This is for the old-timers... Does anyone recall the '71 season? My Dad often used to mention how Penn State had a terrific team in 1971 then, went down to Tennessee undefeated and lost the final game. I was wondering why was Tennessee the final game on the schedule? Didn't we always used to play Pitt in the season finale? I also found it interesting that Tennessee never returned the visit to Happy Valley. Does anyone know why? Finally, were Franco, Lydell, and Cappy the starting backs? If so, that was some SERIOUS talent!! (Just from reading the record books- I know we went on the Cotton Bowl and pounded Texas that year.)
How close were we in '71?
- Thread starter WSTLion87
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The NCAA allowed for an 11th game in 1971 and Joe scheduled SEC powerhouse TN for 1971-72.
That game was a total disaster in that everything that could go wrong for PSU went wrong.
Tennessee scored touchdowns on 1. fumble return 2. interception return 3. punt return. The Vols' longest scoring drive was something like 15 yards following yet another Lion turnover. The final score was 31-11.
The starting RBs were Mitchell and Harris. Cappelletti played DB on that team, moving to TB in 1972.
Penn State received massive criticism from the national media, castigating the Lions as Eastern pretenders.
That is why to this day I still consider the 30-6 rout of SWC champion Texas in the Cotton Bowl as the most important and necessary win in Penn State history -- at least until that win over Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
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We played them again in '72 to open our season. Story goes that Tennessee (like most SEC teams) didn't want to come North to play. Joe said we'd play them again there if it were a night game, knowing that they didn't have lights. Bingo, they installed lights. Tennessee had already played one game. They jumped out to a 21-0 lead at the half. They had to hang on as our offense woke up, but they won 28-21. We drove to their 14 yard line, but ran out of time. I was there with a friend. We were so bummed out, we hitchhiked home to Pittsburgh immediately following the game. Arrived home safely around 4:00 P.M. the next day. Hey, kids do some really stupid things.
I agree with all of the above and will add that PSU got a lot of criticism for its schedule in those days because all of the other eastern independents were in a down cycle. So Joe gave Tennessee a bargain.
‘71 - ‘74 were great PSU teams.
‘71 - ‘74 were great PSU teams.
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