1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Co-national champion (FACT, Sagarin) Eastern champion Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 10–3 vs. Missouri
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 2
AP	No. 2
Record	11–0
Head coach	Joe Paterno (4th season)
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Jim O'Hora (4th season)
Base defense	4–3
Captains	Tom Jackson Mike Reid Steve Smear
Home stadium	Beaver Stadium
Seasons ←  1968 1970  →

1969 NCAA University Division independents football records

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		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.

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

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 20	2:00 p.m.	at Navy	No. 3	Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, MD		W 45–22	28,796	[4]
September 27		Colorado	No. 2	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 27–3	51,342	[5]
October 4		at Kansas State	No. 2	KSU Stadium Manhattan, KS		W 17–14	37,000	[6]
October 11		No. 17 West Virginia	No. 5	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)		W 20–0	52,713	[7]
October 18		at Syracuse	No. 5	Archbold Stadium Syracuse, NY (rivalry)		W 15–14	42,491	[8]
October 25	1:30 p.m.	Ohio	No. 8	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 42–3	49,419	[9]
November 1		Boston College	No. 5	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA	CBS	W 38–16	48,532	[10]
November 15		Maryland	No. 5	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)		W 48–0	46,106	[11]
November 22		at Pittsburgh	No. 4	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)		W 27–7	39,517	[12]
November 29		at NC State	No. 3	Carter Stadium Raleigh, NC	ABC	W 33–8	24,150	[13]
January 1, 1970		vs. No. 6 Missouri	No. 2	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)	NBC	W 10–3	78,282	[14]
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

^[15]

Game summaries

Pittsburgh

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
•Penn State	7	0	7	13	27
Pittsburgh	0	7	0	0	7

• Date: November 22
• Location: Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh
• Game attendance: 39,517

Scoring summary

1		PSU	Harris 24-yard run (Reitz kick)	PSU 7-0
2		PITT	Esposito 6-yard run (Cramer kick)	Tied 7-7
3		PSU	Pittman 4-yard run (Reitz kick)	PSU 14-7
4		PSU	Pittman 17-yard run (Reitz kick)	PSU 21-7
4		PSU	Abbey 18-yard run (kick failed)	PSU 27-7

^[16]

NC State

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Penn St	3	14	6	10	33
NC State	0	0	0	8	8

• Date: November 29
• Location: Carter Stadium
• Game attendance: 24,150

Scoring summary

Q1		PSU	Reitz 27 yard field goal	PSU 3–0
Q2		PSU	Pittman 5 yard run (Reitz kick)	PSU 10–0
Q2		PSU	Mitchell 1 yard run (Reitz kick)	PSU 17–0
Q3		PSU	Pittman 5 yard run (kick failed)	PSU 23–0
Q4		PSU	Reitz 35 yard field goal	PSU 26–0
Q4		PSU	Pittman 13 yard pass from Burkhart (Reitz kick)	PSU 33–0
Q4		NCST	Walker 71 yard interception return (Sharp pass from Bowers)	PSU 33–8

^[17]

Personnel

1969 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB Don Abbey WR Charlie Adams QB Chuck Burkhart WR Wally Cirafesi QB 25 Mike Cooper Jr RB Gary Deuel WR 88 Greg Edmonds Jr 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 78 Vic Surma Jr RB Charlie Wilson G 60 Charlie Zapiec Jr	Defense Pos. # Name Class 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. # Name Class	Head coach Joe Paterno Coordinators/assistant coaches Earl Bruce Jim O'Hora Frank Patrick Bob Phillips Dan Radakovich Jerry Sandusky Jim Weaver George Welsh J. T. White Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster

Awards

• Mike Reid
  • Maxwell Award
  • Outland Trophy

NFL draft

Eight Nittany Lions were selected in the 1970 NFL draft.

Round	Pick	Overall	Name	Position	Team
1st	7	7	Mike Reid	Defensive tackle	Cincinnati Bengals
3rd	6	58	Charlie Pittman	Running back	St. Louis Cardinals
3rd	20	72	Dennis Onkotz	Linebacker	New York Jets
4th	17	95	Steve Smear	Defensive end/Linebacker	Baltimore Colts
4th	20	98	John Ebersole	Linebacker	New York Jets
7th	23	179	Don Abbey	Fullback	Dallas Cowboys
8th	17	199	Paul Johnson	Running back	Washington Redskins
12th	17	303	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. 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.