1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Last updated

1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Co-national champion (FACT, Sagarin)
Eastern champion
Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 10–3 vs. Missouri
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 2
APNo. 2
Record11–0
Head coach
Offensive scheme I formation
Defensive coordinator Jim O'Hora (4th season)
Base defense 4–3
Captains
Home stadium Beaver Stadium
Seasons
  1968
1970  
1969 NCAA University Division independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Penn State   11 0 0
No. 17 West Virginia   10 1 0
No. 12 Houston   9 2 0
No. 5 Notre Dame   8 2 1
Buffalo   6 3 0
Rutgers   6 3 0
Villanova   6 3 0
Florida State   6 3 1
Colgate   5 3 1
Air Force   6 4 0
West Texas State   6 4 0
Boston College   5 4 0
New Mexico State   5 5 0
Southern Miss   5 5 0
Syracuse   5 5 0
Army   4 5 1
Virginia Tech   4 5 1
Georgia Tech   4 6 0
Miami (FL)   4 6 0
Pittsburgh   4 6 0
Dayton   3 7 0
Marshall   3 7 0
Northern Illinois   3 7 0
Tulane   3 7 0
Utah State   3 7 0
Navy   1 9 0
Xavier   1 9 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season.

Contents

Despite posting its second consecutive undefeated, untied season, the Nittany Lions did not have a shot at the national championship. President Richard Nixon said that he would consider the winner of the December 6 matchup between the Texas Longhorns and the Arkansas Razorbacks, then ranked at the top of the polls, and the real voters do not seem to have differed. Paterno, at the 1973 commencement, was quoted saying, "I'd like to know how could the president know so little about Watergate in 1973 and so much about college football in 1969?" [1] Then Pennsylvania Governor Raymond P. Shafer got the White House's attention with Penn State's two-season undefeated streak. A White House assistant called Paterno to invite him and the team to the White House to receive a trophy for their accomplishment. Paterno has stated many times that he responded with, "You can tell the president to take that trophy and shove it." [2]

Penn State declined an invitation to play the Texas/Arkansas winner in the Cotton Bowl Classic,[ citation needed ] instead playing sixth-ranked Missouri in the Orange Bowl. Penn State beat Missouri 10–3, while Texas beat Notre Dame 21–17 and was recognized as the consensus national champion. [3] :120 Penn State was selected co-national champion by FACT and Sagarin, both NCAA-designated major selectors. [3] :111

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 202:00 p.m.at Navy No. 3W 45–2228,796 [4]
September 27 Colorado No. 2W 27–351,342 [5]
October 4at Kansas State No. 2W 17–1437,000 [6]
October 11No. 17 West Virginia Dagger-14-plain.pngNo. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
W 20–052,713 [7]
October 18at Syracuse No. 5W 15–1442,491 [8]
October 251:30 p.m. Ohio No. 8
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 42–349,419 [9]
November 1 Boston College No. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
CBS W 38–1648,532 [10]
November 15 Maryland No. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
W 48–046,106 [11]
November 22at Pittsburgh No. 4W 27–739,517 [12]
November 29at NC State No. 3 ABC W 33–824,150 [13]
January 1, 1970vs. No. 6 Missouri No. 2 NBC W 10–378,282 [14]

[15]

Game summaries

Pittsburgh

Team1234Total
Penn State7071327
Pittsburgh07007

[16]

NC State

Team1234Total
Penn St31461033
NC State00088

[17]

Personnel

1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
RB Don Abbey
WR Charlie Adams
QB Chuck Burkhart
WR Wally Cirafesi
QB 25Mike CooperJr
RB Gary Deuel
WR 88Greg EdmondsJr
RB Fran Ganter Jr
RB 34 Franco Harris So
OL Bob Holuba
OL Tom Jackson
WR Pete Johnson
C 56 Warren Koegel Jr
WR Jim McCord
RB 23 Lydell Mitchell So
TE Wayne Munson
QB, P 13 Bob Parsons So
RB 24 Charlie Pittman Sr
RB Joel Ramich
OT 78Vic SurmaJr
RB Charlie Wilson
G 60 Charlie Zapiec Jr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DE 89 John Ebersole Sr
LB 33 Jack Ham Jr
DL Gary Hull
DB Paul Johnson
LB Jim Kates
DB George Landis
LB 35 Dennis Onkotz Sr
LB David Radakovich
DL David Rakiecki
DT 68 Mike Reid Sr
DL Steve Smear
LB Mike Smith
DB Neal Smith
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Roster

Awards

NFL draft

Eight Nittany Lions were selected in the 1970 NFL draft.

RoundPickOverallNamePositionTeam
1st77 Mike Reid Defensive tackle Cincinnati Bengals
3rd658 Charlie Pittman Running back St. Louis Cardinals
3rd2072 Dennis Onkotz Linebacker New York Jets
4th1795 Steve Smear Defensive end/Linebacker Baltimore Colts
4th2098 John Ebersole Linebacker New York Jets
7th23179 Don Abbey Fullback Dallas Cowboys
8th17199Paul Johnson Running back Washington Redskins
12th17303 James Kates Linebacker Washington Redskins

References

  1. Anderson, Shelly (November 17, 2006). "Research shows Nixon hurt '69 Lions". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Retrieved January 31, 2007.
  2. Rudel, Neil (April 24, 1994). "Snub by Nixon helped Penn St". The Beaver County Times . Beaver, Pennsylvania. p. B15. Retrieved July 6, 2021 via Google News.
  3. 1 2 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  4. "Lions slap 45–22 loss on Middies". The News and Observer. September 21, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Penn State wins 13th tilt in row". The Indianapolis Star. September 28, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Cats stubborn in defeat". The Kansas City Star. October 5, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Unbeaten Penn State blanks West Virginia". San Antonio Express/News. October 12, 1969. Retrieved January 21, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Penn State, down 14 in 4th, edges Syracuse, 15–14". The Star-Ledger. October 19, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Penn State string goes to 25 in row". The Daily Times. October 26, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Penn State rally pend BC Eagles". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. November 2, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Pittman scores 3 in 48–0 win". Sunday News. November 16, 1969. Retrieved January 22, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Penn State chokes Pitt rallies, 27–7". Staten Island Advance. November 23, 1969. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Penn State rumbles past Wolfpack 33–8". The Roanoke Times. November 30, 1969. Retrieved January 22, 2024 via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Penn St. shows Missouri how to intercept win, 10–3". Florida Today. January 2, 1970. Retrieved October 20, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Schedule/Results (1969 Penn State)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  16. "Onkotz' Run Leads Penn State Past Pitt, 27-7." Palm Beach Post. November 23, 1969
  17. "Penn State Rumbles, 33-8." Palm Beach Post. 1969 Nov 30. Retrieved 2015-Apr-30.