1 No. 11 Pittsburgh No. 19 Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry ) ABC L 14–2976,958
December 22 vs. No. 15 Tulane ABC W 9–650,021 [ 4]
HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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Game information
First quarter
PSU – Booker Moore 1-yard run (Herb Menhardt kick). Penn State 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards.
Second quarter
PSU – Matt Suhey 17-yard run (Herb Menhardt kick), 7:06. Penn State 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 57 yards.
PSU – Herb Menhardt 24-yard field goal, 2:36. Penn State 17–0. Drive:
Third quarter
ARMY – Dave Aucoin 44-yard field goal. Penn State 17–3. Drive:
Fourth quarter
PSU – Matt Suhey 61-yard run (Herb Menhardt kick). Penn State 24–3. Drive:
Top passers
ARMY – Jerryl Bennett – 7/26, 120 yards, INT
PSU – Dayle Tate – 6/14, 51 yards, 3 INT
Top rushers
ARMY – Jimmy Hill – 23 rushes, 43 yards
PSU – Matt Suhey – 23 carries, 225 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
ARMY – Kevin Kullander – 3 receptions, 89 yards
PSU – Booker Moore – 3 receptions, 28 yards
Homecoming
Matt Suhey – 4th highest single game rushing total in school history, broke school record for career rushing attempts, moved into 4th place on all-time school rushing list
Booker Moore – 24 rushes, 103 yards
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Liberty Bowl (vs. Tulane)[ edit ]
1979 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Roster
Seven Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1980 NFL draft .
^ "Penn State Yearly Results (1975-1979)" . College Football Data Warehouse . David DeLassus. Archived from the original on August 5, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015 .
^ "West Virginia beaten, 31–6, by Penn State" . The Des Moines Register . October 28, 1979. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Menhardt's late field goal lifts Penn State by 'Pack" . Daily Press . November 11, 1979. Retrieved January 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Lions dip into magic bag, pull out a Liberty Bowl win" . Sunday News . December 23, 1979. Retrieved July 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Penn State unleashes infantry on Army." Eugene Register-Guard. 1979 Oct 14. Pg. 8B. Retrieved 2020-Dec-15.
^ "The story behind the Bruce Clark bombshell" .
^ "1979 Penn State Nittany Lions Roster" .
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